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SpeechHon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): I'll just make a few brief introductory comments before other members contribute in this committee stage debate.The bill as members will be able to see is a relatively short amendment to the primary legislation that is set out in two parts. The bill does exactly what has been described during the earlier courses of the debate.In Part 1 of the bill section 42A is amended and this really is the main operative part which effectively replaces the existing sections and puts in place the second temporary reduction period which runs through from 1 March 2023 to 30 June 2023.Of note to members: 2B here enables the Governor-General—by Order in Council made before the second temporary reduction period ends—the ability to shorten or extend the second temporary reduction period to a date specified in that order. That is to provide some additional flexibility should it be deemed to be beneficial for there to be a further extension.I will just take the moment to say that the Government does not have a position that that will happen. But we do believe that in order to respond to circumstances should circumstances dictate that that would be a positive thing to do this will give a bit of extra flexibility without having to go through an entire House procedure as we are today.Part 2 then has further provisions which relate to the assessment period. That of course is an important period whereby Waka Kotahi can assess whether purchasing might have been excessive to ensure the integrity of the policy. Sorry I should note that's in Part 1 section 6 where there was a change from the previous period of 12 months to five years.Members I look forward to any comments and questions that might arise during the course of this debate and I'll certainly do my best to answer any queries that members might have.
McLellan Tracey; Salesa JennyASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): That bill is set down for committee stage immediately and I declare the House in committee for the consideration of the Road User Charges (Temporary RUC Reduction Scheme) Amendment Bill (No 2).In CommitteeParts 1 and 2 and clauses 1 to 3Dr TRACEY McLELLAN (Junior Whip—Labour): Point of order Madam Chair. I seek leave for all provisions to be taken as one question.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Are there any objections to the motion? We will proceed with it as one. Members the House is in committee on the Road User Charges (Temporary RUC Reduction Scheme) Amendment Bill (No 2). The question is that Parts 1 and 2 and clauses 1 to 3 stand part.
Boyack RachelRACHEL BOYACK (Labour—Nelson): I just want to push back a little on the previous speaker's comments Tim van de Molen around the National Land Transport Fund and just point out that the Minister in his speech earlier today pointed out that with the reduced income from reducing the cost of transport the Government will be topping up that fund out of the general fund and we have just put another $250 million into the emergency transport fund. So what the member has been saying on the other side is actually quite frankly wrong.And I want to point out just how fantastic Waka Kotahi were in my patch last year following our flooding when they managed to reconnect the most important transport link in the top of the South—State Highway 6 between Blenheim and Nelson—in just six weeks. So I want to commend Waka Kotahi for their work and I commend this bill to the House.
Halbert ShananSHANAN HALBERT (Labour—Northcote): Thank you Madam Speaker. I guess it's important just to acknowledge that while we are in urgency we follow the same procedures that we would in any other piece of legislation that goes before this House. Every member of this House has the opportunity to make a 10-minute contribution should they wish to; yet what I hear this afternoon is a lot of filling of that time in political speech where actually this piece of legislation is an important part to assisting New Zealanders with the cost of living challenges that are in front of them. Yes it is correct that we are feeling inflation pressures and that impacts on both businesses and communities; on parents taking their children to schools. But in fact when we look at this piece of legislation—and yes its extension—times continue to move on events continue to impact: just recently we had floods and cyclones. But we know most of all that people are feeling the pressures of the costs in front of them. This piece of legislation assists them with that and I commend the bill to the House.
SpeechMARJA LUBECK (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a privilege to make a short call on this very important bill. We hear a lot of moaning and whinging from the other side of the House about the fact that they believe we're not doing enough to assist with the cost of living. But whenever we do they object to everything we do—whether it's objecting to the raising of the minimum wage whether it's about public transport and the halving of the fees or in this case on the reduction of the road-user charges. The fuel excise reductions were really helpful for people that live on my side of the world. For a household with a petrol vehicle for example if a person had to fill up each week they would save roughly about $36 per month. Now that is very good money for a lot of people that don't have a lot to spend. So again this bill will help people with the cost of living—and why there is so much noise objecting to that from the other side of the House I have no idea but I commend it to the House. Thank you Madam Speaker.
Salesa JennyNAISI CHEN (Labour): I don't know if it was picked up by Hansard but the Hon Willie Jackson here just said Thank you for your support." and I think that needs to be echoed throughout the House. This is a bill of support for those who are going through the tough times right now in terms of the cost of living. We know that reducing road-user charges and we know that reducing petrol excise actually helps with inflationary pressures as well on our economy right now so this is a good bill. That's why I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): I call on the Hon David Pen—Bennett."
