Mark Ron: Third Readings 
Mark Ron: Third Readings 
[Volume:612;Page:9379] 
RON MARK (NZ First) 
: 
 That speech is what rates some MPs by the  
Sunday Star-Times’  
account— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Come to the bill. 
RON MARK 
: Well that speech was about the bill. This bill is the Counter-Terrorism Bill and I note with absolute amazement that the previous speaker had only about six words to say about it. New Zealand First has worked with Government members on this bill and I say it is worth considerably more than the six or seven words that the member had to say about it but I guess that is what will get him voted back in again next time round. I have to say a couple of things. 
David Benson-Pope 
: What’s that member’s electorate majority? 
RON MARK 
: Since the member asked—watch this space. That sort of arrogance from Alf Garnett over there will bring about the demise of the Labour Party. That member can take full credit for the diminishing vote that is occurring to his party right now and the vote that is swinging across our way. While that member sits there throwing comments like that across the House he is displaying his absolute upper-class arrogance which he is becoming renowned for. He is so out of touch with traditional Labour people. We will reap the benefits and I say to that member in response to his question watch this— 
David Benson-Pope 
: Winston and his national socialist party. 
RON MARK 
: The member himself is a representative of the people’s democratic socialist republic that they are ramming down the throats of ordinary New Zealanders. That member is displaying precisely the sort of arrogance that we love to see because it is helping us close the gap every day. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Will the member come back to the bill. 
RON MARK 
: He challenged me across the floor. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I know but that is no reason to— 
RON MARK 
: OK but he deserves a good slap. This bill is good legislation. We have supported it all the way through. It is quite lengthy. It is over 2 years since 9/11 and the attack on the twin towers. It is just over 1 year since the bombing in Bali so I have to say to those members who said that this bill has been rushed and is being passed in haste I do not think so. There are many who would say that given the spate of bombings that we have witnessed in the last 6 months around the world in actual fact the bill has been a little slow in coming—but it is here. It adds to the Terrorism Suppression Act which dealt with financing and bombing. It deals with such things as threats to persons threats to the economy and the harbouring of terrorists. It increases powers of investigation powers of search and powers of seizure. It bestows upon authorities greater privileges and rights in terms of tracking and monitoring. 
However there is one thing that I have to say. This entire piece of work will be meaningless and this Government will be judged over the next period—however long it remains in power probably 2 years maybe 1½ years—on the effectiveness of this legislation at the front end at the sharp end if enough resources are not made available. We have seen a lot of legislation go through this House—legislation that we in New Zealand First have supported such as this which we felt was good legislation—but which has been rendered toothless and meaningless by the Government’s inability to place in the hands of the people responsible for giving effect to this legislation the adequate resources to do so. We sit here and wax lyrical about drug dealers drug traffickers and how they finance terrorism. 
Debate interrupted. 
Sitting suspended from 10 p.m to 9 a.m. (Wednesday)