Hughes Gareth: Advanced Technology Institute Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Hughes Gareth: Advanced Technology Institute Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 13 September 2012. Volume:683;Page:5257. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
GARETH HUGHES (Green) 
: 
 I rose very slowly to give the Government benches an opportunity—because I think we in this Chamber and the public of New Zealand would like to hear from the Government benches exactly why they are taking this step to have a shortened report-back time so that the public the experts and the interested people can get to have a say on this bill the Advanced Technology Institute Bill. It is deeply unfair. I think it is going to be counter-productive but sadly I think it is symptomatic of the approach we see from this Government. 
Looking at the Government benches we see those members—we do not hear them of course—sitting there mute. None of them are prepared to take a call to explain why they are doing this. There could be perfectly good reasons. There may be perfectly good reasons but we will never know. The public will never know because the Government benches sitting there mute refuse to answer. It is deeply unfair. It is unfair because we are not going to hear from the people who are busy as Mr Mallard pointed out. Many of these people—the experts the innovators and the technologists—are busy working and the Government benches are saying that they are not going to give them much time to have a say. 
We have heard from the select committee that it has the time. We have heard from many members of the select committee that they have got the inclination to actually travel to hear from the experts. It is going to be counter-productive. What we want to see is good lawmaking coming out of this Parliament. If we do not have a chance to hear from the experts and if we do not have a chance to have adequate in-depth scrutiny by the select committee it will be counter-productive. 
What we are likely to see is the Minister of Science and Innovation no doubt down the line tabling a massive amendment on the Table because there was not adequate scrutiny of this bill. Perhaps that is exactly what the Minister is intending. I think it is quite likely knowing the Minister’s track record. One just has to look at previous bills he has introduced where he has thumped down massive amendments. Minister Foss unfortunately is also getting a reputation for that as well. We will never know of course because the Government members are refusing to take a call. The Minister is not even in the Chamber. I think it is embarrassing. I think it does not bode well— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: Yes. The member cannot refer to the absence of members from the Chamber. He is also drifting outside with some of his other comments. 
GARETH HUGHES 
: That is right Mr Speaker. I apologise for pointing out the absence of Minister Joyce. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: You can say he’s not taking a close interest in the legislation. 
GARETH HUGHES 
: That is right Mr Mallard. I just want to point out that it is deeply unfair. I think it is disrespectful and symptomatic of this Minister and this Government and it is a black mark. I think the Government benches should if they are going to continue to do this expect the Opposition parties to continue to raise this abuse—I believe—of process without good reason and in this case with zero reason.