McLellan TraceyDr TRACEY McLELLAN (Labour—Banks Peninsula): Thank you Madam Speaker. I'll make a brief call also on this Road User Charges (Temporary RUC Reduction Scheme) Amendment Bill (No 2). As is obvious in this bill the Government's obvious top priority is simply helping New Zealanders with the cost of living amid what is a heightened inflation around the world—it's not novel to New Zealand; it's something that many people are experiencing around the world but there are practical sensible things that we can do as a Government to help alleviate that pain for people. So on the basis of that I commend this bill to the House.
Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi): Thank you very much Madam Speaker. As some others have done I just wish to briefly acknowledge those who are in dire straits even now still as a result of recent extreme weather events throughout New Zealand including in my own electorate. I'll welcome the opportunity to speak more fully on that subject in the House later. On the subject of this bill the rosy—excuse me—the road-user charges temporary RUC—Hon Members: Rosy". CHRIS PENK: I'm looking at this through rose-tinted spectacles Madam Speaker because actually it's been a long time now since this first came in. I fear I'm in danger of misleading the House in even using the word "temporary" in relation to it but it's in the title of the bill so at the risk of incurring your wrath—or indeed that of your replacement—I note that that is at least what it says on the tin. The can is being kicked down the road. Eventually the can will fall into a pothole no doubt. I'll finish this brief contribution with the reflection that as someone much wiser than me once observed there's nothing so permanent as a temporary solution to which we might also say in this day and age that there's nothing so permanent as a temporary Government programme. So this extension of an extension of an extension we have supported on the basis as set out by our transport spokesperson Simeon Brown. Hon Willie Jackson: Thanks for your support."
SpeechHon POTO WILLIAMS (Labour—Christchurch East): It's always a rare and special privilege to follow on from the ACT Party in taking a call on this bill. The ACT Party member would have one who is listening to his contribution believe that the largesse and public goodness of the oil companies would forego their profits in a time of national need which would mean that we wouldn't need this legislation to go through which is clearly clearly false and that the requirement for the Government to take steps to ensure that people who need to use vehicles to get about their daily business or to transport goods and services around the country do not need support to do that by this Government—and it's clearly clearly wrong.So we know the reason for this bill: to extend the reduction in road-user charges to ensure that those people who do need to get to work need to get to school need to get about the business can do so and that transporters people who freight our goods and services around the country can do so in a way that actually reduces the costs to New Zealanders during this cost of living crisis.I do want to make one comment. It would be remiss of me not to recognise today's the 12th anniversary of the earthquakes in Christchurch and in Canterbury and my colleagues and I share with our people in Canterbury the thoughts of 12 years on from that day.Just my final thoughts. I do want to kind of pose the question: what kind of life experiences could have created someone as cynical as Simeon Brown who made some extraordinary statements in this House today who said that—Simeon Brown: I'm the least cynical MP.Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Ha! Well I've yet to find evidence of that Mr Brown. When saying that the National Party would support this bill he didn't find it necessary to have this bill; wanted us to do more for the folk who were impacted by the cost of living but didn't believe in this bill. So on those final thoughts I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Chris Penk—five minutes.
Boyack RachelRACHEL BOYACK (Labour—Nelson): It's a pleasure to take a short call on the Road User Charges (Temporary RUC Reduction Scheme) Amendment Bill (No 2). This bill ensures that road users with diesel vehicles are also provided with a reduction in the cost of their transport as we have done for those who receive a cut in fuel excise duty and half-price public transport.I just want to comment on Simon Watts' the previous speaker's comments around inflation and note that the biggest driver of inflation is the cost of fuel around the globe. It is international-based inflation. It is the cost of transport that is driving up the cost of food in New Zealand. So the biggest step we can take is to reduce the cost of transport for Kiwi households and Kiwi businesses to address the cost of living and we are doing something about that.This bill reflects the Labour Government's continued commitment to address the cost of living for Kiwi families and businesses and I commend it to the House.
