Auchinvole Chris: Crown Entities Reform Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Auchinvole Chris: Crown Entities Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 23 May 2012. Volume:680;Page:2330. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to stand again and speak on the Crown Entities Reform Bill which is an omnibus bill that seeks to responsibly resolve a number of inefficiencies and missed opportunities within the State sector. The bill is a responsible reply to the very real concern of too much government doing too little for the people. I think we said in the second reading yesterday that this is a case of not so much reducing the Public Service but in fact increasing the service to the public from Government departments. 
Government is at its best when it can move effectively and efficiently. There are some things that only government can sensibly do but not when its body is struggling to stand from carrying the weight of duplicated overheads small siloed organisations and that sort of thing. So the structural changes planned in this bill will result in better services. The changes have not been made lightly. The benefits of this reduction of State sector fragmentation have been proven through the consultation process. I think we will find very quickly that—like other agencies that have had amalgamations and been brought together—a synergy develops that enhances the agencies’ activity and enthuses their staff and executives. 
The Crown Entities Reform Bill was referred to the Government Administration Committee on 4 October last year under the previous Government. The committee received and considered 43 submissions as well as receiving advice from the State Services Commission the Ministry of Health and the Department of Internal Affairs. Throughout the process the focus was on ensuring the future viability of the services and creating a better State sector. I think this is the important aspect of this particular bill. This bill I think accomplishes these goals.  
I acknowledge there are differences of opinion on the timing of one section of the bill but that is on the timing. From my understanding through the select committee work the concern was not a matter of resistance to that section but just a matter of timing. I am sure we can debate our way through that and come to a sensible sort of arrangement.  
The creation of a new Health Promotion Agency to enhance the functions of the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) the Health Sponsorship Council and related functions of the Ministry of Health is a much-needed development. It will be applauded by the sector. It will strengthen the focus on health promotion activity by transferring existing health promotion activity in the Ministry of Health to a focused health promotion entity. That will create more opportunities for innovative and targeted approaches to those people and communities with multiple health issues. This is not a faceless organisation; it is one with true focus.  
The bill will bring forward the disestablishment of the Mental Health Commission which was structured only for a certain time.  
Grant Robertson 
: That is in Part 2. Are you in Part 1? 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Would you like me to restrict my comments to Part 1? 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I certainly would Mr Auchinvole. That is what the debate is about.  
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: I am very happy to do that because that gives us more opportunity to give emphasis to the aspects of this bill that are so important to us. The Health Promotion Agency for instance will be looking after the activities of the Alcohol Advisory Council. One of the concerns about that was that the money that is currently collected for the advisory council would be distributed over a wider front. In fact that is not the case. It is ringed it is fenced and it will be dedicated to alcohol educational work.  
Grant Robertson 
: Ring-fenced or ring and fenced? 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Pardon me? It’s a what? What did I say? 
Grant Robertson 
: Is it ring-fenced or ring and fence? 
Hon Member 
: That sounds like torture to me. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: No no. The change on the part of the Government’s programme is to ensure that the State sector delivers the front-line services that New Zealanders expect in the context of a challenging economic climate.  
Do you know I am always somewhat surprised to come and hear the debates following the work in the select committee because in reality—and I think it is important that the public of New Zealand knows this—there is a lot of harmony in select committees in terms of seeking the best from the bill and that was certainly the case with this one. It certainly received a lot of support from the people who made submissions. 
While we are dealing with Part 1 let us just look at the key points associated with the changes. Part 1 will reduce the current back-office governance duplication incurred by separate entities. ALAC’s independent evidence-based advisory function is retained—