Rurawhe Adrian: Gambling Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRurawhe Adrian: Gambling Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Reading[Sitting date: 19 February 2015. Volume:703;Page:1800. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ADRIAN RURAWHE (Labour—Te Tai Hauāuru):I have to agree with the Minister. This is a momentous day to get to the third reading after such a long time. I congratulate the Minister Peter Dunne and the Government Administration Committee on finally getting it to this stage.Can I say that it is difficult to find the right balance between two very contrasting parts of the sector. It is difficult to find the balance between the people who are harmed or who participate in gambling and also within the industry itself. This particular bill goes some way to addressing some of the issues that have been raised since the original Gambling Act was enacted in 2003. We on this side of the House are very proud that it was the Labour Government that put this legislation on the statute book in the first instance. There are some really important and major changes that were brought about by this particular Act.As the Minister has said there are some minor and technical amendments in this bill. As I mentioned in the Committee stage raising the minimum percentage of funds returning to the community is a very good one and I want to acknowledge that again in this third reading. If there is one redeeming feature of gambling in this way it is that it does return some funds to the community. But on the other hand there are also some issues and they are really serious ones around the harm caused by gambling. I want to talk a little bit about that. I want to commend the Department of Internal Affairs and the Minister as well for their strong words over the last few days to the industry—that it needs to as I would put it up its game or feel the full force of the law. In the mystery shopper sting if you like 102 venues were visited and only one out of those actually helped the person who was in trouble with their gambling and that is not good enough. The message that we need to be sending from this House to the industry is: “Up your game.” With the third amendment and after 11 years one would think that the industry would have got themselves to a point of being able to operate within the framework that was put down.I think also that the Government’s dealing with Skycity has not helped things. I think it has sent the wrong kind of message to the industry—that gambling is OK in a way that it is not. I think we need to find a balance. Last year we our Labour Party campaigned on having a full review of the gambling legislation. I think we still need to think about doing that in the future unless there are serious changes of attitude from the industry itself. I think it is inevitable that Kiwis are going to ask that that happens.The gambling industry must become better corporate citizens and act more considerately towards the people who are most vulnerable. I take my hat off and mihi out to those providers that provide very good services in helping people affected and harmed by gambling—in particular those families who bear the burden of one of their family members being harmed by gambling. Inevitably it is their families who suffer the most. I want to acknowledge all of the good work that has been done out there. Even those within the industry that have done well—and by the looks of it they are few and far between but there are some and I want to acknowledge them in this third reading.I think a review in the future may find a way forward to strengthening the powers of communities and local authorities. I think therein lies the real nub of the solution moving forward. When communities have control over their destiny in terms of gambling that is a good thing. I heard at our select committee that there are some good models out there and one of them is in the Deep South. The member across the House there Sarah Dowie has informed us about that. So there are some opportunities out there not only through this bill but also through some cooperation between the parties. I would encourage at this stage also both the gambling sector and those providing services to minimise harm caused by gambling to get together too and have real discussions—mutually respectful discussions.A couple of other clauses within the bill itself provide as the Minister said the power for licences to be suspended in certain circumstances in respect of breaches in the past. It also provides that societies must ensure that they continue to meet certain criteria that enabled them to get a licence in the first place. So they cannot stop doing what they agreed to do to get the licence in the first place. I think that those two along with a number of other clauses within this bill are very helpful in moving forward to a place where there are better operations within the gambling industry.As I have said it has been 11 years since this law has come into force. I think that it is important that we reflect on those 11 years and see how far we have come in the operation of gambling within this industry. I want to reiterate that we need to do better. If in fact we do not do better by those families who bear the burden of harm caused by gambling then we would need to make further changes and I would advocate for that. That is all I have to contribute. Nō reira tēnā tātou.