Moroney Sue: Hamilton City Council (Parana Park) Land Vesting Bill — In Committee 
Moroney Sue: Hamilton City Council (Parana Park) Land Vesting Bill — In Committee 
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SUE MORONEY (Labour) 
: 
 Yes this debate is on the commencement clause—clause 2 of the Hamilton City Council (Parana Park) Land Vesting Bill. The commencement clause states: “This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the royal assent.” It seems pretty straightforward but we have already heard quite a bit of debate on the title clause in terms of what year this legislation is coming into effect. Is it 2010 or is it 2011? I can well imagine when we talk about the commencement that surely the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent would be in 2011— 
Chris Auchinvole 
: We’ve already talked about this. This is repetitious. 
SUE MORONEY 
: —although Mr Auchinvole offered the view before that it might be 2012. He offered the view that it may well be 2012 before we get to the commencement of this particular bill. 
I think it is important that we get to the commencement of the bill. This bill is about a luxury we have in Hamilton. I will depart from what has been at times a jocular debate this evening to say that at least in Hamilton we have the privilege to talk about this land and do not have to think about its destruction or about the things that people in Canterbury now have to think about very seriously. Every single piece of public— 
Jo Goodhew 
: Commencement date! 
SUE MORONEY 
: I am sorry that the junior Government whip does not allow me the opportunity as it is one of the first times that I have been on my feet since the Christchurch earthquake to offer my condolences to the people of Canterbury and Christchurch for what has occurred. I am sorry that she finds that offensive but I take the opportunity to say that to the people of Christchurch. 
We are talking about the commencement date of something that is fairly minor in fact for our city. I know that in a jocular way I said before that this bill must be the pinnacle of David Bennett’s career and perhaps of Tim Macindoe’s. It is great for the Hamilton City Council to bring this bill forward but in the grand scheme of things compared with what this Parliament ought to be dealing with and the things that the Government has ahead of it at the moment this bill is very very minor. 
Tim Macindoe 
: Why are you dragging it out? 
SUE MORONEY 
: Why am I dragging it out? 
Simon Bridges 
: She’s not in drag Tim. 
SUE MORONEY 
: If the two members have stopped their interjection with each other I will continue. 
I say to Mr Macindoe that this is the Committee stage on this legislation; the select committee overlooked the fact that it had the wrong date in the title clause. If we were not giving proper scrutiny to every single clause of this bill—as the Opposition at least is prepared to do—then that would have not been picked up. That is the role of this Parliament: to give decent scrutiny to legislation like this. 
That is unlike what the Government is prepared to do with another piece of legislation that talks about vesting land. It is rushing it through a select committee process and rushing it through its processes in the House. Yet the Government is complaining because the Opposition dares to give this legislation the proper scrutiny that it is supposed to have in the Committee stage! I do not apologise for that at all I say to Mr Macindoe because that is actually the job of parliamentarians: to give proper scrutiny to legislation as it goes through. 
Simon Bridges 
: So righteous. 
SUE MORONEY 
: Mr Bridges has just said: “So righteous.” 
Simon Bridges 
: If it wasn’t for you where would democracy be Sue? 
SUE MORONEY 
: Good question. A great question from Mr Bridges. Where would democracy be in this House quite frankly if it was not for the Labour Opposition calling for democracy and proper process? I think Mr Bridges asks an absolutely appropriate question. 
Simon Bridges 
: This is the bill to stake democracy on! 
SUE MORONEY 
: It has to start somewhere I say to Mr Bridges because it certainly is not happening much in the legislation that this Government is putting through when it comes to talking about vesting land and who owns the interest in land around this country. I think it is quite useful that we are giving proper scrutiny to this bill because it certainly is not happening with the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill.