edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
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Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:93. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
12. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Customs 
: What recent reports has he received about SmartGate? 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (Minister of Customs) 
: 
 As this is the first day of a new Parliament I cannot say “more good news” so I will start by saying this is the first of a number of good-news announcements along the way this year for customs. SmartGate has indeed already made a big difference for people travelling between Australia and New Zealand. Now with new technology we have been able to change the age of compatibility from 18 down to 16. Previously you had to be 18 years or over to use SmartGate kiosks. SmartGate provides faster processing for eligible travellers arriving at or departing from Auckland Wellington or Christchurch and for those arriving at Australia’s eight international airports. 
Chris Auchinvole 
: What benefits does lowering the age-limit on SmartGate have for New Zealand and Australian passport holders? 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON 
: Lowering the age-limit of SmartGate users will enable an estimated 120000 additional travellers to use the kiosks every year as families now travelling with teenagers will be able to use SmartGate and not the manual queuing process. SmartGate has already processed over 2 million travellers since it was first implemented in December 2009 and by lowering the age-limit more families will be able to use it. I wish that it was not that the facial structures of children under the age of 16 changed so much because if that was not the case we would actually be able to lower it even further than 16.
Stewart Barbara: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — In Committee 
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Stewart Barbara: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:128. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to take this brief call. Unfortunately we did not have a representative on the Primary Production Committee last time around so I was very happy when I heard that the work had been started a long time ago in a previous Parliament. That was really good; we would have had a representative there.  
As New Zealanders we always pride ourselves on the products we produce. Our biosecurity is really really important to us and we want that high standard to continue like everybody else here in this House. We did have some questions about the National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill. We know how important our export market is and we want our export strategy to continue to be really successful.  
We had some questions when we had a quick look at the bill and we are prepared to listen to all of the comments and speeches with a great deal of interest. We wondered about the additional expense to farmers and what impact that would have on the meat that was being exported. None of these things are ever free and someone always has to pay and usually it comes back to the farmers. We wondered too about what happened when animals lost their tags. We know that that does happen so who looks after that and how is that actually paid for?  
Our next lot of questions were about the technology but I understand that that is included in the bill so we will be interested to read that further because we want to know how that technology actually operates. It must be successful; there is no way that we can have technology that is so important for our export economy if it is not going to be successful.  
Lifestyle farmers are an area of concern to us. Having been one previously I know that we bought animals the right way and I would like to think that other lifestyle farmers would ensure that their animals when they were sold or sent off to market were actually meeting the requirements.  
That brings us to enforcement. Any law that we pass here must be able to be enforced. We really cannot afford to have any cutbacks in the area of enforcement staff if this law is to be successful. We want the process to be workable; otherwise as previous speakers have said this is a total waste of time. New Zealand has a good name around the globe; we want to continue that good name. We wonder too whether or not we could ask other countries that are exporting into New Zealand their meat—pork and chicken particularly that from Asian countries—to follow the same standard that we are following.  
We are prepared to listen to this particular debate. We like the sound of what we hear and we want to ensure that New Zealand is a very successful exporter. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: The Hon—ah—Ruth Dyson.
Graham Kennedy: Motions — Queen Elizabeth II—Diamond Jubilee 
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Graham Kennedy: Motions — Queen Elizabeth II—Diamond Jubilee 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:80. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) 
: 
 The Green Party pays tribute to our head of State Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of New Zealand. As the second - longest serving Sovereign the Queen has played a most significant and important role in the world through an extraordinary 66 years of tumultuous world history. She has honoured the institution of the monarchy through the natural dignity of her person and the grace with which she has discharged her duties. She has honoured this country in the genuine interest she has displayed in our history our culture our sporting prowess our military sacrifices our changing demographic character and our hopes and aspirations for the future.  
When the Queen was crowned in 1952 Sir Edmund Hillary was yet to conquer Mount Everest. Back home half of New Zealand homes did not have a fridge and one in five did not have a flushing toilet. No home had television. The idea of standing on the moon remained in the realm of heroic planning if not science fiction. So times have changed considerably since our Queen ascended the throne as a young woman. We celebrate her 60th anniversary with a respectful message of gratitude and personal affection shared by all New Zealanders.  
