Falloon AndrewANDREW FALLOON (National—Rangitata): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. It is a pleasure to be speaking for the second time this evening this time taking a split call on the third reading of the Private International Law (Choice of Law in Tort) Bill.Can I start by acknowledging my hard-working colleague Sarah Dowie and in particular an achievement that she has achieved in the last couple of weeks: extending the number of keeping-in-touch days available to new mums who want to go back to work from time to time without losing the rest of their paid parental leave. It's a positive change and I also acknowledge Iain Lees-Galloway and the Government for supporting it.I mentioned earlier in the House that when I was at university my intention was to graduate with a commerce degree but what I omitted to add was that my original intention was actually to study law as well. I hate to say it surrounded by such accomplished legal minds as Christopher Finlayson Amy Adams Sarah Dowie and of course Judith Collins just down in front of me and our resident expert—Chris Bishop: That was a bit late.ANDREW FALLOON: Sorry mate; I don't think you ever practised actually so I'm not going to include you in that one—and of course our resident expert on enticement across the House. But I made it only as far as one paper so I come to this Parliament very much a layperson in legal matters my only recollection of studying tort being the infamous snail in the ginger beer.I have to say though that it was a pleasure listening to New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball—first because like me he's not a lawyer and second because of the strong disagreements he was having with Labour MP Duncan Webb over the significance of tort law. I thought Fantastic! Division within the Government ranks and on such an important issue." But my hopes were dashed when he confirmed New Zealand First was voting for the bill along with the rest of the Government. I am pleased though that the bill will pass unopposed which as my colleague Christopher Finlayson said wasn't the case at earlier readings when New Zealand First voted against it. Evidently Mr Ball is a cleverer man on legal matters than Mr Denis O'Rourke was.Similar to the previous bill that we were debating the Private International Law (Choice of Law in Tort) Bill is a relatively simple and non-controversial matter. At its most fundamental a tort is a wrongful act or infringement of a right other than a breach of contract leading to a legal liability. This bill provides the rules for determining which country's law to apply for cross-border torts. The bill abolishes double actionability and establishes that the applicable law is the law of the country where the evidence constituting the tort occurred or where the most significant elements of the event occurred. The bill also clarifies and simplifies New Zealand law and brings us into line with international jurisdictions.As a new member of the Justice Committee it's been a pleasure to read through the previous submissions on the bill: one from the New Zealand Law Society and the other from Professor Campbell McLachlan QC Jack Wass and Dr Maria Hook. The Law Society noted that the bill largely mirrors legislation in place in the UK. The second submission makes similar points in support and pushes back on suggestions by New Zealand First that the bill is not required stating simply that "reform is necessary and the double actionability law should be abolished." This is an eminently sensible bill and I encourage all members to support it."