Halbert ShananSHANAN HALBERT (Labour—Northcote): Thank you Madam Speaker. I am pleased to stand and speak on the Road User Charges (Temporary RUC Reduction Scheme) Amendment Bill (No 2) this evening.There was so much in that last speech and now is not the time for politics because the reality of this particular bill is that it speaks to the hearts of Aucklanders driving around in current times who are feeling the pressures of the cost of living.This Government is being pragmatic; it's getting on with the ability to actually walk and chew gum at the same time. Yes we have to deal with the here and now. We have to deal with the cost of living challenges and petrol—the cost of petrol—is certainly a part of it.But when we start to throw out pet projects"—and the next one will be that suddenly there are challenges from the other side actually that we don't need a second harbour connection do we?—actually these things are important to deal with Aucklanders moving around right now and our ability to plan for a modern transport system and infrastructure to help people get around and move in our largest city.So without further ado I think it's important to acknowledge this particular bill. It deals with the cost of living challenges that are in front of us and I commend this bill to the House."
McAnulty KieranURGENCYHon KIERAN McANULTY (Deputy Leader of the House): I move That urgency be accorded the passing through all stages of the Road User Charges (Temporary RUC Reduction Scheme) Amendment Bill (No 2); and the Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Amendment Bill.By moving this motion I am asking the House to consider and pass two bills both of which need to be enacted with urgency. On 1 February the Government announced a package of cost of living support for families and businesses. This included the reintroduction of the road-user charge discount. The Road User Charges (Temporary RUC Reduction Scheme) Amendment Bill (No 2) enables the reintroduction to take place. It is intended that the reintroduction discount will come into effect on 1 March. It is therefore essential that the bill is passed under urgency.The Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Amendment Bill is intended to clarify that the principal Act applies to returning offenders whose offending predated the Act's commencement on 18 November 2015 following a High Court decision that called this into question. The bill also provides that the Commissioner of Police must not provide notice or the right to be heard to the affected person before making determinations about their status as a returning prisoner. The quick enactment of this bill is essential to ensure that returning offenders are treated appropriately according to the level of threat that they present. I would like to acknowledge members of the Business Committee following a constructive discussion about today's business at the committee meeting yesterday.
Tinetti JanHon JAN TINETTI (Minister of Education): I move That this debate be now adjourned. Motion agreed to.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): This debate is adjourned and set down for resumption next sitting day.
Visitors — Germany—Bundestag
Rurawhe AdrianVISITORSGermany—BundestagSPEAKER: Members I'm sure that you would wish to welcome Josef Rief and his accompanying Budget Committee members from the German Bundestag who are present in the gallery.
SpeechWEDNESDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2023The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSHon JACQUI DEAN (Assistant Speaker): Almighty God we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom justice mercy and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.
Tuesday 21 February 2023 - Volume 765
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill — Second Reading
SpeechDAN ROSEWARNE (Labour): Kia ora. Thank you Madam Speaker. It is a great privilege to be speaking on the second reading of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill. I want to thank the members of the Governance and Administration Committee for their work on this bill. The committee has unanimously recommended that the amendments be made to this bill and for it to be passed.I want to take this opportunity also to acknowledge the amazing work of our Fire and Emergency staff for what they're doing right now in our communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and the bravery displayed by our firefighters both professional and voluntary. Many have had to leave their loved ones at home in order to serve their community.This bill modifies the insurance-based levy system that supports Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). These levies represent 97 percent of FENZ funding. Making sure their levy system was simple and efficient is necessary for the good operation of FENZ services. This bill does that by establishing a methodology for levy collection. It defines the types of insurance contracts that must pay the levy who is responsible for paying the levy and the value of the property to be used as the basis for calculating the levy. The levy will be charged on contracts of insurance fire damage and calculated based on the sum insured and contracts for the damage. It also clarifies the levy on motor vehicle insurance. This bill makes sure that the levy collection will be simple and efficient. It is for that reason Madam Speaker that I commend this bill to the House.
Salesa Jenny; Webb DuncanHon POTO WILLIAMS (Labour—Christchurch East): Kia orana Madam Speaker and thank you for the opportunity to be the final speaker on this piece of legislation coming before the House today. As speakers have already indicated on the bill this is part of the work that the Hon James Shaw has been doing to ensure that our emissions trading scheme is fit for purpose. This particular bill deals with two specific matters. The first is the penalties that are applicable to small forestry participants; those who don't surrender or don't pay for their units. And the second matter is around the pre-allocation of units—the wider discussion on that of course is around how we better align the carbon credit system to our targets and our net zero commitments.The select committee I'm sure will work diligently to examine a couple of key matters around allocations the baselines of course the assessment of eligibility of new activities within industry and some technical settings.But just in final comment I do want to join the other voices across the House in acknowledging the distress that's been caused to our communities and our country with the recent weather events. There's no doubt that this piece of legislation and the one we had previously before the House—the Natural Hazards Insurance Bill—go some way to addressing some of the key issues that we have around climate change and the work that we need to do. I would hope that members across the House in their discussions with their communities are also talking about the wider issue of climate change: mitigation adaptation and other things that we need to do to ensure that we cut through a lot of the mis- and disinformation that is circulating about these issues at the moment so that we can honour and acknowledge some of the terrible issues that have happened to our community in recent weeks. And with that final note I commend the bill to the House. Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The question is That the Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill be considered by the Environment Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Environment Committee.Instruction to Environment CommitteeHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) on behalf of the Minister of Climate Change: I move That the Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill be reported to the House by 20 July 2023.Motion agreed to.
Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill — First Reading
SpeechPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's my privilege to speak in the House today the first for the sitting year on the Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill. My colleagues have spoken to this eloquently but this is important to get right. We know that the emissions trading scheme is complicated and this bill will change those industrial allocation settings to address carbon leakage and allow us to align with our climate change response targets. I commend this bill to the House.
SpeechDAN ROSEWARNE (Labour): Kia ora Madam Speaker. It is my pleasure to take this split call on the Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill. The Government declared a climate emergency on 2 December 2020 and this emergency demands a sufficiently ambitious urgent and coordinated response across Government to meet the scale and complexity of the challenge. In enabling a just transition to a low-emissions climate-resilient future is a Government priority and it's bills like this that address the emerging challenges that come with climate change. It is for that reason that I commend the bill to the House. Thank you Madam Speaker.
Uffindell SamSAM UFFINDELL (National—Tauranga): Thank you Madam Speaker. Firstly I want to start this call by acknowledging the disastrous impacts of the floods and of Cyclone Gabrielle that have impacted New Zealand over the past several weeks and the past week in particular. I want to echo the sentiments of the prior speaker Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki to extend my sympathies to the four people who lost their lives in the Auckland floods and also to the 11 people in the Hawke's Bay and Tai Rāwhiti regions who have also lost their lives and I dearly hope that there are no further additions to that number as it stands.We acknowledge that man-made climate change is very real and we are now feeling the impacts of this and it is very serious indeed. Through this amendment bill there are two main adjustments. The first one seeks to adjust the penalties that apply to forestry growers when they were retiring old areas of forestry and not surrendering those emissions trading scheme credits or replanting the forestry. The 3 to 1" penalty regime that was previously in place was very punishing. And certainly I know that there would have been a lot of forestry owners out there who may have been converting to something else through the country in places like Tokoroa and other places where they would have been severely impacted by that and also around Tai Rāwhiti. The regime in this amendment bill is much more sensible. It is far less punishing and it is more reflective of where we should be.The second piece on this is to update the baseline in determining industrial allocation. And a couple of people have touched upon this where industrial groups were over-allocated credits. This was based on a prior technical understanding but as has been acknowledged the technologies that have come in have reduced the emissions that these industrial bodies have been emitting therefore meaning that they are receiving credits that they don't necessarily need and that they have been able to profit from to the tune of some $60 million per annum. This is a direct cost to the Crown and I definitely support the adjustments that have been made in this space.This has been a very hard time for New Zealand and it's good to see most of this House coming together to take this matter very seriously. I also want to extend my thanks to the Government for taking on board the criticisms that the National Party put forward about the "3 to 1" allocation the criticisms that also came through in the select committee process—taking those on board and making the necessary adjustments to the "3 to 1" scheme. It's very good to see progress and bipartisanship taking place and we will certainly need a lot more of it in the climate change space as we proceed. Thank you Madam Speaker. I commend this bill to the House."
Salesa JennyANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour): Kia ora te Mana Whakawā. It's an honour and a privilege to stand here to make my first contribution in 2023 on the Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill. I'd like to acknowledge the four people that lost their lives in the Auckland floods and of course now we're at 11 people who have lost their lives during Cyclone Gabrielle—and I want to acknowledge everyone who has been affected but particularly want to acknowledge those first responders and everyone who are volunteering to help. So just want to acknowledge that.This bill updates 10-year-old industrial settings so that's what this bill does. So currently those settings are costing the country $60 million a year. So the bill allows allocated baselines to be updated with new data it allows the reassessment of eligibility of the current industries and it makes four technical improvements to the industry allocation policy. I urge everyone to make a submission on this bill as it is important; it is about our contribution to eliminating—or reducing—our carbon use and I commend this bill the Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The next call is a split call. I call on Sam Uffindell.
Sosene Lemauga LydiaLEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. Before I commence my short call can I just acknowledge our people first responders who have been on the scene and especially in Māngere South Auckland. We have had since the Auckland floods a community hub that has been open since 29 January and it is still open after 3½ weeks. So I want to acknowledge specifically councillor Alf Filipaina chair Tauanu'u Nick Bakulich and Harriet Pauga and the hundreds of volunteers that have come through and the contributions and donations from all across the motu.Back to the bill: this is the first reading Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill. The amendment bill is timely and urgent. The climate change response that we have seen in the recent weather events—the Government declared a climate emergency on 2 December 2020 and this work couldn't come sooner because of the Auckland floods and aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.The Government understands front of mind the ambitious but urgent and coordinated response in its agenda and even though complex and challenging it is work to do. The Government's priority is that just transition to a low-emissions climate-resilient future. On that note the amendment bill will update the decade-old industrial allocation settings. I commend this bill to the House.
SpeechHon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Māngere): I want to acknowledge Minister Shaw for bringing this bill to the House for giving this House the opportunity to update its emissions scheme and make it fit for purpose as we attempt to tackle climate change as a nation. I think it's also fitting to record that the National Party have asked some very valid questions leading up to first reading the question being: is climate change real? What is the evidence for climate change? And I'm not trying to poke fun at anybody in particular but in the select committee hearing those are valid questions. And I would ask anybody who asks those questions to also ask the people of the Hawke's Bay whether it's real ask Mr Apple whether it's real ask Turners & Growers in the vineyards and also ask the families living in South Auckland who've lost houses ask also the people of West Auckland whether climate change is real. And I think that will help us dispel with the doubts that may still reside in people who are representing our nation. So I think those are the questions valid in the first reading and I commend this bill to the House.
Brooking RachelRACHEL BROOKING (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. We know that the emissions trading scheme (ETS) is complicated but also a very important part of New Zealand's decarbonisation. I join with the previous two speakers in commending this bill to the House. It's going to change those industrial allocation settings that relate to the free New Zealand units (NZUs) and the whole system there is to address the carbon leakage. We think that there's about $60 million a year worth of NZUs going that don't need to be that that's a cost to the New Zealand Government. This bill will fix that and make the ETS more accurate. I commend it to the House.
Natural Hazards Insurance Bill — Third Reading
Leary IngridINGRID LEARY (Labour—Taieri): It is indeed poignant that we are considering this bill on the eve of the Christchurch earthquakes and with what has happened recently around the weather events in New Zealand. When I first spoke on this bill I acknowledged Dr Dominic Bell who was the best man at my brother's wedding who very sadly passed away in the CTV Building in the Christchurch quakes. It is profound and sad that again this week we are seeing people who have died in the wake of natural hazards and our hearts go out to them.What we heard in the select committee was around trauma not only from the events but the trauma of going through a process where society was meant to come in and help and help repair and rebuild and yet actually it retraumatised and retriggered the trauma of that event. So what this bill has done and what we have sought to do as a select committee is make sure that doesn't happen again. I feel really confident that we have achieved that through the gratefully received submissions from people who submitted and also from the briefing given to us by Dame Silvia Cartwright who led the inquiry into the Christchurch quakes.So there are three changes really that this bill seeks to make to the current system around recovery and around the claims process the clarity on the role of the Earthquake Commission and also the durability and the flexibility of the system. It is particularly for claimants that I think we have made the most difference and we hope that they will find in the future as they go to use the legislation that they will not be retraumatised in the way that they have been previously.So I am really grateful to my colleague the Hon Dr David Clark who shepherded this through the House. It's fantastic having him on the committee and I know that as we go forward this legislation will be increasingly important as we see and deal with more of the events that we've had the last couple of months. I commend it to the House. Motion agreed to.Bill read a third time.