No discussion about the New Zealand monarchy occurs today without attention being naturally given to the nature of the institution of the head of State. We remain in a small minority of nations that share the same head of State with others. There are many who advocate a transition sooner or later to a republican institution—one based here in our own soil. There are others who are comfortable with the status quo and wish it to continue. Her Majesty will not be unaware of the somewhat desultory debate in the country along these lines. The Green Party does not have a formal position on this matter and now is not the time to explore it. But equally it is inappropriate even as we pay tribute to our respected monarch not to acknowledge the future challenge we face as a nation on this matter. Let us send a message from this Parliament of Aotearoa New Zealand to Her Majesty thanking her for her gracious service and wishing her a long and fruitful life ahead.
Visitors — Sweden—Committee on Environment and Agriculture Riksdag 
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Visitors — Sweden—Committee on Environment and Agriculture Riksdag 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:79. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Visitors 
Sweden—Committee on Environment and Agriculture Riksdag 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have much pleasure in informing the House that representatives of the Committee on Environment and Agriculture from the Swedish Parliament the Riksdag led by Deputy Chairperson Mr Bengt-Anders Johansson are present in the gallery. I am sure members would wish that the delegation be welcomed.
Shearer David: Motions — Queen Elizabeth II—Diamond Jubilee 
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Shearer David: Motions — Queen Elizabeth II—Diamond Jubilee 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:80. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
DAVID SHEARER (Leader of the Opposition) 
: 
 On behalf of the Labour Party I join with the Prime Minister and other members of this House in paying tribute to and thanking Queen Elizabeth II who marks the 60th anniversary of her ascension to the throne. New Zealand stands alongside many other Commonwealth countries in congratulating Her Majesty on this her diamond jubilee. I also welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement earlier that New Zealand will host the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall later on in November this year and I know that will be welcomed by many New Zealanders.  
I understand that Queen Victoria was the only other queen to have reigned as long as Queen Elizabeth II so it is appropriate that Parliament marks this occasion. Her reign is perhaps best described by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who said that “in a churning and changing world” she is “an anchor for our age.” Her reign has been one of an unwavering commitment and dedication to service. It is a commitment that has spanned the service of 14 New Zealand Prime Ministers and 12 British Prime Ministers and as the Prime Minister just remarked it is sobering that the weight of responsibility of the monarchy fell on her at the age of only 25. Perhaps most famously for New Zealand is our link to that coronation 60 years ago when Sir Edmund Hillary conquered Everest and said that that feat was in fact a coronation gift. No one can doubt her dedication to Commonwealth countries. In our darkest hours she has stood by us. Her words of support for example in Canterbury were very well received and her grandson’s visiting and saying the words “kia kaha” to Cantabrians perhaps best acknowledged the stoic resolve of Cantabrians at that particular time. She is the first monarch in fact to have ever visited New Zealand and she has visited 10 times in her 60-year reign.  
I had the privilege of meeting Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace some 15 or 16 years ago and it is an honour I will not forget. I have enormous respect for her work and her service.  
We acknowledge of course that over the last 60 years much has changed in New Zealand and there will inevitably be some discussion about our future constitutional arrangements. But that is a debate for another day. Today is a day to mark her reign of service commitment and dedication and on behalf of the Labour Party I congratulate Her Majesty.
Key John: Motions — Queen Elizabeth II—Diamond Jubilee 
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Key John: Motions — Queen Elizabeth II—Diamond Jubilee 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:79. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) 
: 
 I seek leave that this House congratulates Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty’s accession to the Throne. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Prime Minister is seeking leave. Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is no objection. 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I move  
That this House congratulate  
Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne 
. On 6 February 1952—60 years ago yesterday—Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne and became New Zealand’s monarch. She was only 25 years old—younger in fact than any member of our Parliament today. In her speech as she ascended to the throne she promised to follow the example of service and devotion provided by her father King George VI. For six decades the Queen has kept that undertaking. These have been decades during which the concept of the British Empire has receded and the importance of the Commonwealth has come to the fore. The realms over which Queen Elizabeth reigns have had their times of prosperity along with times of turbulence and challenge. And over 60 years New Zealand has orientated itself on the world map differently: less the Antipodes and all that that implies more a modern and assertive nation with a central role in the Pacific. We have developed our own distinct sense of identity. We value the things that make us unique that make us Kiwis. We are a nation of many different peoples sharing a common belief in peace progress and a fair go.  
The dignity wisdom and assurance that the Queen brings to her role as New Zealand’s head of State supersedes maps and distances. Throughout the changes of the past 60 years her status as our Sovereign has given many of us a sense of stability and confidence. Her role is a link with systems of constitutional government that have histories much longer than our own and with traditions that move and inspire us.  
In my time as Prime Minister I have been fortunate enough to meet Her Majesty on a number of occasions and I can say to members of this House and indeed to New Zealanders that she has a great care concern and passion for and intimate knowledge and love of this country and in my view has done a wonderful job as the monarch of New Zealand. I know that in this Parliament there are a range of views on the future of the monarchy in New Zealand. I respect those views are sincerely held while at the same time maintaining my own belief as both Prime Minister of New Zealand and as a citizen of this realm that the monarchy continues to be both relevant and meaningful. Sixty years of service and counting—let us warmly congratulate the Queen of New Zealand.
Smith Lockwood: Visitors — Sweden—Committee on Environment and Agriculture Riksdag 
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Smith Lockwood: Visitors — Sweden—Committee on Environment and Agriculture Riksdag 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:79. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have much pleasure in informing the House that representatives of the Committee on Environment and Agriculture from the Swedish Parliament the Riksdag led by Deputy Chairperson Mr Bengt-Anders Johansson are present in the gallery. I am sure members would wish that the delegation be welcomed.
Event: Members Sworn 
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Event: Members Sworn 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:79. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Members Sworn 
4 
Charles Chauvel Hon Annette King and Hon Maryan Street were presented to the Speaker made the affirmation required by law and took their seats in the House.
Ardern Shane: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — In Committee 
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Ardern Shane: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:122. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
SHANE ARDERN (National—Taranaki - King Country) 
: 
 Mr Chairman can I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your reappointment as Deputy Speaker—I have not had a chance to do that until now. This National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill as the previous speaker the Hon Damien O’Connor said came to the Primary Production Committee and we spent a considerable amount of time going through the issues in relation to the detail of this. In doing so we made some recommendations to the Minister for Primary Industries. I am pleased to say that the Minister has taken up most if not all of those recommendations.
Kaye Nikki: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
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Kaye Nikki: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:86. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
4. 
NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What reports has she received on the 2011 NCEA results? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. Tena tatou. I have received a report with some early results from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. These results show that there has been improvement across the board. Some highlights include the overall result for National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA) level 2 for year 12 which has risen from 76 percent in 2008 to 81.5 percent in 2011; NCEA level 2 for year 12 Maori has risen from 63.1 percent in 2008 to 72.7 percent in 2011; and NCEA level 2 for year 12 Pasifika has risen from 54.4 percent in 2008 to 63.2 percent in 2011. I am also advised that early indications are that Christchurch students improved their achievement rates. This is a great result in the face of a very difficult year and I am sure that the whole of Parliament joins in offering congratulations to all students who achieved in 2011. 
Nikki Kaye 
: How will she continue to focus on lifting NCEA achievement rates? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: I will have an unrelenting focus on the learner at the centre and on raising achievement. We cannot truly be a world-class system while we have groups—that the member opposite has occasionally opined to be interested in—who are consistently underserved every year. We need to make a number of changes across the board to lift achievement. These include raising participation in and the quality of early childhood education—[ 
Interruption 
]; I am glad you are so overjoyed at that—building the capability of teachers so we have higher-quality interactions in every classroom in every school across this country; better information about performance; and greater accountability at all levels of the system.
