Rurawhe Adrian: New Zealand International Convention Centre Act 2013 Repeal Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRurawhe Adrian: New Zealand International Convention Centre Act 2013 Repeal Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 22 July 2015. Volume:707;Page:5235. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ADRIAN RURAWHE (Labour—Te Tai Hauāuru): It is never too late—never ever too late—because this House has the ability to change the law. That is what our function is. I would like to say to the whole House that we are able to do that in this House.I am pleased to speak on this bill and I congratulate Tracey Martin on getting it to this stage. I think it is important that this bill goes to select committee. As my colleague Dr David Clark said earlier there is nothing like a bit of sunlight on this to expose exactly what is in here because there is a back story to this. The issue is that things have changed since the legislation was passed. That is what the issue is. So we come here today and we should be allowing New Zealanders to submit on this bill. They deserve it.I have heard some concerning things in this debate particularly around the harm caused by gambling. It is a serious matter. Adding 230 pokie machines—the most insidious form of gambling in this country I would say and in the world—is a problem waiting for us and we have to do something about it. Another part of that story is that Skycity gets to use these machines before the convention centre is even built. It is allowed to. These are changes that we should consider when we vote on this bill to allow it to go to select committee. That is why I strongly suggest to the members opposite to have a think about the damage and harm that is caused by pokie machines.I think that in addressing that issue we need to look at measures that address the harm caused by pokie machines. Only a few months ago when hearing submissions on the Gambling Amendment Bill (No 3) we heard directly from gamblers and they shared their story. It is a story about issues that they have to deal with. Adding 230 pokie machines—just one pokie machine can do a whole lot of damage to one person because there are very few mechanisms while they are sitting at that pokie machine. We need to use the technology that exists today to minimise the harm caused by those pokie machines.That is why I really want to support this bill to select committee because I think that New Zealanders deserve to have those mechanisms put in place so that there is an intervention within the technology that exists today. I strongly encourage all members of this House to go and talk to organisations that deal with harm caused by gambling.This convention centre—we were promised an iconic world-class convention centre. Since the legislation has passed into law there have been a number of adjustments that make the convention centre less iconic a lot less world class and we would probably go so far as to say not that impressive. The issue for me is that Skycity has received benefits based on the building of an iconic world-class convention centre. I think that New Zealanders deserve the right to come to select committee and to say whether or not they agree that what we are receiving for the concessions we have made for Skycity—a 35-year licence 230 extra pokie machines; that price—is worth it. If members vote against this bill they are denying the opportunity for New Zealanders to have their say and that is why I support this bill.