Uffindell Sam; Dean JacquiSAM UFFINDELL (National—Tauranga): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's very good to rise and follow on from my friend Dan Rosewarne over the side of the aisle. It's good to see you back here in New Zealand my friend. I rise to speak on the health and safety at work amendment bill—Hon David Bennett: Right stop this speech now—stop it now. SAM UFFINDELL: —terrible speech isn't it?—and I am going to oppose it. I see Minister Michael Wood is over there. We are definitely going to oppose this one. I mean this is just a classic—more regulation more costs—and what is the problem we're trying to solve? Look it's probably a good endeavour—you know you see something there and you're like Oh if we have a health and safety person that's going to really stop all the bad things from happening." But I'm not sure how much risk assessment has been done around whether this is a high-risk situation. You've got a small business and you've got one person who says "Oh I want a health and safety inspector." Is it actually closing any risk? Also are we just going to play the game where we look to minimise risk at any cost irrespective of what it may be? That's why I asked at the start whether there has been any cost-benefit analysis done on this one and I'm not necessarily sure that there would have been. I also note that there wasn't a lot of consultation that was done with the small retailers and businesses involved and I find that pretty disappointing. I think that if you are going to go out of your way to impose costs on people then you need to engage with them in some sort of discussion to understand what their circumstances are and understand whether they've got the ability to cope with it and whether it's actually going to move the needle and make things safer for people. I mean I don't mean to be rude but this is typical of this Government which just continues to not really consult and continues to add costs on to businesses. Businesses have had a real hard time under this Government in the past few years: consistent minimum wage increases consistent additions of compliance worker shortages—there are a lot of things that keep getting piled up on this. On top of that you get the wider economic issues that we're all facing: inflation; additional regulations wherever it may be; and chronic worker shortages adding to more worker inflation. So my suggestion to the Government would be: instead of adding continual burdens to small businesses it would actually be better off considering giving the regulator WorkSafe New Zealand a clear set of objectives to work to rather than the vague measures that have recently been released. There are some reasonable costs here. It's approximately $1300 a year for people to make sure that they are training up or providing that training to that mandated health and safety person who may not necessarily make much of a difference. That might not be a one-off cost either because you might get the situation in a few small businesses you may have a bit of a turnover happening there and these people may be having to face that cost every year and so why have we really done it? That cost also doesn't take any account of any potential lost productivity. So it seems that every time I rise to speak on any bill that this Minister has introduced I unfortunately have to rise to oppose it and this is going to be no different. He hasn't looked up at me yet. I keep trying to bait him but there he is. He's working away on the next piece of legislation that I'll get to rise and speak against no doubt before this Parliament is out. Hon Michael Wood: Say something useful and you might get a response. SAM UFFINDELL: Oh he's chirped up now—there he goes. That's good. I'm glad I got your attention Minister. The "Minister for Potholes" the "Minister for Auckland Light Rail" the "Minister for Nurse Shortages"—he's lit up. But no no it's very good to have you here Minister. I do admire a Minister who actually sits through the duration of the readings. Hon David Bennett: No he's on duty. SAM UFFINDELL: He's on duty. Well there you go. I mean one day maybe when you're the leader of the Labour Party in six months' time you might not have to do House duty. But I will wrap this up there—all tongue in cheek here—and just say that we will of course oppose this bill and I will leave it there. Thank you Madam Speaker. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Marja Lubeck—five minutes."