Twyford PhilHon PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū): Thank you Madam Speaker. It can't not be poignant tonight on the anniversary of the Canterbury earthquakes and in the wake of the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. It's such a reminder of how geologically young this country is and how prone we are to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes and in fact the movement of water across our landscape and the slips and erosion and the damage to the land that occurs as a result of that. I want to congratulate the Finance and Expenditure Committee for the work that they've done. Evidently they worked very well with a lot of non-partisan cooperation on this bill. I also acknowledge the previous and the new Minister stewarding this bill and of course the officials. It is above all a response to the pain and the trauma that was felt by the people of Canterbury in dealing with the Earthquake Commission and other insurance companies in the wake of the earthquakes. I think it's a very good effort to improve simplify streamline and provide some certainty and clarity in the newly named Toka Tū Ake – the Natural Hazards Commission. I'm really conscious of my own constituents in West Auckland having recently spent the last three weeks up close with the trauma that they have experienced from the floods—life-threatening events—seeing their homes their biggest economic asset wiped out by the floods and then dealing with the often very challenging process of working with their insurance companies to get a result. The detailed changes that have been made in this bill are designed to make the process more timely to introduce more clarity and certainty and to make the organisation more responsive to the needs of their customers. It is really to be welcomed. I commend this bill to the House.
SpeechANGELA ROBERTS (Labour): It's a privilege to rise and take a short call on the Natural Hazards Insurance Bill. As everyone has reflected all day today we are in the middle of such difficult dark days and I'm so acutely aware that natural hazards are impacting so many more of us so much more frequently and severely. But somehow in the middle of all of this the mahi undertaken through the inquiry and by the Ministers and the select committee process and the members and the officials of course have brought us some reassurance in the middle of all of this chaos. We have learnt those very hard lessons from Christchurch and we have applied them across and within this House. I'm grateful for that as someone who has been spared the slips the floods and the earthquakes in recent years. I live on the side of a volcano and I'm not being flippant. I feel I can sleep a little easier at night because of the work that was done and I recommend this bill to the House.
Halbert ShananSHANAN HALBERT (Labour—Northcote): Thank you Madam Speaker. I share the sentiment of the House today and this evening as we remember those in Te Tai Tokerau and Te Tai Rāwhiti my whānau down in Hawke's Bay and in fact those in Tāmaki-makau-rau—Auckland—that have been impacted by recent floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. But most of all we see the response of our communities and local people and their ability to unite in solidarity and to support each other and support our families and tamariki that are out there during very tough times. This particular bill the Natural Hazards Insurance Bill takes into consideration the important lessons we've learnt over the last decade and now is the time where we take a step back and reflect on where we are at as a country and how we are in fact responding to the challenges in front of us. When I think of the Christchurch earthquakes it seems so long ago yet to the people and communities that live there now it probably just seems like yesterday—and those of us that are in the struggles of floods and cyclones currently are in the midst of those challenges but it's time to reflect. But today is about moving forward. In the Natural Hazards Insurance Bill Toka Tū Ake—to establish—the bill makes the rules for mixed- and multi-use buildings clearer. It clarifies regulations relating to repairing buildings and land following a landslip or other land damage. It simplifies the excesses and calculations for retaining walls bridges and culverts. But what's important as our Prime Minister said today is that it's time to crack on and as we reflect on our current times we reflect on incidents that happened a number of years ago and pieces of legislation that will push us forward to achieve a better future. I commend this bill to the House. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Andrew Bayly—a five-minute call.
Brooking RachelRACHEL BROOKING (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. Like the previous speakers I do want to acknowledge the devastation from Cyclone Gabrielle and the other flood events in the North and also tomorrow is the 12th anniversary of the Canterbury earthquake so it seems like a good day to be talking about this Natural Hazards Insurance Bill. Of course from that Canterbury experience that the previous speaker has just spoken about Dame Silvia Cartwright did her review with 70 recommendations and that's come through in this process.I just want to touch on one quite specific issue and that is around the definition of natural hazard". It is defined widely at clause 23 and it includes probably everything that you would imagine to be a natural hazard including storms. But there are subsets of that definition and they apply differently and how that works is that at clause 3 is the purpose of the Act and it is to "reduce the impact of natural hazards"—a good purpose—and to provide "for first loss insurance [as] a direct result of natural hazards"—I am paraphrasing somewhat—"as set out in section 4;". If you go to clause 4 which will become section 4 it says "(4) Natural hazard cover provides cover for—(a) damage to residential buildings that is a direct result of an earthquake hydrothermal activity a landslide a tsunami or volcanic activity or a fire" as a consequence of those hazards. So that doesn't talk about floods in that subsection. Then in paragraph (b) we have "damage to residential land that is a direct result of any of those hazards or a storm or a flood or a fire that is a consequence of a storm or flood." So the two subsets are treated differently. The terms that I've just read out are defined throughout the bill and then also in clause 23 around that wide definition of "natural hazard" it is in fact confined though in saying that it does exclude coastal erosion. So whilst this is much better legislation than what we've seen before it's a very good improvement. As described by the Minister there is of course more work to be done as the previous speaker has said. I commend it to the House."
