SpeechNAISI CHEN (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. I rise as probably one of the first members of the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee—a great select committee—and as its deputy chairperson to say a huge thankyou to the member for Nelson my good colleague Rachel Boyack for sending this bill to our select committee. We will look after it well and I'm sure that there will be lots and lots of great conversations had about this wonderful institute as we pass this bill and it's great to hear that there has been support garnered from both sides of the House as well. I think—I'm just looking at the Order Paper really quickly—that there will be a bit of a theme of good governance coming through this afternoon with lots and lots of great members from this side from electorates who are doing their thing for their communities and this one is no exception. The Thomas Cawthron Trust Amendment Bill is looking at strengthening the constitution and therefore the statutory arrangements for this organisation in terms of their board and in terms of clearly articulating the objects of the institute and making sure that we have a good governance structure that honours Te Tiriti and making sure that we have that iwi representation on that board as well. I often say that governance is not an end in itself or good governance or the practice of good governance but the practice of good governance is the guardianship of the entity or the business organisation which we try to guard and make sure that it goes further on to do better things than what it was established for. Throughout today's debate members will have heard many many things mentioned about the good work of the Cawthron Institute. For me some of the things have actually been like what happened on my research trip to Australia where we sat down in a meeting with the Aussies and I'm trying to think—I know my good colleague here is now trying to think as well. We had a conversation about farming and agriculture and the minute that Rachel Boyack mentioned Asparagopsis the Aussies across the table—their eyes lit up and they knew exactly what we were talking about. They knew that this was a Kiwi technology and innovation from the Cawthron Institute. So we really know that this institute is exporting technology ideas throughout the world but it is also helping as we try and tackle climate change and our farting cows as well by lowering those emissions through obviously the algae which we could feed to animals. But upon a deeper dive into the organisation I do know that this is a wonderful organisation as well. One of the statistics that I was particularly pleasantly surprised by was the diversity of its staff. I think my good colleague Mr Ian McKelvie had already mentioned that it employs a huge workforce and the precise numbers—actually I'm just about to say that it's around 300 people. So over 300 people are employed in Nelson by the Cawthron Institute and they are lots and lots of high-level or high-paying jobs as well but they range from 35 different countries. So you will see a lot of diversity at the Cawthron Institute—people from China Poland the United States France Fiji Australia Germany Sri Lanka England Italy and many many many more. When we see that diversity and bring that expertise into New Zealand the fact that these people who are leaders in our science community actually want to come and work in New Zealand and want to contribute to tackling some of the bigger problems that we're facing at this moment through science and innovation I think that this institute is one that we must protect and we must support as well and support we have. The Government has given many different funds and grants to this institute so that they can continue their research and I know that my colleagues will pick up on that point later on as well. When we look at gender diversity we often know that girls are under-represented in STEM subjects. However at the Cawthron Institute over 53 percent of their staff are female 1 percent is gender-diverse and 46 percent are male. So we've got not only a great balance but an overrepresentation you could almost say of our female scientists and innovators at Cawthron. As well they have this very young workforce where the majority of their workforce is aged between 30 and 39 with that being one of the average age groups of those working there. This has been a great employer within the great city and district of Nelson with a great MP that represents that area and who is bringing this bill to this House. So on behalf of the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee we look forward to shepherding this bill through the House and we welcome all of the submitters and welcome engaging with you in the select committee process as well.