Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi): Thank you Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for a very thoughtful contribution. We've gone throughout the debate in the House tonight emphasising of course legal aspects. I think it's rather nice that the Minister has introduced a spiritual aspect to which I might continue with an emotional and also practical aspect when we importantly consider the real-life impact on those who are affected by sudden death such as the coroner would be investigating.Of course it's right that we consider very carefully the wording of the bill and the technical aspects. But also it is worth acknowledging as the Minister has effectively done the true human cost to people when they lose a life suddenly—whether that ultimately is proven to be for natural or non-natural causes.The emotional aspect I suppose is the closure that is eventually able to be obtained—at least to some extent; at least to the extent possible—when one grieves by the fact that the coroner will come up with some manner of finding be it by a process that's on the papers or otherwise.Then the practical considerations as others have mentioned might relate to estate administration. They might also relate to the status of a person close to the deceased as a victim—in the victim support and resource sense of that phrase. It might be relevant to a life insurance claim or other relevant practical aspect. So they're important reasons that we want the coronial process to go well to go smoothly and also to go quickly or at least in a timely fashion. I don't mean to suggest there would ever be undue haste but of course at the moment our system is beset by difficulties very much at the opposite end of the spectrum.So we must do anything that we can to help. And in that spirit the National Party has supported this legislation. The National Party has also actually for the record supported the various other measures and initiatives by this Government over the last 5½ years in the court space whereby reform of existing court and tribunal structures has been suggested. We'll continue in that spirit for the next six months. After that we would welcome the reverse from the other side when they are perhaps in our shoes. But in any case that's a political comment that need not be dwelt upon further.So I've written to the Minister; I've assured him in writing of our ongoing bipartisan support for anything that will improve the situation of the court system. It's something of a briefing to the incoming Minister—it's not the official sense of that phrase but for what it's worth I've been very happy to outline what we see as the problems. We'll work together on the solutions. In the context of this bill we've said that the underlying purpose is a worthy one—which is to add to the capacity for coronial duties to be undertaken.Of course the mechanism is by the coronial associate position being created. Another option would be to provide more coroners perhaps by removing the cap on the number of coroners—and I don't quite understand why that should exist elsewhere in legislation. But the fact that it's elsewhere in legislation is of course meaning that we don't need to delve further into it today.But looking at the problem as a whole there are a number of different solutions. This is at least one option. It's a good option as far as it goes and I'd be remiss not to at least mention in passing the discussion that we've had at the second reading and then committee of the whole House stage in relation to those circumstances of death. I just place on record that we would hope that there wouldn't be any pattern of deaths—perhaps deaths of a certain nature or a particular category—that would go unremarked in the sense of having their circumstances fail to be reported. I don't suggest for a moment that that would be the intent of the legislation and I'm sure no individual coroner would wish that to be the case. But I do state for the record again our reservation about allowing a coroner—well actually requiring the coroner—not to make such a report if they consider it in the interest of justice not to do so. So with that in summary we support the bill. We'll support any measures that improve the lives of New Zealanders and those whom they leave behind bereaving and commend this bill at this third and final reading.