Heatley Phil: Injury Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
Heatley Phil: Injury Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
[Volume:609;Page:6506] 
PHIL HEATLEY (NZ National—Whangarei) 
: 
 I would like to continue with Paul Hutchison’s substantial arguments regarding Part 3 “Consequential amendments”. Part 3 refers quite specifically to the schedules which I assume we are debating next and particularly Part B where motor spirit with a Research Octane No. less than 92— 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: We are on Part 3. 
PHIL HEATLEY 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. In my introductory comments I was speaking on Part 3’s reference to Part B of the schedule which I specifically said we would be debating later. Part B of the schedule refers to regular grade petrol with a Research Octane No. less than 92 which will be going up in cost per litre. That is what Part 3 is all about. It specifically addresses those grades of petroleum products that will have extra tax put upon them and of course New Zealanders paying extra tax. 
I too have sympathy for Paul Adams’ arguments. It is good to see him coming out of the blocks to debate this issue which is close to his heart. We would like to see him debate other issues that he shies away from that we know are also close to his heart but at least he has started with this one. The fact is that this part of the bill increases taxes for New Zealanders including the Adams family and we do not like to see that. I do not like to see colleagues having to dip into their pockets time and time again but we are seeing it here. Clause 13 amends the Customs and Excise Act simply to allow for the levy rate—and let us be frank the tax rate—to be increased without having to amend the Act. In other words this particular part—and I know that members of the public are concerned about this because they are going white—actually removes the checks and balances that we would normally have on a Labour Government that is determined to tax New Zealanders to death. 
Earlier in the day we went through other examples where this Labour Government has taxed New Zealanders to death. I do not have to mention them—the flatulence tax and the tax on provincial roading of 4c or 5c. We know about the threatened health tax and we know that the old people’s sherry and gin went up the other night. We now see the accident compensation levy going up from 2.3c to 5.08c—an over 100 percent increase; 8.5c goes to the Land Transport Safety Authority—we cannot argue with that—but 18.5 goes to the Crown account. I concur with Dr Paul Hutchison: why does the extra money for accident compensation come out of that? Why does the extra money that the Accident Compensation Corporation needs because of its burgeoning bureaucracy come out of that Crown account? I do not know. No one can answer that question for me Paul Adams or Paul Hutchison. No one can answer the question for members of the general public of New Zealand who are being taxed to death. 
I would like to move on to clause 13(2) in relation to section 75A of the Customs and Excise Act which is being repealed. My colleague Simon Power could not even find it in the Statute book. I do not know who put that statute book there but I call it the “ghost” section. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Speaker for coming in in relation to Part 3 and settling that issue with us. That particular statute book ought to be replaced as soon as possible because we are very wary about voting on Part 3 knowing that the documentation that Her Majesty’s loyal Opposition has access to out the back is incomplete or incorrect. I would appreciate that section being replaced.