edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Twyford PhilHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): Thank you Madam Chair. Again I'll try to address the questions that I think are in scope. Christopher Penk had a couple of points to make and one of them was about whether or not the amount being charged in clause 3(2) and in a similar situation in Part 2 where it's basically to three decimal points—[Interruption]CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Order! [Interruption] Order! Order! I apologise to the Minister. Members have asked the Minister questions; I think they should actually listen to the answers.Hon PHIL TWYFORD: So I want to reassure Christopher Penk that the fact that the number is expressed to three decimal points is not a problem because these amounts are charged to fuel companies that are processing millions of litres. So it's not like Joe Bloggs is going to rock up at the service station and be charged 63.024c per litre on his credit card.The other question that Christopher Penk had I think was about where it says plus 8c per g of Pb". That's not a form of GST; that's actually a longstanding provision in the fuel excise which is designed to be a disincentive for the insertion of lead into petrol but it's there as an artefact of history.Brett Hudson's got an amendment that would delete clause 5. We will not be adopting that because obviously it would contradict the entire intent of the bill and lead to a substantial loss of revenue. Thank you Madam Chair."
Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Helensville): Thank you Madam Chair. Speaking to Part 1 of the Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill I've found some good news: there has been a raising of the spirits by this Budget but the bad news is the spirits are motor spirits and the raising is an increase in a tax. So we look at clause 3(1) and what we've got is a dollar figure in a column in a table in a section in a schedule of an Act. It's what Winston Churchill would have described as a riddle wrapped inside a mystery inside an enigma. That's about how easy it is to understand. The point of this exercise is the kick-off of the Wellbeing Budget because there is very little if any wellbeing to be obtained by it.Looking at the particular wording in clause 1 I can't help but notice that the dollar figures are expressed to three decimal places. We're talking about cents and a cent is a 100th of a dollar so why we've got an extra little bit there I suppose might be the Minister trying to squeeze out every last fraction of a cent from the taxpayer—Chris Bishop: Squeeze 'em till the pips go.CHRIS PENK: —indeed Mr Bishop—and that's an unfortunate thing indeed. So my question to the Minister is whether he might round off those figures. Maybe round down rather than round up—I'd hate to be the cause of suggesting that he increases his increase still further but if he can give us some advice on that that would be very helpful indeed. I hear a colleague Scott Simpson musing on the subject of Swedish rounding. I'm not sure but perhaps if the Government's acting in the manner of the Swedish Chef then that would be an appropriate exercise to undertake.I note that we've got a couple of figures there and one of them is plus 8c per g of Pb". I'm just wondering whether there might be something to do with the GST that's also applied or perhaps that's a separate thing. In any case I'm sure the Minister will be able to answer that. If I'm incorrect in that assumption and I fear I may be then perhaps he can put me right on that front.Brett Hudson: I think you'll find it's grams of lead.CHRIS PENK: I probably don't need to take the remainder of my time really except just to point out that—Matt King: He was unsure what you were meaning.CHRIS PENK: Oh I beg your pardon. I sense that the Minister's unclear about what I was unclear about so as I'm roughly half—Tim van de Molen: Now we're all unclear.CHRIS PENK: Tim van de Molen is unclear. And now I've forgotten the question. But now being halfway through my contribution roughly I think if I start again that's the safest way. So it's a pleasure to move on and to clarify that my two questions to the Minister were in relation to the expression of the numbers at clause 3(2) which is for example 66.524—whether that could be rounded down to 66.52 reflecting that cents in the dollar are hundredths of a dollar. My other question was in relation to GST as distinct from the "plus 8c per g of Pb" as expressed in the wording of Part 1. So I look forward to the Minister's answers on those points please."
Twyford PhilHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): Thank you Madam Chair. I will endeavour to address the issues and the questions raised by members on the Opposition benches that are within scope. David Bennett made the comment that he believed—and I'm not sure where he sourced this information from—that the cost of the excise increases in this bill would amount to the equivalent of $260 a year per car. I want to say to Mr Bennett that the analysis provided by the Ministry of Transport would tell us that the effect of one of these increases would be 83c a week for the average family. For lower income families it would amount to 40c a week. All three increases together would amount to $2.50 a week for the average household and for lower income households it would amount to $1.24 a week.I think it might have been possibly perhaps Mr Goldsmith who asked how much extra revenue will be gathered between 1 July and 30 September and the best estimate we have is around $30 million. Paul Goldsmith in his Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) that wants to replace the 1 July starting date with 1 October for both parts of the bill—two SOPs—the effect of this would be a very significant loss of revenue and of course it would just simply contradict the Government's desire to synchronise the period with the financial year.The only other question that I think was in scope was Mr Goldsmith's question about whether or not the excise is regressive and the answer of course is that it's no more regressive than the totally inadequate public transport systems.Hon Paul Goldsmith: I didn't ask that.Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I think the member asked about the burden of the tax falling on the people who can afford it least. OK well it was another indistinguishable colleague.Hon Paul Goldsmith: What about the urban regeneration?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I don't believe that that question is in scope.
Points of Order — Availability of Tabled Bills
Eagle PaulPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a privilege to be the final speaker in the second reading of the Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill.Hon Shane Jones: Ah ka pai.PAUL EAGLE: Absolutely ka pai. In fact when I walked in I thought I was listening to the abdication speech from the member for Northland Matt King handing the seat to Shane Jones for his fantastic advocacy for rail but that wasn't the case. What a pity. But let's just say this. This second reading is really about saving lives on our roads. It's as simple as that. We've heard a lot of fluff just a lot of—I don't know—whatever you call it but they've missed the point of it and that is the fact that every dollar gained will be reinvested back into transport—a transformational programme that the Minister for Transport the Hon Phil Twyford and the Associate Ministers are implementing. What a programme that is. Some are disappointed; on this side of the House we're not. We're all ready to go and do the bizzo. I commend this bill to the House.
Russell DeborahDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour—New Lynn): I rise to bring comfort and good cheer especially to Mr Jonathan Young who is distressed by this increased excise. I wish to refer Mr Young to the general policy statement at the start of this bill where it says that the increase in this excise is to provide additional funding to the national land transport fund" additional funding that will help with our roading services.Mr Young stood up and he said "It's taxation without compensation." It does reveal a rather distressingly transactional approach to taxation. I guess that's a problem for Mr Young. But Mr Young's real problem was: what would this excise be used for? Would it benefit his region? This is where I bring comfort to you Mr Young. Mr Young among the projects that will be assisted by this increase in the excise is the Mount Messenger bypass. Mr Young among the projects that will be assisted by this excise is the Awakino Gorge tunnel bypass. Mr Young as a Taranaki woman myself born and bred in that beautiful part of the country these projects will benefit your region brought about in part by this increase in the excise.Mr Young sleep easy tonight. This increase in the excise will benefit your region. I commend this bill to the House."
Appropriation (2019/20 Estimates) Bill — First Reading
Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker tēnā tātou katoa. I'm pleased to take a call on the Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill. You would think that that side of the House had never brought legislation in this House or do not understand what the purpose of excise taxes are. We are bringing this through to this House today because it is part of the Government's GPS. It is a simple bill. There's only two parts. It's about enacting a Government strategy that has been well consulted on. It is an enabler to ensure that 3.5 percent per litre comes into effect on 1 July. It is to lay out the safety and also the acknowledgment of this Government's interests on all roads throughout Aotearoa New Zealand not just a select few that we experience from that side over there.So I'm pleased that it is a simple bill. We are here in the second reading to pass it. It does look at—like I said—raising per litre 3.5 percent. This bill aligns very closely to the GPS. I haven't heard that side talk and reference that but that particular strategy like I said was well conversed and consulted on.For the very short time I contribute to this I want to talk about the actual safe roads and roadside constructions that are currently happening in my electorate. My electorate goes from the top of Te Araroa on the East Coast right down here to Wainuiōmata. I want to acknowledge the work that's going on State Highway 2 of Wairoa to Bay View in Napier. I want to talk about the Paki Paki to Waipukurau on State Highway 2. You see I share State Highway 35 into State Highway 2. Those particular roads not only unlock the potential economically in the regions I represent but they create the safety commitment that this Government has built in the GPS. So it is important that we usher in this piece of legislation. It's a simple bill and I look forward to its progression in the third reading. I commend this bill to the House.
Supplementary Estimates Documents
Sage EugenieHon EUGENIE SAGE (Minister of Conservation): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. Thank you. I'm very pleased to take a call on the Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill. Commenting on the previous speaker National is so stuck in the past. It fails to get the point that under its Government you had 40 percent of the transport budget being spent on a few hand-picked motorways and they carried 4 percent of the vehicle traffic. What this increase of 3.5c a litre in the excise duty is about is signalling a major change in our transport system which was in the Government policy statement in 2018. So Mr Young your comment that there is a tyranny totally ignores the fact that this was signalled in the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport. Why do we need to do it? Because National left a huge hole in the funding for transport. Mr Young was talking about the need for safer roads. That's what this Government is prioritising with a $1.4 billion programme over three years to make our roads safer.The Associate Minister Julie Anne Genter who's got a particular responsibility for road safety was in my home city of Christchurch recently. One of the projects that's being advanced there on State Highway 74 from Burwood to Marshland is putting barriers along the side of the road so that students at Avonside Girls' High School and Shirley Boys' High School can go to school cycling on that cycle path feeling much safer.It's the funding that goes into new signage. It's the funding that goes into rumble strips. We are about making roads safer. That's what this excise duty funding will help to do. It's all about ensuring that we change the priorities away from motorways that were used by smaller numbers and into making safer roads. Mr Young you failed to mention that under your Government deaths and serious injuries on our roads increased by 55 percent between 2013 and 2018.We need to have this small increase in the excise duty which equates to about 83c a week for the average family because we want to make our roads safer. That is the programme of investment that was set out in the Government policy statement. That is the practical improvements that are being rolled out every month on roads all over New Zealand not just the big motorways.So yes this is an increase in the excise duty but it is about saving lives saving families the pain of losing loved ones and of having people seriously injured because it's those practical improvements like the signage like the rumble strips and like the barriers that ensure that our roads are safer. That's why the Green Party is strongly supporting this bill. Thank you.
van de Molen TimTIM VAN DE MOLEN (National—Waikato): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. SPEAKER: You're not going to reflect on my ruling are you—because that would be disorderly and you'll be in big trouble.TIM VAN DE MOLEN: Thank you Mr Speaker. I seek your ruling actually on a matter—and I have been trying to find this in Speakers' rulings—with regards to the comment Mr Jones made around hate speech in the House. I raise that because that is a particularly concerning term and the suggestion that hate speech has been used by members on this side of the House—well there's two options: either it's correct in which case his comment was a reflection on the Chair for not restricting the use of that speech in the House or it was incorrect in which case I'm sure the member would want to withdraw and apologise for an incorrect statement.SPEAKER: The member will resume his seat. It was a marginal comment and if members took objection to it they have an obligation to do it at the time. They can't spend their time flipping around looking for the right Standing Order in order to do it. But I will say to Mr Jones that he was not unusually pushing at the margins.
Mallard TrevorSPEAKER: Before I call the Hon Eugenie Sage we are now halfway through this debate and what I've seen as the debate has gone on not from a brilliant start is that it's drifted further and further away from the bill. I've made it very clear that the second reading is the broadest debate of any part of a bill but I think the member managed twice to go five minutes without relating to the bill. What I'm going to be watching for very closely now is all members speaking to the bill and if they find that there's not 10 minutes' worth in there they can sit down. I call Eugenie Sage. [Interruption]
Jones ShaneHon SHANE JONES (Associate Minister of Transport): I will deliver a methodological speech because it's important that members on the other side of the House understand that in actual fact a bill of this nature requires us to focus our remarks on to the actual bill before us. This bill is actually very simple. What it does is it changes the size of the impost for the petrol excise duty (PED) and then it changes the size of the impost for what we colloquially call the RUC charges—road-user charges. It makes a very small change in 2019 and then it makes a similar change in 2020. What it does is it funds to a greater level the resource reservoir to enable the Government to meet its transport commitments.Now those commitments are articulated in the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Phase one of that was articulated and announced by my colleague on my right and it's generally known as the GPS. That's all this bill does. In addition to that the GPS is not a static document. The GPS is capable of being refined and I am assured by the senior transport Minister that a process of refinement is under way. So the vast majority of the speeches that are being made attacking this remarkably simple and bare document as an act of stealth or an act of artfulness show that they have a pitifully low understanding as to how Parliament is meant to work on bills that are as sparsely written as this one and they obviously have a vision to spend the entirety of the long weekend in this House.What I would encourage the members to focus on is that it's the GPS that contains the philosophical and policy preferences not this simple bill. This simple bill once we get into the committee of the whole House stage is basically Part 1 and Part 2. It has absolutely nothing to do with their rants about Dominion Road with their continual hate speech against rail or with their ongoing displays of ignorance about climate change; it is simply Parliament using its sovereign powers to slightly increase this source of revenue so that we can allow the New Zealand Transport Agency to deliver the GPS to the tune of $45 billion over the next 10 years.I have now laid out what is for a bill of this nature and I do hope the members on the other side of the House—I would point out that I was gone for three years and by Jove standards have slipped on that side of the House. A bill as bare as this ought to be focused on the simple changes to the imposts associated with PED and RUC. All flights of fancy sadly seen on that side of the House should cease and sir I beseech you to cause them to desist. Thank you very much.
