Bennett David: Telecommunications (TSO Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
Bennett David: Telecommunications (TSO Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
[Volume:673;Page:19492] 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
: 
 I take a call in regard to Part 1A of the Telecommunications (TSO Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. This bill is part of the economic step change that the New Zealand economy needs and it will happen when we provide the infrastructure for our country to go forward. I congratulate the Minister in the chair the Minister for Communications and Information Technology on bringing this legislation before the House. He has delivered on an election promise that the National Party made. He has delivered legislation that will have a practical economic effect in New Zealand. The Opposition is jealous that within 2 years we have actually made changes and done things that are in the best interests of this country. 
Labour was afraid to step out and make such decisions when it had the power of being in Government. It is now trying to derail our attempts to build a stronger economy and I refer to the comments made by Trevor Mallard that Labour would not support this kind of approach. That is an indication of a party that does not believe in this country. It does not believe in the people of New Zealand. It does not want to see a strong New Zealand; it wants to see a poor New Zealand that it can control and define. That is the difference between the two main political parties. 
When we look at this part today entitled “Structural separation of Telecom” we know that the Opposition has been talking about the power of the Minister for Communications and Information Technology and saying a Minister should not be able to do the things that this bill enables the Minister to do. Well under Labour its Ministers were given exactly those kinds of powers in many areas and they used them all the time without regard to this Parliament without regard to the community and without regard to the political implications. This legislation is not such that Labour would have used it in its time. This legislation is such that it is in the best interests of New Zealanders has rigour and will enable New Zealanders to have comfort that the Minister is advocating in their best interests and is making the right decisions for this economy going forward. 
If we do not have Ministers making decisions who will make them? Will the Labour elite make decisions if we do not have Ministers or will some past Labour members make the decisions? The Minister is referred to there for a reason— 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. We have been listening to this member for nearly 5 minutes and he has not referred to Part 1A at all. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy) 
: I think he is kind of broadly in the zone. 
DAVID BENNETT 
: Shall I say clause 23C “Decision of Minister concerning approval of asset allocation plan”? I do not know which part of that I was missing. Maybe the member should look at what the legislation says and that would be helpful. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: Part 1. 
Hon Members 
: 1A. 
DAVID BENNETT 
: Yes—well that is what we are doing. The member over there obviously wants to have a broad discussion without looking at the actual relevance of the legislation which is in the best interests of New Zealanders. By getting a structural approach going forward we can deliver these kinds of telecommunications initiatives for New Zealanders. I look at the people of Hamilton who are very very much looking forward to this legislation because Hamilton is one of the first centres that was approved through the process of getting broadband. We look forward to the city developing those broadband technologies so that it can deliver economic growth as an export hub of New Zealand going forward. 
This is good legislation. It has been through a process in which this Parliament has looked at it in a detailed way. It is legislation that will be in the best interests of New Zealand’s economic growth but it is very much a shame that Labour will not support growth and that it will not look beyond petty politics see what is in the best interests of New Zealand and be supportive. We are building a stronger New Zealand in these most difficult times.