Whaitiri Meka: Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWhaitiri Meka: Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Reading[Sitting date: 15 October 2015. Volume:709;Page:7305. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti):Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. E ngā mema o te Whare nei. Tēnā tātou katoa. It gives me great pleasure to make a small contribution to this third reading of this important piece of legislation—and I think everyone is here to express this—which makes complete sense. So I join with all members in endorsing it but I also want to acknowledge following on from the grand contributions from colleagues on this side of the House—Adrian Rurawhe and another colleague here Rino Tirikatene—that Labour definitely stands in support of like I said a piece of legislation that makes sense.I just want to make a couple of comments on the main provisions of the bill to assure members that I have actually read it. In terms of the comments around the extension of the life of the passports I think everyone acknowledges that extending it from 5 years to 10 years makes complete sense. As an electorate MP many of the inquiries that come through my office that pertain to passport issues are generally from my constituents who often are living in Australia their passports have lapsed and there has been a tragic event back home. I have often got a call to say: “We need a passport and can we get it done urgently?”. So I see huge benefits for those particular constituents who have recently travelled to Australia to benefit from the extension to 10 years. Having made that point I also just want to acknowledge the many of my constituents from two whānau who are currently detained on Christmas Island. I look forward to the Prime Minister going in to bat to do something for our people over there.I will come back to the bill. Like I said over 16s and under 16s—so the under 16s clearly will remain on 5 years. As a mother of two teenage boys one who is 18 and one who is 17 I am thankful that they make that cut especially as the 18-year-old is in Scotland. So on a personal level it makes sense. When we look at the warnings on New Zealand travel documents the electronic record again provides the ability I guess for the Department of Internal Affairs to provide warnings electronically through the bill and the main provisions that apply there. I notice the electronic cancellation again using technology to its best advantage to protect not only our borders but all of our Kiwi citizens wherever they are. That needs to be acknowledged.I also want to make a comment on the amendment regarding the offence of false representation. As I read it I guess it is an offence. The terms of the offence are up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $15000 and the extension means it is not only an offence through a written or oral statement but as the reclassification allows through any statement. We all have memories of filling out passport application forms and the identification. If only we could make those little stickers a little bit bigger. Perhaps that may help people with failing eyesight.I want to mention the cost and say the reduction down to $180 is absolutely welcome for many people. We are renowned travellers and we want to make travelling not only within New Zealand but outside it accessible to many of our people. So that is going to go a long way. There was mention by a previous speaker in the House about SmartGate. On a recent trip to Taiwan when coming back into New Zealand the lane that did not have the smart gate actually moved a lot faster than the lanes that had the smart gates.Sue Moroney: It was a slow gate.MEKA WHAITIRI: It was very slow. In fact actually it was not working. So although we absolutely support technology actually some of the basic things that are supposed to make our lives more efficient sometimes fall over. So with those few remarks I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora tātou.