Korako Nuk: Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Amendment Bill — First ReadingText is subject to correctionKorako Nuk: Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Amendment Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 10 March 2015. Volume:703;Page:2076. Text is subject to correction.]NUK KORAKO (National):Kia ora e te Mana Whakawā. I stand to take this call as the final speaker speaking on the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Amendment Bill. I will continue to be audacious as well if I could particularly when talking about this bill because of the fact that there is nothing like being right at the coalface of a situation like this where you actually know people you have met people and you have heard about the tragic circumstances of this unfortunate situation.Before I do that I would just like to pick up on a couple of comments that have been made in particular around Christchurch and the rebuild. On that side of the House the glass always seems to be half-empty. The fact is that there is some incredible work that is going on there around the Christchurch rebuild. Last weekend was the largest kapa haka festival in the whole of the world. Over 20000-odd people came to Christchurch. It was the festival of Te Matatini. The situation is that I was fortunate enough to actually be talking to a number of those people who came to Christchurch particularly on the first day and on the last day and what they were saying was: “Isn’t this incredible? Isn’t this incredible because this city is actually being rebuilt? Isn’t it amazing?”. I just want to make that point first of all—I just want to make that point.Coming back to the bill the fact is that being the last speaker it has been really interesting listening to the previous 11 speakers. I just want to make a few points—an overview of the conversation of the presentations. I picked up around 13 points that I think are really pertinent to this actual debate. The first thing is the fact that OK around 80000 New Zealanders have been affected by this unfortunate situation of leaky homes. The first major point which has a consensus across the House is that there is no silver bullet for this situation. That is the first point. The second point is that people have indeed been through hell and back again. The third point is that politics aside there is goodwill across the parties to find a pathway in order that people stuck in the leaky home situation can see a way through. That is really the general view right across the House.The next point is that we all want this issue this situation brought to a timely resolution. The next point is that it was originally up to the owners to find their own leaky home costs. Well guess what? Under the National Government help is there—help is there. The next point is that this bill carries forward the good work that has already been done to rectify this unfortunate situation. The other point—with a general consensus too—is that there has been no real duty of care in some ways by local bodies. The next point is that there have been a number of speakers who have blamed the deregulation of the building industry for this situation. The next point is that there is the opportunity now—which is happening—to actually remedy the technical and administrative aspects of this situation by way of this bill.The next part of this is that we are all in agreement too that a sensible refinement of this Act in regard to financial assistance is here. The next part of it is that what this bill does—and we are all in agreement with this—is that it indeed creates the avoidance of unnecessary litigation moving forward. The other part that I make a point on is the fact that 70 houses are better than nothing. I think that is a really really important point.When looking at this bill to me and to my colleagues on this side of the House it really does exemplify the fact that the National Government does support vulnerable New Zealanders. That is the whole essence here. This legislation is another very very good example of what we are doing for those who actually are vulnerable because of this situation.The next part is the fact that National’s Better Public Services programme is really focused on getting better results for New Zealanders and giving them the support that they need and this is what this bill does. This is what it does. The Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act—and this is the beginning of the “help is on its way” situation—came through in 2006 and was amended in 2011 to establish the financial assistance package. This legislation was to help owners of leaky homes to get their homes repaired. That was the important thing.I started off by saying that I have met these people. I have met them on their doorsteps I have met them in my office in the Port Hills I have met them at various functions and things and one of the things that they have told me is the fact that yes they have a leaky home. At the beginning of that when they found that they had a leaky home there was very very little in the way of help. But they continually tell me now that if it was not for the situation of help—assistance—created by this Government they would have lost all of their confidence in moving forward. I think that is a really important part of this as well. The other part of what they tell me is that it is terminology as well. What does the terminology of something that means “built” actually mean? So they have actually seen light at the end of the tunnel for that because the fact is that there is indeed better interpretation of this kind of legislation moving forward.In conclusion then the weathertight homes legislation seeks to avoid unnecessary litigation—we have said that—that would divert resources away from repairing leaky homes. Again there are 70 properties—better than nothing. But the bill does not change anything about the financial assistance package; it simply removes the doubt and that is the whole essence of this as well. It removes the doubt and it provides certainty for claimants who want to access it. The next point is that certainty was a matter of key importance raised in submissions on this issue and which I just highlighted a few minutes ago as well. The points in this bill are important to the ongoing validity of the financial assistance package ensuring as many homeowners as possible can access the resolution service and financial assistance package and reducing the risk to the Crown of possible litigation about the validity of the criteria.Finally it is indeed the fact that not only do we have this legislation that is being put forward by the Hon Nick Smith and the fact of rectifying and embellishing the original legislation it is also a situation where not only are we doing this for leaky homes but if you actually bother—and I am saying this for my colleagues across the House—you open your eyes when you go to Christchurch and see the incredible work that is being done on the rebuild. Kia ora.Bill read a first time.Bill referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee.