Little Andrew: Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers) Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLittle Andrew: Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers) Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 23 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19377. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ANDREW LITTLE (Labour):It is a pleasure to rise and speak on the Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers) Amendment Bill. I think that as we enter the final sitting days of this 50th Parliament it is appropriate and timely to embark on what I think we are all really here for—that is to act as parliamentarians. Occasionally it is permissible to shed the political colours and banners under which we arrive here in order to celebrate and honour the traditions of this fine House and the role that it plays at the heart of our democracy. You see that in valedictory speeches or you usually do. There were some valedictory speeches in which that generosity of spirit was not expressed today. That unfortunately reflects the true state and the modern state of today’s National Party—lacking in generosity charmless graceless a miserly and miserable party—which explains no doubt why Cam Calder is leaving.Cam Calder is somebody whom I have come to know in my 3 years here and is a man amongst men but he is one of those men who I think genuinely epitomises the spirit of leadership compassion and humanity which is not widely found in every political party in this House. Cam Calder has a number of other redeeming features to him. It helps that he hails from Taranaki—the mighty province the great province and the province generating great wealth not only in its minerals and its financial resources but in its people. Cam Calder is one of them and he wears I see tonight the colours of Taranaki—a region of which he is so proud even though he does not live there currently. Of course he is also known for another great achievement and that is his pétanque playing. We do not often talk about that about Cam but he is an accomplished and indeed an international-grade pétanque player. I defy any member of this House to challenge Cam Calder to a game of the mighty boules and see whether they can hit the kitty or do whatever it is they do with their very heavy hefty little items.But I want to talk about the legislation—because that is what we are here for after all—and to join with my colleagues who have I think been very generous not only in their acknowledgment and honouring of Cam Calder the author of the bill but also in paying due heed and seriousness to the objectives of the bill which is as Mike Sabin has said a public safety measure. It is about the safe conveyance of passengers and crew on aircraft. I know that Richard Prosser said the bill is about ensuring that there is not improper use of these high-power lasers. Actually it is not that. It is about the possession of high-power lasers without reasonable excuse and that is not a subtle difference; it is a very important distinction. There are very few legitimate uses for these sorts of devices. Obviously lecturing training and imparting information are some of them but there is no need for people to be walking on down the streets or hiding behind the bushes and dazzling passing traffic whether it is cars trucks whatever and certainly not air traffic.This is a well-directed piece of legislation and it rightly has the support of the House and it has the support of the Labour Party. I think it will send a very clear signal and a very clear message to those who think that this is some zany sort of fun now that there is an explicit sanction against it and some real penalties against those who would behave in that sort of way. I congratulate Cam Calder on having the bill selected and shepherding it through all the stages. I think there was a pretty good and detailed and serious consideration of it at the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee. This will be a good piece of legislation as that reflects the author of it and the contribution that he has made to this House in the time that he has been here.