Eagle PaulPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Thank you Mr Speaker. Tēnā koe e Te Rangatira. It's a real pleasure to be able to talk on this bill the Election Access Fund Bill. I want to start by thanking Chlöe Swarbrick for her leadership her drive and her patience with what I describe—in fact she has articulated it better than I could describe it—as a truly authentic accessible process. And I think that's a key point in this that I want to reinforce because as a member of the Governance and Administration Committee I know that was really important to her. I talk about drive because at every opportunity that Chlöe could come to the committee—she was not a member—she made sure that she prioritised her attendance. We ensured that she was able to come. So she was able to contribute appropriately and at the right time to ensure that the final product here was going to be the real deal and the best possible bill ever. So I want to thank you personally and I'm sure that the committee members as they speak will too. This takes drive and I know that what we see here today has been debated fully by the select committee and I will come to that too.People have mentioned a whole range of colleagues who have been part of this process but none more so than Mojo Mathers. When she came in—and I like the way you explored her as a person a little bit because it would have been easy to say She's profoundly deaf so it was obvious that she was going to do this." But in fact two things stood out for me. She had a real passion and drive for animal welfare and water issues. And I think we too often do that—we say someone like that is disabled and therefore it's obvious. Well it's not obvious and it also wasn't obvious for the previous Government to do something about it and implement it. So I'm glad that we've taken across-the-House approach and are able to put this in front of the House for a second reading this afternoon.The authentic process I talked about meant that we had a really good range of submitters and we worked tirelessly using technology and having some patience—and I mention that too because that's what it required in terms of ensuring that their words were heard. And when we talk about disabilities there are many types. So we had to be all-encompassing in terms of how that was going to be carried out. But those submitters—the numbers are there: 84 in terms of individuals 385 in terms of form submissions—certainly came through in terms of advocating for the different bits of the bill.I personally want to thank on behalf of the New Zealand Labour Party our Kirk sector. I know that in the Rongotai electorate that I represent we have a strong functioning sometimes bit loud Kirk sector where our disabled community comes together. They have never ever been shy to tell me what they think and so we are a sounding board particularly for my friend Nick Ruane who funnily enough has always wanted to stand for an elected body of some sort mainly local. We've heard that this is not going to cover that. Legislation there is different but more so when we talked about this in the select committee we thought "Let's just get this on the mat get it going and then we will look at incorporating those seeking a local government." and because there are many more than the privileged 120 numbers in this House that's got real potential. I know that even at the last local government elections in the southern part of the electorate one of the candidates there had a disability and we're catching up soon because I was hoping to engage and get his feedback on this before speaking today. But it wasn't so. But there is interest here and this as the first step will do a lot for that. The other concept we heard was that this is barrier free. I'm just going to sum it up like that. And in terms of New Zealand being a true democracy then that's really important because this means there are no barriers—it removes them. I'm sure that Mojo Mathers would have intended it like that from the start because that's what a true democracy is like. We've heard what some of the aspects of the bill do. I know in terms of this Government's big picture or our larger plan ultimately it's working towards building a more inclusive New Zealand. This is a key part of that jigsaw puzzle and a very important part because we must get this right. And this is what this bill will do. I want to just point out a couple of things and I don't want to repeat what other speakers have said even at this early stage in the speaking order around what the amendments were at the Governance and Administration Committee. But we did debate several points at length and one of those was covering by-elections. Yes to that; we've heard that. But one thing that's not been mentioned is the definition of "disabled persons." Let's refer to them as disabled persons rather than "persons with disabilities." So there were some of the finer points there and these are just technical things but they do align to the New Zealand Disability Strategy. Definitions are important and we know there are many examples of how that fits in. In terms of eligibility it's only individuals and that was discussed at quite some length too. I'm glad we settled on that and looked at where the exclusions lay what the roles are for not-for-profits and how they play a part too. I think also the other parts have been all already discussed in terms of election expenses and whether the payments would be tax exempt I'm going to leave those but look I want to finish by saying well done to Chlöe Swarbrick and the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand for leading this. I think the mantle has been appropriately carried over and in the second reading this afternoon this will pass with flying colours. I commend this bill to the House."