Watts Simon; Dean JacquiSIMON WATTS (National—North Shore): Thank you very much Madam Chair. I rise as the member of Parliament for North Shore for the first time in this House. I wish to speak on the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill and in particular I wish to speak on clause 2.This bill comes into force as it states on the day after Royal assent and I want to question the Minister the Hon Nanaia Mahuta on one key aspect and a number of elements around that because I think it is very very important that she clarifies to this committee the background around why she has stated what she has stated in this committee. The statement by the Minister was as follows: that this change or the inability to change the commencement date relates to the fact that this will result in unnecessary expense. I must say that my background is very much involved with dollars and cents so I am very interested to understand a couple of key elements in regard to the Minister's comments because in effect I see this as pretty fundamental around the commencement date which a number of my colleagues here have put some good recommendations around.So I ask the Minister to clarify in particular: how did she calculate that additional expense? She quoted quite a significant range in dollars and I think quoting somewhere around $25000 through to around $300000. I'm reasonably good at numbers but that's quite a big range. What I want to understand is: how did you calculate that range as an expense? I admit that that is a lot of money if we're talking about the upper range. The second aspect I wish to clarify is: is this a real cost or is this an estimate? I think that's important to clarify as well. The last aspect is: what is the cost of following true democracy? What is the cost that our communities our electorate the people of this country should pay to be giving up their rights which I think this bill takes away in terms of that commencement date? So I'm looking forward to the Minister to clarify that point and that's all from me.Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National): Point of order Madam Chair. I do want to acknowledge that that was the new member for North Shore's very first speech and I feel he's been short-changed. Normally the clock goes for five minutes; when Mr Watts took his seat it only provided for two and I wonder whether there was an error in the system because I thought for a very good first speech we should not be short-changing our new members.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): Thank you for that point of order and indeed there was a malfunction on the front desk here for which I take responsibility.Hon Dr Nick Smith: He could start again I suppose.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): Thank you—thank you. The member actually has a further three minutes should he wish to take it. SIMON WATTS (National—North Shore): Thank you very much Madam Chair and I appreciate the good observation by my colleague the Hon Nick Smith on the clock there. I must say I was getting right into the swing of this feedback and didn't notice the clock which I now note isn't moving at all. However as I say—[Interruption] Three minutes has started—right so we're back on. As I was saying I wish to clarify around the way in which these costs are calculated because I think it is a really important point in terms of looking at a decision around a commencement date. I think we've heard some really good amendment suggestions around—and I do support my colleague's proposal around an amendment of three years from now. I think that is a very sensible a very pragmatic and a very reasonable time line in order to do that because this is an important consideration.But going back to the point around unnecessary expense which as the Minister has stated was pretty much the key reason why this commencement date could not be altered I want to understand: what is the opportunity cost of incurring that amount of money or taking away the rights of local democracy? Because I think this is right at the heart of this. I don't think you can put a number on that in terms of supporting our local democracy to be able to do what it needs to do and what it should need to do. And I think when we start putting dollars and cents around electoral law elements around you know where people can have a view I think we're starting to move into territory which to be honest is not the reason why I joined this House. So I think what I'm looking for is clarity around the expense from the Minister. I'm really looking forward to a good outline around the calculation of that expense particularly some of the methodology around that; maybe some assumptions that were used. Ideally the expense should be substantiated or evidenced or there should be some background around that context. I mean I think that's reasonable. It's hard to know. Simeon Brown: They'd have to do some work.SIMON WATTS: Well I think it's reasonable but I'm sure those numbers are there and so I'm looking forward to hearing a little bit about that and yeah I appreciate that and I thank you very much.