Little AndrewHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): I just want to take a short call on this the Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill. It is a very important bill. It adds in the next financial year and the financial year after an incremental increase in the excise collected on petrol so that we can fund the roads and the road safety that this country desperately needs.I think the member who's just resumed his seat or just spoken at least Paul Goldsmith neatly illustrates the tension that I think exists with members opposite that they have great plans—and they had great plans when they were in Government for a small number of roads; very grand plans—and any more roading beyond that they had no ability to finance at all. We know they have an allergic reaction to tax. I didn't think however it was as bad as finding out earlier this week that their leader spent the night on Monday night with Grover Norquist an anti-tax extremist from the United States. That's the state of their thinking now. That's why they're opposed to increases—very small modest incremental increases—in excise duties on petrol.The reality is when you're in Government and you want to do good things for the people like safer roads like more roads in more parts of the country you have to have the means to do it. You've got to have the financial means to back it. We cannot have a repeat of what we had in the dying days of the previous administration which was very elaborate and grandiose promises but with nothing to financially back it. This bill allows us to do that. It means that the revenue collected in other forms in other areas—general taxation—can go towards those things that are about supporting and assisting developing and growing the rest of the economy.We need a good excise duty on our petrol so we can have good quality roads safe roads and it would be better for every New Zealander in every part of the country.
Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Thank you. This is a bill which imposes a paltry 3.5c in additional excise duty and yet here we have it from the other side saying Too much. What's in it for me?" Well I'll tell you what: the Opposition should think not about saving 3.5c a litre out of their own pockets but about saving some lives as Mr Coffey noted before.Here we have them railing against rail. They should be thinking about saving the planet not their leader's ego. So the 3.5c a litre that is going to be imposed this year—which is desperately needed revenue to fill the huge gap and that we need to have—and the safety improvements that Minister Genter was referring to are a great investment a great use of this tax. So it is time to think not about saving 3.5c out of their own pocket. We've well looked after hard-working New Zealanders with our Families Package and other measures. The 3.5c here is a tiny burden it's a trivial burden compared to the huge benefits for our economy—saving our economy not eight minutes of travel time. So stop railing against progress. I commend this bill to the House."
Young JonathanJONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth): I did say something and I didn't want to interrupt you.SPEAKER: I know but it was a bit late.JONATHAN YOUNG: I didn't want to interrupt you. I'm very pleased to speak on this bill the Excise and Excise-equivalent Duties Table (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill. The question I think that needs to be asked is about the quantum that has been set in this bill. We have heard from other speakers on including GST 4c from 1 July 2019—not too far away—and then a further 4c from 1 July 2020.I think it's appropriate to mention that safety measures are important and this is part of what this is about. What we are also hearing around the country is that speed limits are being reduced and so the question is: how much does that cost? We know that doesn't cost anything; it's about behavioural changes in our driving. So when it comes to what is being charged to motorists at a time when petrol prices are again on the increase here we are in the Wellbeing Budget adding in further costs. So we do challenge these steps and we do suggest that in the process of the second reading and the committee stage we have ample opportunity to exercise our views around why we feel that this is excessive. Can I just say in agreement with the previous speaker Tamati Coffey that we have been saddened by the losses of New Zealanders on our roads and we want to see that stop. We want to see not just improvements in particular centres but right through our network as well.So as we consider these prices we consider also the ability of New Zealanders to be able to have an affordable way of life and I implore the Government to consider that in your own deliberations when you come to set these figures. With that I will conclude my comments.
Coffey TamatiTAMATI COFFEY (Labour—Waiariki): I want to start this conversation just by acknowledging some of the fatalities that we've had in the southern end of my electorate over the last month. I guess it dovetails really right into—[Interruption] There's a lot of opposition coming from there at the moment but actually this is a really serious topic. Seven people from the same family died in a collision south of Taupō and you want to make fun of that—SPEAKER: Order!TAMATI COFFEY: Sorry Mr Speaker. One died in a head-on smash at Ātiamuri. Five of them died from the same family in Kinleith in the last month. Three people died in a crash between a truck and a van also in the Taupō region.When we're talking about fatalities on the road as the local member of Parliament for the Waiariki I feel it when we have these fatalities. When families are involved which we've seen in the last month it sends a really strong message to me that we need to make our roads safer and that if we can do that by a petrol excise of 3.5c per litre with the money to be reinvested into making our roads safer into ensuring that we've got different modes of transport so that we actually don't have such a strong reliance on our roads for the trucks then I'm really supportive of that. This is a really serious issue and while some members of the House can kind of rubbish it actually this is something that needs to be done.The Government's policy statement when it comes to transport really does focus on safety as a priority and that's exactly what we need on our roads. We need to make sure that they are safe for our people to travel on. I know that people in my electorate have been absolutely stung by the amount of road accidents that we've had—and for a variety of reasons. But they are telling me that they're crying out for better solutions. So that's exactly what this excise is going to be reinvested back into: making sure that our roads are safe making sure that we have options as well.In Tauranga one of the most congested parts of my electorate they unfortunately—Hon Simon Bridges: My electorate.TAMATI COFFEY: —haven't done very good planning at all. Their local member probably dropped the ball on it quite a while ago—Hon Simon Bridges: Oh! The only work's happening because of me.TAMATI COFFEY: —and we're having to fix that up.SPEAKER: All right all right. The member will resume his seat. Now this member's on a warning. I gave him a couple of minutes to get into the bill. He mentioned it I think once. He will now focus on it or his speech will we curtailed.TAMATI COFFEY: I commend this bill to the House.SPEAKER: The question is that the—Jonathan Young: No we've got one more.SPEAKER: Jonathan Young—the member has the call. There's a tradition in this House that if you want the call you say something.
Sio Hon Aupito WilliamHon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Minister for Pacific Peoples): Mr Speaker you are absolutely correct. It is a—SPEAKER: Order! I don't want the member—I do not want any members—referring to my ruling.Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: It's a proud day today to be part of a Government that's delivering the first wellbeing Budget. That Wellbeing Budget has five key priorities. One of those priorities is transforming this nation giving ample opportunity to business—Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This is an excise bill and the member's talking about the Wellbeing Budget.SPEAKER: Yes and I was just about to interrupt him when I got involved in a discussion with the leader's whip who wanted to know how long this particular call was.Hon David Bennett: How long is it?SPEAKER: Who said that? Stand withdraw and apologise. Hon David Bennett: I withdraw and apologise.Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: At a time like this when you smell the pork I'll keep it short. I've got food in my office. There are two fundamental reasons for this bill. One is that this Government is taking the safety of the country very very seriously. Two when we're talking about establishing a transportation system for the whole of the country we're talking about lifting economic opportunities for the regions. If that side there is wanting to oppose this bill they are opposing community safety on our roads and they are opposing economic development in the regions. I have to ask that side there: how do you put how do you fix—Jonathan Young: What clause?Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Petrol excise duty; clause 1—how do you pay for safety measures on our transportation system? How do you ensure that we have a system that will increase economic development in the regions? Somebody's got to pay for it and that's the reason for this. That's all that needs to be said about this bill. I recommend that that side move this bill. Otherwise if you're opposing it then you better be ready to go out to the community and say to them that you don't want to fix up safety on our roads—SPEAKER: All right. That's enough thank you.
Goldsmith Paul; Mallard TrevorHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I'm just puzzled. Is your ruling that if you have a revenue-raising bill we cannot talk about what the money that we are raising is to be spent on? SPEAKER: You can have passing reference to it and if it can be absolutely drawn to it the answer is yes. But there is a lot of expenditure that is occurring as a result of excise duty or taxation generally and this is a narrow bill.
Brownlee GerryPOINTS OF ORDERBills Introduction—Availability of Tabled BillsHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The bills don't appear to be available.SPEAKER: They are now.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Oh I see.SPEAKER: That's the normal—Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: No they're normally actually put out on the Table as the motion is being read. So we are at a slight disadvantage but only slight.SPEAKER: I just make the point Mr Brownlee that the motion hasn't been read. We're just getting to it now.
Twyford PhilHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): I move That this debate be now adjourned.
Robertson GrantAPPROPRIATION (2019/20 ESTIMATES) BILLFirst ReadingHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I move That the Appropriation (2019/20 Estimates) Bill be now read a first time. Bill read a first time.
Robertson Grant; Mallard TrevorBUDGET DOCUMENTSHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I hereby present the 2019 Budget Speech the Budget at a Glance the Wellbeing Budget (including reports on fiscal strategy and on child poverty and the summary of initiatives) the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update and the Estimates of Appropriations for the Government of New Zealand for the year ending 30 June 2020.SPEAKER: Those papers are published under the authority of the House.
Robertson Grant; Mallard TrevorTHURSDAY 30 MAY 2019The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Prayers.SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES DOCUMENTSHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I hereby present the Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations for the Government of New Zealand for the year ending 30 June 2019.SPEAKER: That paper is published under the authority of the House.
Thursday 23 May 2019 - Volume 738
10. Question No. 10—PoliceGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 10—Police10. GREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of Police: What recent announcements has he made about making it easier for the public to get in touch with Police for non-emergency events?Hon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): I am happy to inform him that since the concept was first floated in 2005 New Zealand now has a 24/7 non-emergency number—105. Since it was launched 13 days ago police have answered more than 14000 calls to 105—on average 85 percent caller satisfaction. With the 105 non-emergency number and the 105 online reporting we're hoping to build trust and confidence in police by giving New Zealanders a simple new way—Hon Gerry Brownlee: What about a gun price list?Hon STUART NASH: —to report situations that don't require an urgent or immediate response. Fantastic news Mr Brownlee.Greg O'Connor: What events would warrant a call to 105 rather than 111?Hon Gerry Brownlee: Oh hang on that's a bit operational!Hon STUART NASH: The easiest way to break it down—[Interruption] Does the Opposition want to know?SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Oh look. Order! Is there something in the Christchurch water at the moment? Those two members should settle down.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There is indeed chlorine in the Christchurch water at the moment. It's an utter disgrace. It shouldn't be there and the council should move to get rid of it as quickly as possible.SPEAKER: Well we'll have to look at Mr Yule and see what it's like up there.Hon STUART NASH: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. For the first time ever I agree with that member. There's chlorine in the Napier water. It should never be there and it should be removed immediately.Greg O'Connor: Can the Minister provide other examples of emergency or non-emergency situations where help might be needed?Melissa Lee: When the guns are stolen from police stations!Hon STUART NASH: Settle down. If it's happening now call 111. If it's a non-emergency event call 105. Or you could try other methods to defuse a heated situation as two members of the Opposition did last week by shifting the blame on to others by saying they had little choice" but to vote with their party on gun reform and then stating that police were "bullying people."—despicable.Chris Bishop: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just seek your guidance because the Minister not five minutes ago was making it very clear he wouldn't comment on operational matters and we've now had a series of supplementary questions from Government members in which the Minister's gone into quite some detail about the operation of the 105 and 111 police response lines—SPEAKER: No the member will resume his seat. In this particular case the Minister is not revealing operational details of cases but the policy as to which line should be used by the public. I think it's in the region of a public service announcement not an operational detail and I think the member is well enough across the portfolio area to know the difference. Any furthers on that?"
6. Question No. 6—HealthANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 6—Health6. ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour) to the Minister of Health: What progress if any is being made to improve care and rehabilitation for Aucklanders who suffer a stroke?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Good news. High-quality care and rehabilitation for the 9000 New Zealanders who suffer a stroke each year and support for their whānau is a priority for this Government. We're making progress in tackling the contributors to stroke but there is a pressing need to expand care and rehabilitation services due to population growth and demographic changes. That's why I was very pleased to confirm $30 million in Crown funding for a new integrated stroke and rehabilitation unit at Auckland City Hospital last Thursday. Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: How will this new facility make a difference to the lives of New Zealanders who have suffered a stroke?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Stroke care is currently delivered in different parts of Auckland City Hospital with acute care split between two wards and rehabilitation provided elsewhere. Co-locating these services in a new purpose-built 41-bed unit will help to improve continuity of care for patients and reduce the overall time spent in hospital.Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: How will this project help stroke victims outside of Auckland District Health Board (DHB)?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Well Auckland DHB's stroke unit is led by the internationally renowned neurologist Professor Alan Barber who perfected the game-changing clot retrieval technique which is vastly improving outcomes for many stroke sufferers. The clot retrieval service at Auckland City Hospital takes patients from the northern and midland regions as well as from the Auckland area. All of these patients will benefit from improved care at the new unit. This new stroke care and rehabilitation unit is the final large project funded from the $750 million we set aside in Budget 2018 for long-overdue investment in our hospitals and other health infrastructure.
