Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti): Thank you Madam Speaker. I'm pleased to take a call on the Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill. And I can just honestly say: that last contribution was actually clasping at straws. For 10 years when they were in Government—I actually was hoping that that member that just resumed her seat would actually share with this House the National terrorism suppression plan that they were undertaking and that they had 10 years to actually enact but I didn't hear that. The member also talked about a press release well unfortunately—I might be one of the few—I don't really read National Party press releases. Again I was hoping that member would indicate the concerns that she would have to the whole House; all I got was the six years threshold in clauses 24 and 25. Honestly? And I heard the Minister say that they wanted a counteroffer and one didn't come forth so I listen intensely to the Opposition around why they're opposing the bill. But I'm going to leave it there because this bill that I'm standing to support—and proud of this Government—is part of a wider suite of the terrorism suppression reforms that the Minister outlined. This one here is giving the police some tools extra tools to keep New Zealanders safe.It is targeting a small amount of people who have been radicalised and returned back into this nation and there are steps in which the control orders are actually given i.e. those that are concerned will approach your High Court to get those orders. When I talk about the High Court it's my honour to acknowledge a good local lad of Ngāti Konohi Ngati Porou and Ngāi Tahu in his recent appointment as the Chief Judge of the District Court the honourable Heemi Taumaunu. I know that with this piece of legislation his guidance will ensure that it's applied fairly and that those two tests are actually upheld as it actually indicates in this bill.But I do hope the other members of the Opposition actually in their contribution on this bill of what's wrong with it get into the more nitty-gritty around the areas rather than what we just had from that initial speaker Amy Adams who waxed lyrical about the shortcomings of the bill but I didn't actually hear them. It didn't meet the fact that in September 2017 New Zealanders voted for change—New Zealanders voted for change—and so here we are. We are enacting legislation that keeps New Zealanders the public safe when it comes to individuals returning back to our nation. This is what this bill is intending to do the Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill. It's a fine piece of bill it's laid out there and obviously it's going to go off to the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee to be properly scrutinised. If that lot were constructive they would actually put on the table the concerns of this bill by voting for it.But they've declared their hands; they're not going to have a bar of it. That's the whole issue here—who is playing politics? This is what we come to Parliament for to design legislation that's fit for purpose. We have a piece of legislation that the Minister of Justice has introduced. He's outlined the purpose of it why it's there. It's to protect the New Zealand public to give the police those extra tools. The threshold has to be a two-step before the High Court judge will give it but also the monitoring of it because really we want people to rehabilitate. But it's not a wet bus ticket an allegation that that member before me made assertions to around getting people out of it because it actually clearly states in the bill under clause 24 Duration" the processes in which we make sure we monitor those particular individuals that we are concerned with. It also ensures that if they do rehabilitate—and everyone every New Zealander has the right to rehabilitation—there is a process for them to do that.It is a simple bill like the Minister said. It's part of an ongoing suite of reforms in the terrorism suppression safeguards that this Government is committed to. It's a piece of legislation that's simple to follow through. I'm looking forward to it going off to the foreign affairs select committee. I also want to encourage people to submit to raise their issues and to come up with other ideas if they want to strengthen this particular bill. That's the process of the select committee and I look forward to it taking its journey there and the report back to this House so we can progress this bill. I commend this bill to the House."