Genter Julie Anne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeGenter Julie Anne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 21 May 2014. Volume:699;Page:18170. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to theMinister for Building and Construction: Will he change the Construction Contracts Amendment Bill or promote other legislative change to ensure that money held by a main contractor for payment to subcontractors when their work is completed is not used for any purpose other than paying those subcontractors?Hon AMY ADAMS (Minister for the Environment) on behalf of theMinister for Building and Construction: The Minister is sympathetic to the position of subcontractors. Officials have been instructed to consider all options to protect subcontractor payments including legislation. This is an important issue and it is essential that any solution is robust. The Minister intends to meet with the Specialist Trade Contractors Federation to discuss the recommendations from his officials once they have completed that work.Julie Anne Genter: Given that subcontractors lost millions in the Mainzeal collapse well over a year ago because their retention moneys were used for other purposes how much longer will subcontractors have to wait for this simple legal protection of their money?Hon AMY ADAMS: I would point out to that member that the Minister has been in the role for 14 days and he has instructed his officials to report back to him on this issue within the month and then very quickly thereafter he will meet with the federation and progress it.Julie Anne Genter: Why is the Government not fixing this problem in the bill that is before the House right now when so many submitters have already asked that this particular bill deal with the retentions issue including the Building Disputes Tribunal the Building Industry Federation the Construction Strategy Group the New Zealand Contractors Federation Inc the New Zealand Law Society the Specialist Trade Contractors Federation Steel Construction New Zealand Master Plumbers Gasfittersand Drainlayers (NZ) Inc the Electrical Contractors Association of New Zealand and many others?Hon Amy Adams: I note that the Commerce Committee in its report suggested that the amendment that the member is talking about would be out of scope for the current bill but I know that the Minister is working through this very carefully with his officials. I would also note that the advice I have had indicates that the sector does not support the legislative fix that that member is promoting.Julie Anne Genter: Will the Government fulfil its promise to act in the wake of the Mainzeal collapse and support my Supplementary Order Paper to ensure that subcontractors are paid for their hard work given that the Government’s bill does not do so?Hon AMY ADAMS: I can tell that member that the Government is not intending to support her Supplementary Order Paper because as I have said first of all we have had some advice that it may be out of scope. Second of all it does not deal with all of the issues in this very important area and a solution needs to be robust. Third and most important the sector does not support it and wants to continue with the process that the Minister is running.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table an issue ofBuildLaw which was put out by the Building Disputes Tribunal which suggests that my Supplementary Order Paper is excellent and is exactly the sort of thing that the Government should be pursuing.Mr SPEAKER: Well the easiest way forward is for the House to decide. Leave is sought to table this particular opinion on a member’s Supplementary Order Paper. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is not.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.