Members Sworn 
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Members Sworn 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:79. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Tuesday 7 February 2012 
Mr Speaker 
 took the Chair at 2 p.m. 
Prayers 
. 
Members Sworn 
Charles Chauvel Hon Annette King and Hon Maryan Street were presented to the Speaker made the affirmation required by law and took their seats in the House.
Calder Cam: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — In Committee 
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Calder Cam: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 07 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:131. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr CAM CALDER (National) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to rise and speak very briefly on this bipartisan bill the National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill. Some years ago I was living in south-west France at the height of the mad cow epidemic and it was a great pleasure to be able to go into a charcuterie and boucherie in the south-west in the patte d’oie of Auch and know exactly what farm the meat that I was purchasing was coming from. Was it near Jegun or Fleurance or St Lary? It was a very very useful tool.  
It is a very important tool for us as a marketer of dairy products and of meat globally. It applies at this stage only to cattle and deer but the meat industry alone is worth something like $5 billion. This is a bill that tracks the location of animals from birth to death or live export from New Zealand so it gives that important security to consumers whether they be in Korea or Taiwan—where they are enjoying our grass-fed beef more and more—or anywhere else in the world. I commend this bill to the House.
Draft transcript - Tuesday 22 May 2012 
Published as advance copy. 
Draft transcript - Tuesday 22 May 2012
Young Jonathan: Consumer Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
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Young Jonathan: Consumer Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:297. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) 
: 
 I am pleased to stand and support the Consumer Law Reform Bill which is now before the House for its first reading. The previous speaker Clare Curran made mention of the different Ministers who have had input and I think what that shows to us is that the creation of law is quite a process when you consider the different Ministers the different officials the fact that we are debating it that it will go to a select committee that the general public will have a say and that different people in the sectors will be able to come in and make their own submissions. It shows what a robust process we actually have here in New Zealand. Of course today Mr Deputy Speaker you are presiding so congratulations on your reappointment as well.  
The Consumer Law Reform Bill is a bill called an omnibus bill which amends a number of Acts as we know: the Fair Trading Act the Consumer Guarantees Act the Weights and Measures Act the Carriage of Goods Act the Sale of Goods Act and the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act. It also repeals the Auctioneers Act 1928—that is going a long way back—and the Door to Door Sales Act 1967 the Layby Sales Act and the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1975. So there are a lot of Acts of Parliament that are being amended improved or updated and some repealed in this piece of legislation. In fact it has been 20 long years since this amount of work has been done and I think that is a considerable length of time.  
I watch quite frequently—and no doubt many others do—the programme on TV called  
Fair Go 
. I think for every New Zealander when it comes to transacting business parting with their hard-earned money or when they want to receive a good or a service the thing that they want to see is value for that money. They want a fair go. They want to know that what they have paid for and what they thought they were going to get they do get. And at times of course that is not the case which is why we have programmes like  
Fair Go 
 why we have legislation and why we have enforcement.  
It is important for this to bill to proceed and make good progress. So I look forward as a member of the Commerce Committee to being able to really get into the nitty-gritty of this. It is touching so many areas. I think this is a bill that is coming to the House in good time and we look forward to the progress that it shall make. Thank you.
Upston Louise: Taxation (International Investment and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
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Upston Louise: Taxation (International Investment and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:283. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupo) 
: 
 I am pleased to support in its second reading the Taxation (International Investment and Remedial Matters) Bill. 
Bill read a second time.
Lotu-Iiga Sam: Address in Reply 
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Lotu-Iiga Sam: Address in Reply 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:274. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) 
: 
 I move  
That the debate be now adjourned 
.  
Motion agreed to.
Macindoe Tim: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
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Macindoe Tim: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:264. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
10. 
TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West) 
 to the  
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector 
: What recent announcement has she made in her portfolio that will benefit communities? 
Hon JO GOODHEW (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector) 
: 
 On 3 February I announced grants from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to 15 individuals at an average of $5000 each—a total of $75000. This covers overseas travel typically for between 3 weeks and 3 months to learn more about other people and cultures. The trust places great importance on the benefits of this project to New Zealand. 
Tim Macindoe 
: What will this year’s Winston Churchill Fellows study? 
Hon JO GOODHEW 
: This year’s recipients will study across a wide range of very interesting topics including community welfare and health disaster preparedness and issues relating to history commerce the arts and the environment. 
Tim Macindoe 
: Can she give the House an example of how these grants can benefit a community? 
Hon JO GOODHEW 
: Fellows return with new insights and understandings that do enrich their communities in many ways. The range of topics I have already given the House is broad. I have seen an example of a fellow who after studying transportation and traffic issues is putting that to good use within his business sector and I am sure that the Associate Minister for Primary Industries is putting the knowledge and experience he gained in the year 2000 of beef exports to the United States to very good use.
Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
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Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:257. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
3. 
GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does he stand by his statement that his hour-long show on Radio Live on 30 September 2011 was an “election free zone”? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery) 
 on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes. 
Grant Robertson 
: Did he or his office seek or receive advice from the Electoral Commission on whether the “hour with the PM” show could breach electoral broadcasting law; if so what did that advice say? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I am informed the Prime Minister’s office discussed the matter with the broadcaster. Radio Live I understand then sought advice from the Electoral Commission. After receiving that advice Radio Live decided to go forward with the programme. 
Grant Robertson 
: Will the Prime Minister be declaring the value of an hour of free radio time as a donation as required under the Electoral Act? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The Prime Minister has no obligations under the Electoral Act. 
Grant Robertson 
: Has the Prime Minister received any advice as to the value of an hour’s air time on Radio Live and was this reflected in the declaration of donations for that period? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I am unable to answer that question at this point. 
Grant Robertson 
: If the show was an election-free zone as the Prime Minister has said and he was not there for the purpose of getting electoral advantage for himself and the National Party what reason did he actually have for hosting the show? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Thousands tens of thousands hundreds of thousands millions of New Zealanders find everything he says just fascinating. 
Grant Robertson 
: Has he or his office sought advice as to whether he has abetted a crime under section 66 of the Crimes Act by hosting the “hour with the PM” on Radio Live? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: This matter is currently referred to the police. The police are investigating Radio Live in this matter.
Brownlee Gerry: Business Statement 
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Brownlee Gerry: Business Statement 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:255. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) 
: 
 When the House resumes on Tuesday 14 February the Government will look to progress the Address in Reply debate and conclude members’ maiden speeches. A number of bills on the Order Paper will receive their first reading. By agreement of the Business Committee of the House the House will take extended sitting hours on Thursday 16 February. This is to progress a number of Treaty settlement bills and Statutes Amendment bills Nos 2 and 3 which have the broad support of the House.
Dean Jacqui: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
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Dean Jacqui: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:260. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
6. 
JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) 
 to the  
Minister of Local Government 
: What reports has he received on increases in local government council debt since the Local Government Act 2002 was enacted? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Local Government) 
: 
 The local authority financial reports show that council debt has quadrupled from $2 billion in 2002 to over $8 billion today. The increase in debt is significantly greater than any other sector and is noted by local government analyst Larry Mitchell to be the No. 1 issue facing that sector. 
Jacqui Dean 
: Has local government borrowing slowed in response to the global debt crisis in the same way that households and businesses have become cautious of debt? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: No household debt grew sharply between 2000 and 2008 but stabilised in 2009 and has reduced in 2010 and 2011. Farm debt has also responded prudently to the global financial crisis and not increased since 2008. In contrast council debt has been growing at a faster rate—$500 million of borrowing in 2007 $800 million in 2008 $1100 million in 2009 and $1800 million in 2010. This ongoing increase in local government debt is not sustainable.  
