Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Helensville): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. On this the second reading of the District Court (District Court Judges) Amendment Bill I wish to emphasize—but only briefly—a couple of the points that we've made previously just for the sake of the record but also to respond to a couple of comments that have been made by the Attorney-General. His historical explanation about the history of temporary and permanent judges has been interesting and actually helpful in terms of the debate.The phrase cosying up to the executive by members of the judicial branch in relation to appointments I think some might regard as unfortunate but it goes equally with an observation that if we're looking at the relationship between the judiciary and the executive branch then we need to note that it will be quite something that 12 new judges will be appointed in one hit by him. That's a large exercise of individual power discretion and I hope judgment—if you'll excuse the term in this potentially confusing way in relation to this bill. Let's hope that his judgment is up to it and I won't make any comment about that for fear of making a comment effectively on the appointments that he makes. But it's a large number to be making by one single Attorney-General at one time. So we'll just see how that goes.A couple of other points in relation to the way that the additional appointments might be made. The point about the general zeitgeist about decriminalisation in the Parliament at the moment—or at least some parts of it—I think is interesting when you consider whether we will be needing more or fewer judges as a result. If police for example in the realm of drugs—looking at reforms or rather changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act—are encouraged indeed directed in the sense of the legislation not in any individual cases to send fewer cases to court then arguably we would need fewer judges not more. So we'll watch with interest the way that that plays out in terms of the number of cases as well as the number of judges and of course the processing times that I referred to earlier.My final point actually is just a bit of a plea for a bench that appropriately reflects New Zealand today. I understand—and I haven't seen it in any official documents so with that disclaimer I'll say—that there are relatively few judges of Asian extraction and certainly outside the Indian subcontinent relatively few—in fact possibly none. I might be incorrect on that and if so then I shouldn't place too much emphasis on it. But certainly it is incumbent upon the Attorney-General—any Attorney-General I hasten to add—to ensure that an appropriate mix of perspectives and philosophies and community representation is achieved in those appointments of which as I say he will be making many in a very short space of time.Melissa Lee: Hear hear!CHRIS PENK: My colleague Melissa Lee says Hear hear!" and I thank her for the guidance that she's provided me in that matter.So I will only emphasize before resuming my seat on this the second reading that we do support the bill for the reasons outlined but also flagging that there are a number of issues related to that and the way that it will play out in future years that we will be watching very closely indeed."