3. Question No. 3—Housing and Urban DevelopmentPRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour) to the Minister of Housing and Urban DevelopmentQuestion No. 3—Housing and Urban Development3. PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour) to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: What announcements has the Government made about providing wrap around support and housing to homeless New Zealanders?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): The Prime Minister has announced that the Wellbeing Budget will expand Housing First to provide wraparound support and housing to more than 1000 extra households expanding the programme to 2700 households. Housing First works with homeless New Zealanders to make street homelessness rare brief and non-recurring. It's been successful in Canada the United States Europe and the United Kingdom. The Housing First model recognises that it's easier for people to address issues such as mental health and addiction once they are securely housed.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: How many households have been housed by the Housing First programme?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Seven hundred and forty-eight households have now been housed through the programme since it began. In Auckland alone 452 children have now been housed under the Housing First programme.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: What progress are Housing First providers reporting?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: The providers are reporting extremely good progress. For example Christchurch's Housing First provider said that more than 100 households had come through its doors since they opened in June and 66 of their clients had been without a home for more than a year at that point. Among them was a man who had lived on the streets in Christchurch for more than 11 years and he's now been in his own home for more than 9 months.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: What feedback has the Minister received from Housing First clients?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I've seen a number of stories of people who have been housed under this programme. One Christchurch resident said—and I quote—It actually makes you feel good. It lifted my self-esteem." He said "I was way down in the depths of Loch Ness for quite a while there. I was struggling to get myself out of that situation and emotionally I was wrecked." He said he'd always wanted to work but not having a home was a barrier to employment. In less than a month of living in his new home he has already secured permanent work."
2. Question No. 2—Housing and Urban DevelopmentHon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of Housing and Urban DevelopmentQuestion No. 2—Housing and Urban Development2. Hon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Is he confident none of the 58 KiwiBuild houses currently being marketed in Canterbury will have to be purchased by the Crown; if so why?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): The underwrite enables builders to have certainty to obtain finance and to free up their investment in a reasonable time frame which allows them to then go on and build more homes. The Government then continues to market these homes to KiwiBuild buyers. By sharing the burden of that risk with developers the Government is getting affordable homes built. As I told the member in question time on Tuesday the ministry has already acquired three homes in Canterbury that are currently on the market for eligible buyers. Therefore the answer to the member's question is no.Hon Judith Collins: Why would he think that these two-bedroom KiwiBuild homes being marketed for $500000 are affordable when the median sale price for two-bedroom homes in Waimakariri is currently $330000?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well we're talking about new homes that are being built here. There are new Mike Greer homes very nice two-bedroom homes that are on the market for $360000 which is a very good price not only in Canterbury but in any other market around the country.Hon Judith Collins: Is he aware that in the last 12 months two-bedroom houses in Pegasus Town where these KiwiBuild homes are being built have taken on average 700 days to sell?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I know the member's obsessed with how long a place takes to sell but the reality is that some homes—no matter whether they're new old KiwiBuild or any other kind of home—sell in days. I note that in Tauranga recently in Ōmokoroa four of the eight houses that went on sale had deposits put down on those houses in the first weekend that they were on the market. Other houses take a bit longer to sell and that's perfectly natural and what happens in the market.Hon Judith Collins: What will he do with the houses he has recently had to buy in Canterbury?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: They are already on the market and are available to KiwiBuild buyers. In fact under the underwrite we've acquired 12 across the entire KiwiBuild programme and one of those has already been on-sold to first-home buyers.Hon Judith Collins: Is this deal a bailout for property developers who at the height of the housing bubble at an event hosted by the then Prime Minister Helen Clark in 2006 bought $122 million of property in Pegasus Town in just one day?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: No but I'll say this to the member: she makes a great noise about how we've supposedly spent $600 million on this across the KiwiBuild programme. That is not how much money's been spent; that is the value of the houses that have been built that have been enabled by this policy—affordable homes for first-home buyers that otherwise would not have been built and certainly wouldn't have been built under that party's policy for nine years.
Hudson Brett; Tolley AnneBRETT HUDSON (National): I rise in opposition to the Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal Bill. It's a real shame because the bill as introduced—DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is a real shame. I'm very sorry to interrupt the member but the debate is interrupted and set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday 28 May 2019.Debate interrupted.The House adjourned at 6 p.m.
Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal Bill — Third Reading
Strange JamieJAMIE STRANGE (Labour): Madam Deputy Speaker thank you for the opportunity to take a call on the Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal Bill on the third reading and I'd like to begin with a quote that we heard. I was a member of the select committee who shepherded this bill through. We heard a quote from one of the submitters and I think this quote really sums up what this bill is about. The submission was from a gentleman named Nigel Maxey and he said This is an issue of fairness. A number of families are in limbo. This must be resolved." He was very firm on that; he said this must be resolved—it's been going on for too long. "It's been eight years since the earthquake" he said "The tribunal won't work unless we have the resources available."This is about putting resources in place in order to solve an issue that's been going on for eight years. I think that as a Parliament we need to stop and just think about that point: these families have been suffering for eight years. And the Opposition are saying "No what we have is fine." But what we currently have is not fine. If after eight years we've still got thousands of claims unresolved the status quo is not working. We need some leadership and that's what this Government is doing. This Government's taking leadership.I do have a little bit of a query in my mind. We heard from the Hon Nicky Wagner. She urged us to support the Residential Advisory Service. She said "We must fully support the Residential Advisory Service." Well the Residential Advisory Service ceased to exist six months ago. It's been replaced by the Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service. So I'm not quite sure how we can support something that doesn't exist. Anyway look I'll just leave that one out there. Maybe we can get some clarification at some point Madam Deputy Speaker?We all remember where we were in 2011 when the earthquake hit. It's a period of time that's etched in the minds of us but for these families they haven't been able to move on. They are continuing to go through this again and again and I'm proud that we are bringing a bill to the House—and it's at its third reading now—which will bring a change to that. I support this bill to the House. Thank you."
Building Amendment Bill — Second Reading
Allan KiritapuKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour): I too rise just to take a very brief call in support of the Building Amendment Bill in this second reading. I want to acknowledge the work of the Minister the Hon Jenny Salesa in bringing this piece of legislation through. I actually want to reiterate the comments of my colleague Kieran McAnulty. On many occasions—the advent of bringing through legislation in this House that both sides of the House consider significant and important. So I just want to acknowledge both sides of the House for making that commitment.We've heard from others about the range of submissions—25 written submissions on this bill; 10 amendments across the bill in total with three key sections being amended—that being the management of buildings after an emergency the investigation of building failures and then there were several miscellaneous matters. Those have been traversed thoroughly by those speakers that have gone previous in this debate so I won't go through them.But I just will say that it's really pleasing to have this type of legislation that ensures that our buildings that are important—sorry of course they're important; they're buildings. It's pleasing to see the work that the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has put into this to ensure that these buildings will be safe in light of all of the tragedies that we've seen across from Kaikōura through Wellington and the advent of greater natural disasters that are occurring. We need to up the standards and this bill is a consequence of the work that has gone through this House on many occasions. So I commend this bill to the House.Bill read a second time.
Bennett DavidHon DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East): So the Building Amendment Bill: the second reading is in front of the House here today. National supports the bill. It's one of those pieces of work that the National Government had started in our previous Government and it's been brought to the House by the Minister for Building and Construction about 18 months after her appointment to the portfolio. It makes valuable changes to the sector and we all realise what an important area the building area is for our communities especially with the issues around housing that were always exposed in this House through question time. We need to make sure that there are the skills in the building sector there are the products that are certified and the consent issues are dealt with and well you need to also look at some of the building companies that have been under concern with their financial position.We also need to be mindful that the housing area is something that is the biggest asset that many communities and families especially will invest in. They're something that they need to have security and peace of mind around because it is their fundamental asset that they save a lifetime for and it is the biggest asset that most people will purchase during their lifetime. They deserve and expect Government to have set the rules and the requirements so that they can have certainty around those purchases because it is their lifetime asset.So we encourage the Minister to continue this work. I see Mr Twyford is across the room and no doubt will be looking forward to this legislation passing as well. We commend this bill to the House. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker.
McAnulty KieranKIERAN McANULTY (Labour): Thank you very much Madam Deputy Speaker. I rise for a very short call on the Building Amendment Bill. I see absolutely no need in delaying the passage of this at its second reading. I think it absolutely marvellous that yet again this House has an example where both sides of the House are working together in support of something that absolutely makes sense. I think it's regrettable that the public do not see these examples which are more frequent than they might think. I see no point in delaying this. I commend the bill to the House. [Interruption]DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we just get on with the debate on the bill please.
Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Bill (No 2) — Third Reading
Urgent Debate Declined — Debt Target — Proposed Changes