Jacqui Dean 
: Why is this increase in debt a concern? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: There are three concerns. The first is that council debt is actually just rates deferred. The greater the debt the less opportunity there is in future for containing the cost of rates for households and businesses. Secondly council debt contributes to New Zealand’s overall indebtedness. Households and businesses are doing their bit by pulling back their borrowing and local government needs also to tighten its belt. My third concern is that for some councils their level of debt-servicing costs is becoming so great that it puts the financial viability of their council at risk.
Business Statement 
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Business Statement 
[Sitting date: 09 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:255. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Thursday 9 February 2012 
Mr Speaker 
 took the Chair at 2 p.m. 
Prayers 
. 
Business Statement 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) 
: 
 When the House resumes on Tuesday 14 February the Government will look to progress the Address in Reply debate and conclude members’ maiden speeches. A number of bills on the Order Paper will receive their first reading. By agreement of the Business Committee of the House the House will take extended sitting hours on Thursday 16 February. This is to progress a number of Treaty settlement bills and Statutes Amendment bills Nos 2 and 3 which have the broad support of the House.
Cunliffe David: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — Third Reading 
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Cunliffe David: National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:393. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Labour—New Lynn) 
: 
 It gives me great pleasure to rise to take this call on the National Animal Identification and Tracing Bill noting that the MP for Wellington Central Grant Robertson previously took a call on the Labour side to underscore that our support for this bill reflects our caucus position right around the country. So as the member for New Lynn in west Auckland can I say that I am delighted to be able to support it too for a number of great reasons including that we have plenty of animals in west Auckland to trace. Just watch  
Outrageous Fortune 
 and you will know what I mean.  
Now we did challenge earlier the member for Auckland Central to take a call on behalf of National and we have yet to hear from her. We assume that National members in the inner city are similarly committed to this bill but we would love to hear from her too.  
It is a few years ago now that I visited the AgResearch institution at Ruakura and was able to see some of the early development of this project then based on the application of radio frequency ID tags to livestock. It was around 2004 when the then Labour Government first seriously kicked this off with AgResearch and it is a delight to see this now maturing to the point that we are passing legislation on a multipartisan basis today in the House.  
There are a number of really good reasons why we support the bill and I could not agree more strongly with the previous speaker Mr Hayes who said it is because we all want to see the boat go faster. We all want to raise New Zealand’s standard of living and we want to see our primary sector in particular increase in productivity and value. It delivers that because of quality assurance because of pest and disease management because of a brand premium and because of the basis of further innovation in the future. 
Debate interrupted.
Vote: Road User Charges Bill — Third Reading 
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Vote: Road User Charges Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:377. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
A party vote was called for on the question  
That the Road User Charges Bill be now read a third time. 
Ayes 113 
New Zealand National 59; New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party 14; Maori Party 3; ACT New Zealand 1; Mana 1; United Future 1. 
Noes 8 
New Zealand First 8. 
Bill read a third time.
Fenton Darien: Road User Charges Bill — Third Reading 
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Fenton Darien: Road User Charges Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:362. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
: 
 In the last couple of minutes of time I have remaining it would be remiss of me not to refer to the fantastic and wonderful speeches that were delivered to the House before the dinner break by new Labour members. I want to congratulate them all and I think we can look forward to a really good 3 years with members of that calibre here.  
But in regards to the Road User Charges Bill before the adjournment last week I had outlined Labour’s concerns about the bill and that some of them are not really being addressed. I was beginning to talk about New Zealand’s unique road-user charges system that it is a good thing actually—we have had it for many many years—and that it is now starting to be emulated by other countries such as European countries Australia and other countries as they accept that diesel tax on trucks is not going to provide the revenue to create and maintain the roads needed to maintain a growing freight task throughout Europe and other economies.  
I just wanted to record in my last remaining seconds that actually we have a fantastic industry in this country. It made submissions through the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee. We have some wonderful innovative companies that have taken up this challenge about road-user charges are selling our product to the rest of the world and are providing clean green and clever innovations and that is wonderful. Thank you.
