Hide Rodney: Regulatory Responsibility Bill — First Reading 
Hide Rodney: Regulatory Responsibility Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:640;Page:10314] 
RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) 
: 
 Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker and I thank everyone who spoke on this Regulatory Responsibility Bill and the important issue that we need to address. In particular I thank John Carter and Mark Blumsky for their good words. I also thank Chris Finlayson who when ACT went around speaking with the other parties had some good ideas on how the bill could be even further improved. So I look forward to Mr Finlayson’s input. 
I also thank Maryan Street and Dave Hereora for their kind words on the bill and in particular Prime Minister Helen Clark for supporting the bill at least to select committee realising that this is a serious issue. I think it is a great maturing of MMP because the easiest thing for a Government to do when a bill comes up from an Opposition party—particularly from a small Opposition party—is just to kick it away. What we have seen is a Prime Minister and a Government that are prepared to look at an issue that is not necessarily their preferred or ideal solution and say: “Well actually let’s get it to a select committee and see what happens.” Thankfully these days no one thinks that that is a big disaster for the Government or a big win for the Opposition; it is just an MMP Parliament at work and I appreciate that. I also appreciate the support of United Future and Peter Dunne—he has consistently been keen on a bill of this nature—and indeed New Zealand First for its support. 
I say to the Green members that I am sorry they could not support the bill. I know what it is like. Sometimes we too have to sit outside and watch the rest of Parliament hold hands and vote for something. But I hope the Greens can come along to the select committee because I do think that there are issues regarding the environment that could be treated if Parliament was of a mind within a framework whereby we give consideration to environmental issues. I do not have the answer on that front but I think it would be interesting to have some good input from people who are expert on the matter as to how that might be done. I imagine a sort of environmental checklist on legislation again not constraining Parliament or a Government but just ensuring good policy-making and good legislation. 
I think the Maori Party raises an important issue and it is this: we do not want to lock in the status quo. We do not want to be in a position whereby we are all fine and we do not worry about particular groups in our community or country. Where we have issues where people have historically been wronged or missed out it is important that we address them and try to get everyone in New Zealand succeeding. So I take the Maori Party’s concerns to heart and I think it is important that all legislation has particular regard to minority groups. I use the word “groups” carefully and well in the sense that it is very easy to be a member of the majority and think that everything is going OK and that this or that particular legislation is OK. But if one identifies with a particular group for whatever reason—sexual orientation ethnicity or tangata whenua status—then it is very easy in the whole legislative process to feel that one is shut out and that the majority does rule. So anything we can do within the bill to be more respectful of the many minority groups we have in New Zealand would I think be a good thing. 
So I think there is work to do in the select committee. I think the bill can be improved and I value every political party’s consideration of the bill even the Greens’. Although they voted against it I know that they considered it well. I believe that with good will we can come up with a better approach to making good law in this Parliament.