Jones Shane: Veterinarians Bill — Third Reading 
Jones Shane: Veterinarians Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:628;Page:977] 
SHANE JONES (Labour) 
: 
 Greetings Mr Assistant Speaker—meriKirihimete! Nga mihi nunui ki a koe te tangata e hapaianai te reo Maoriitenei taha o te Whare i te kaha koretake o tera taha mo te reo Maori. Me mihi ahau ki a koe. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Merry Christmas! Absolutely huge acknowledgments to you the person who promotes the Maori language on this side of the House because that side is absolutely hopeless with it. I really have to tip my hat to you. 
] 
I do need to redeem myself slightly; some members are endeavouring to change the deep prejudice and the deep bias that emerged during the election campaign. One imagines that they are practising te reo Maori so that they can apply it to the pets they own which might need the attention of the Veterinarians Bill. 
But I think I need to make a small improvement on last night because unwittingly I did demean the animal kingdom. I made the unwise observation of comparing a number of the members opposite with members of the animal kingdom. I did warn about guarding the crotch in terms of the “Tigger from Tauranga” and I did warn about a bird—a “Peachey Parrot”—causing near death to itself by pecking itself in the back; I will not continue in that vein. However the Veterinarians Bill—[ 
Interruption 
] I am not entirely sure whether they are edible but certain members will be on a very raw diet on the other side of the House so who knows what they will consume. 
The family pet—who in the early months of next year will no doubt need the assistance of the vet to be put down—sits on the front bench. Actually if he does not need the assistance of a vet he could draw on the assistance of the one or three doctors on that side of the House. Let us hope that they are experts in pathology because they will be endeavouring to breathe life into a virtual corpse of a political character. 
However let me return to the Veterinarians Bill. Veterinarians work in a profession that we stand very proudly to support by introducing and shepherding this bill through. The brand of the profession must be protected and safeguarded. We do not want to see the profession undermined—as many other guilds trades and professions were as a consequence of failed policies in the 1990s. 
I also make reference to the fact that there was a very very sensible suggestion made regarding the creation of a board that has a combination of professional vets and a number of lay people. Members have made a range of very silly childish remarks—which were reflective of the very shallow pool that their rhetoric was being drawn from at that late hour yesterday—but that board will have a very important role overseeing the monitoring the stewardship and the full-time development of the veterinary profession. 
There is this foolish notion that only those who were swept into Parliament in certain rural areas can speak about these matters. It is difficult to speak with any authority when one is an obscure back-bencher in Opposition and is likely to stay there for the foreseeable future. The place to speak from with authority actually is on the side of those who enjoy the power of the Treasury benches. 
All the braying in the world from either the donkey or any other character will not make any difference if one does not enjoy the authority of the Treasury benches to shepherd through particularly important legislation like this—as well as the student loan legislation which will be of great assistance to the veterinary profession. Not only will it enable veterinary students to pass with distinction but it will also help the profession although far be it from me to say whether vets might get an early Christmas. [ 
Interruption 
]. I listen to all this noise and wonder whether a hydatids dosing is necessary; there is too much frothing coming from the other side of the House. 
Engaritaku mihi mutunga ki a koe e te tiamana kia kaha hapaingia te reo Maori. Kia taunga manaakitanga. Ko te wikitoria kei konei ko ratou kei te ngaro. Kia ora tatou! 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
But my final tribute to you Mr Assistant Speaker is this: persevere. Promote the Maori language. Blessings upon you. It is here where the victory is; they are missing out. Greetings to us! 
]