Blue Jackie: Address in Reply 
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Blue Jackie: Address in Reply 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:362. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) 
: 
 I move  
That the debate be now adjourned 
.  
Motion agreed to.
Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
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Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:318. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
11. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National) 
 to the  
Minister for Racing 
: What announcements has he made relating to safety on racecourses? 
Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Racing) 
: 
 Last week I announced the opening of the next funding round of the Racing Safety Development Fund. It provides $1 million per annum to support projects that improve the safety and upgrade facilities at racecourses and I invite all racing clubs and the racing code bodies to submit applications for funding. 
Chris Auchinvole 
: How significant is the issue of racecourse safety for the racing industry? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: Racecourse health and safety continues to be an important issue for the industry. Racing is a potentially high-risk activity and the health and safety of those involved in racing and of the animals is paramount. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Apart from announcing the annual round of the racecourse safety fund something that yours truly started could he tell us what he has done about taxation for racing or the racing stakes money which is seriously down since National took over? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: If you have a look at the primary question in my opinion this is very wide of the primary question. I am very happy however to answer the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! Was that a point of order or was that an answer? [ 
Interruption 
] I am on my feet. I am taking it as a point of order and it should have been raised as a point of order. I accept that the question was about safety but I thought it was not unreasonable. The reason why supplementary questions must follow a primary question is to ensure that Ministers have the information. On this particular occasion the nature of the right honourable gentleman’s question was such that the Minister would have the information because it asked about what he had done about matters other than safety. So although the Minister may not have detailed information I thought it not unreasonable to allow him to answer it because he may wish to boast about what he has done—and far be it from me to prevent the Minister from being able to do that. So in so far as he can answer the question I call the Hon Nathan Guy. 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: At the moment I am busy engaging with the chair of the Racing Board. I am looking forward to meeting up with the racing codes and already I have attended three racing events. People are in my ear raising all sorts of issues and I am taking some time to evaluate those issues working closely with the Racing Board to understand the outcome of those issues and looking forward to a single strategy in the future.
Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:317. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
9. 
CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What is the total cost of legal action spent to date by his Ministry to oppose the claim that family members have the right to be paid to care for adult disabled children? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 According to the Ministry of Health and Crown Law the total cost of this ongoing legal action to date is just under $1.4 million. I am advised this covers some 6 years. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Did his ministry consider an alternative strategy to litigation after losing at the Human Rights Tribunal and losing at the High Court on this matter? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The member will be aware that this case is currently before the courts so I am limited in what I can say. However I must tell the member that the strongest advice that we received from the Crown Law Office was that this ruling had implications for other parts of public policy and public support and that is the reason why the Government has made the decision that it has. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Does he agree with the Ministry of Health that we can have “no idea” how many families would take up the offer of paid work for care if the policy was changed? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I think we are getting rather close to some of the matters that are before the courts but what I would say is that clearly the Ministry of Health’s calculations of the financial impact are based across a range of scenarios and it would be correct to say that we would not know exactly how many people who are currently not being supported by public funding would switch to be supported by public funding if the rules changed. So from that point of view that is correct. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: How can his ministry say that fixing this discriminatory policy would be “fiscally unsustainable” if the costs are not known? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The costs are not known exactly because there are a number of variables that produce a range of results. But what I can say to that member is that the Government has nothing but admiration for the people who support their families in these very difficult circumstances. However Governments of both hues have recognised that there are some very serious implications for Government support across a wider variety of areas than just this.
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:316. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
8. 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: Does he have confidence in The Treasury? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Associate Minister of Finance) 
 on behalf of the Minister of Finance: Yes but like many Governments before us that does not mean we agree with every piece of Treasury advice. 
Hon David Parker 
: Given that when his Government came to office Treasury predicted the economy would grow 7.4 percent over the following 3 years and it grew only 1.2 percent is it the fault of Treasury’s forecasting or the Government’s economic management? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I think a couple of events that have occurred since that date may have escaped the member’s attention including the global financial crisis and also the Canterbury earthquakes. Just like any forecaster Treasury had to make its best estimate at a given point in time without necessarily being aware of those two events which were at that stage still ahead of it. 