Sepuloni CarmelHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Deputy Prime Minister): I move That this debate be now adjourned. Motion agreed to.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): This debate is adjourned and set down for resumption next sitting day. Members the time has come for me to leave the Chair for the dinner break and the House will be resumed at 7 p.m.Debate interrupted.Sitting suspended from 5.59 p.m. to 7 p.m.
SpeechDr ANAE NERU LEAVASA (Labour—Takanini): Fa'afetai lava Madam Speaker. Community spirit community support community resilience. Those are the three things I think about with the response from our community in Aotearoa New Zealand. We were one of the first civil defence centres set up when the Auckland floods occurred. It was great to see our providers rally together our community rally together in order to support our South Auckland community. Manu Tukutuku centre in Randwick Park—that's a centre that we had set up and it was great to see this opportunity for the community to use this centre because it's only been open for the last two or three years and to see the council and central government agencies working together to support our community has been very beneficial. I just want to take my time just to thank the temples the churches in particular Takanini Gurdwara. I'd like to say a huge thankyou to them because every time there's a pandemic or any event that happens our Takanini Sikh community do a huge job in delivering food donations clothing not only to our local community but also to Auckland at large. Red Cross Salvation Army the New Zealand Defence Force the Ministry of Social Development Kāinga Ora all the agencies and services that came to support our community were very much needed during the Auckland floods—and then to translate that for the cyclone because we had already set up all the networks the community came in during that time as well. So I support the Prime Minister's statement. Thank you.
SpeechTODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty): Who could not be impacted by those images of New Zealanders in utter shock as the climate did its worst to us from Northland to Auckland to Coromandel to the central North Island to Bay of Plenty to Waikato and particularly to the East Coast and Hawke's Bay—those images that we saw on television of utterly devastated people utterly destroyed families communities broken. Yet through that what we saw is the indomitable spirit of an individual helping somebody else in their moment of need running towards danger maximally expressed by the two firefighters that we tragically lost as a country. But it was neighbour helping neighbour family helping family in communities.But I couldn't help but get a sense—a deep sense—that we are a brilliant people in a broken country. Our infrastructure is broken particularly in the communities that have been hit by this weather. And then we hear a Government stand up for the second time in two years and say Trust us we will build back better." They haven't built back at all from where we were. They have not built back at all from 2017 or 2020 or post-COVID. We are a brilliant people in a broken country. Our infrastructure is broken. Our health system is broken. Our mental health system is broken. This is not partisan shots—although I'm sure you'll think it is. Those of us who are constituent MPs get this day in day out.People cannot access mental health they cannot access the health system—it is broken. Our education system is broken. We have more students that are truant than ever recorded in this country's history: over 50 percent truancy. Our performance in terms of NCEA is the worst that has ever been recorded. It is broken and no trying to polish those statistics can make it anything other than that. Health broken infrastructure broken education broken law and order broken rule of law broken. The statistics are there and they hang in shame off this Government. This country is broken and it has occurred on their watch.Roads: the Prime Minister stands up and says 400 kilometres of roads now need to be fixed tens of bridges need to be replaced—the same Prime Minister that has sat in a Government for five years that hasn't built a single road. The Baypark to Bayfair flyover started four years ago twice the budget still two years to go. And every one of us can stand up and repeat the same set of issues in our community. Health education law and order infrastructure everything this Government has turned its mind to it has failed to deliver. The country is on its knees and the best thing the Prime Minister can say is "We will build back better." You had your chance. In 2020 you said "We want a COVID-endorsed chance to build back better." Every sector every Government agency has failed to deliver against its promise. And I finish on the issue of climate change. The high end of rhetoric and yet again the low end of delivery. Emissions up 5½ years in. Yes we have a zero carbon bill yes we have a climate commission—emissions up. You're the Government. The emissions are up. Five years in yet another area broken. Brilliant people broken country it's time for a change."
Prime Minister's Statement
Resignations — Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Visitors — European Parliament and United States
Hipkins Chris; Rurawhe AdrianPRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENTRt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Prime Minister): I present the Prime Minister's statement.SPEAKER: That paper is published under the authority of the House. Copies are available on the Table.