Hon David Parker 
: Given that substantially after the 2008 election the Minister of Finance trumpeted Treasury’s forecast of 36000 extra jobs in the year to March 2012 and took this as credit to his Government is the fact that only 10000 extra jobs have been created so far the fault of Treasury’s forecasting or the Government’s economic management? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I am not sure exactly where the member gets those numbers from but I can refer him to the fact that in the year to December 2011 there were 34000 net new jobs in the economy. 
Hon David Parker 
: Are the recent sharp falls in business and consumer confidence linked to his Government’s continued trumpeting of rosy forecasts that never eventuate? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I think I have seen criticism from the Opposition recently that the Government is being too pessimistic in its forecasts and I see today from Mr Parker we are perhaps too optimistic. Probably the most likely impact on business confidence as I think most New Zealanders understand would be the precarious situation in Europe and in particular southern Europe which of course all New Zealanders are watching with great interest.
Calder Cam: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Calder Cam: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:316. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
7. 
Dr CAM CALDER (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: What are her priorities in regard to bail laws over the coming three years? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 This Government is committed to bail laws that will help make New Zealand safer protect the public and keep victims at the heart of our criminal justice system. We will change bail laws to extend the reverse burden of proof requirement for people with previous serious convictions to people charged with kidnapping sexual conduct with a child under 12 sexual conduct with young persons under 16 aggravated burglary and assault with intent to rob in addition to the existing offences already covered. The reverse burden of proof will also apply to people charged with murder or serious class A drug offences such as manufacturing or dealing in methamphetamine regardless of any previous offending. This means that they must prove that they are not a risk to the public or to the trial process. 
Dr Cam Calder 
: Why is the Government making these changes? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: We know that more than one-third of defendants arrested for these crimes commit further crimes while on bail. This is why it is so important to deal with them properly. These changes will build on the work this Government has already achieved and we are reversing Labour’s decision which made it easier for defendants to get bail. These changes will get the balance right between public safety and a defendant’s right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 14 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:315. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
6. 
GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does he stand by his statement that “the PM’s Hour” on Radio Live on 30 September 2011 was an “election free zone”; if so why? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) 
: 
 Yes because that statement was made at the beginning of the show in order to indicate that neither I nor my guests would be discussing the upcoming election. 
Grant Robertson 
: Who had control over the content of the  
Prime Minister’s Hour 
—he and his office or Radio Live? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: Radio Live had sought advice from the Electoral Commission so gave me riding instructions to make sure it was an election-free zone. I certainly chose the guests because they were guests I thought would be of interest to New Zealanders. At the time given we were in the middle of contesting the Rugby World Cup people like Richie McCaw were of great interest to the New Zealand public. 
Grant Robertson 
: Given that answer did the communications manager from his office rewrite the brief for the show and also write the email asking for an opinion from the Electoral Commission that was actually sent in Radio Live’s name? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: Not to the best of my knowledge. 
Grant Robertson 
: I seek leave of the House to table an email dated Tuesday 27 September from the communications manager of the Prime Minister’s office where it states that he has made some tweaks to the brief and gives the details of an email that was subsequently sent in Radio Live’s name. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Grant Robertson 
: Did the communications manager from his office rewrite the brief for the show and also write the email asking for an opinion from the Electoral Commission that was eventually sent in Radio Live’s name? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: Not to the best of my knowledge. 
Grant Robertson 
: Did his communications manager say after receiving the Electoral Commission opinion on the show: “… they have been pretty clear about putting the responsibility on the broadcaster which is useful.”; if so what was it about that statement that was useful? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: Not to the best of my knowledge but as the member will know the matter is a matter between the Electoral Commission and the broadcaster. 
Grant Robertson 
: I seek leave of the House to table an email from the communications manager in the Prime Minister’s office dated Thursday 29 September 2011 where he said: “But they have been pretty clear about putting the responsibility on the broadcaster which is useful.” 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.