Rurawhe AdrianRESIGNATIONSRt Hon Jacinda Ardern Mt AlbertSPEAKER: I wish to advise the House that I have received a letter from the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern resigning her seat in the House with effect from 11.59 p.m. on Saturday 15 April 2023.
Rurawhe AdrianVISITORSEuropean Parliament—Delegation for Relations with Australia and New ZealandUnited States—Secretary of the InteriorSPEAKER: I am sure that members would wish to welcome two delegations present in the gallery: the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Australia and New Zealand led by the Chairperson Ms Ulrike Müller; and the Hon Deb Haaland Secretary of the Interior of the United States and her accompanying delegation.
Rurawhe AdrianTUESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2023The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSSPEAKER: E te Atua kaha rawa ka tuku whakamoemiti atu mātou mō ngā karakia kua waihotia mai ki runga i a mātou. Ka waiho i ō mātou pānga whaiaro katoa ki te taha. Ka mihi mātou ki te Kīngi me te inoi atu mō te ārahitanga i roto i ō mātou whakaaroarohanga kia mōhio ai kia whakaiti ai tā mātou whakahaere i ngā take o te Whare nei mō te oranga te maungārongo me te aroha o Aotearoa. Āmene.[Almighty God we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom and humility for the welfare peace and compassion of New Zealand. Amen.]
Tuesday 14 February 2023 - Volume 765
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the House do now adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday 21 February 2023.Ayes 110New Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Noes 10ACT New Zealand 10.Motion agreed to.SPEAKER: The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday 21 February 2023. Kia ora.The House adjourned at 3.14 p.m.
Ngarewa-Packer DebbieDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori): Tēnā koe e te Māngai. I stand to support the adjournment. We think that it's important that those that are in this House are out on the ground representing their communities even if that's not a priority. What we have seen in the last couple of environmental crises is the Wayne Brown fallout and I guess it comes down to what type of political leadership we want to do: ones that are a little bit late to understand and empathise with what our communities are living through ones that have to get guided and taught how to do it or ones who naturally feel and have a connection to our communities. It's not for me to tell and be a conscience for any other party except for Te Paati Māori.We welcome the fact that there could've been a virtual solution and that may well have been a good opportunity for us to be out on the ground and hold the Government to account. Unfortunately that opportunity hasn't been afforded. We look forward to that being discussed further in the future. What we do though is—if I can just give an insight into what I left: so we have thousands at home without power. We have marae that were standing up COVID responses that are still giving out manaaki packs and looking after all citizens of Aotearoa that have got COVID that are going into lockdown elderly that don't have families that live locally. They are the same people who have stood up responses whether it be Te Kūiti Manurewa Marae that have gone out and provided accommodation kai assurance support—physical mental. Those are things that I don't think a lot of politicians get to experience and see.I have parents and grandchildren in houses this morning with no power and I think what we can do is decide whether we make that a priority to represent the very communities that we come from or to arrive here and isolate ourselves from them. Again it's not my place to be a conscience for anyone else. But for Te Paati Māori we recognise that a lot of those whānau don't have power they don't have digital access—they've been locked off. They've not been able to sit there and get themselves connected to any type of authority or assurance. We have communities rural particularly that don't have any Government support or agencies around them.So I welcome that we have been given the opportunity to go home and make our communities a priority. Whether you're a list or an electorate doesn't really matter you're here for the service of other people.Ka huri ki te kaupapa. Ka tautoko i te karanga a te Kāwana. Kia koha ehara kia hōhā kē. Me whakahoki ki tā tātou whānau. Ko te mea nui he tangata.[To return to the issue at hand. I support the call of the Government. Give service not irritation. We should return to our families. People are the most important thing.]The most important people are those out there not us in this House. Kia ora koutou.
Ministerial Statements — Cyclone Gabrielle—Declaration of State of National Emergency
Brownlee Gerry; McAnulty KieranHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National): My question for the Minister is given some of the other questions that have come through—there was mention made of the recovery period which is a statutory provision now in the emergency management Act. It can last for seven or more weeks but quite clearly with some of the recovery that's going to be needed given some of the commentary that we've heard this afternoon it's going to last a heck of a lot longer than that. So during that period will the Government give consideration to some kind of enabling Act that might mean that the works that are necessary to recover can be done in a speedy fashion outside of the long processes that might otherwise exist? Hon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management): I appreciate the opportunity to reassure the member and reassure the communities that are affected that if that's what's required the Government will consider that. We can't let barriers be presented that will stop communities being able to recover from what is clearly a very devastating event.