Cosgrove Clayton: Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill — In Committee 
Cosgrove Clayton: Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill — In Committee 
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Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour—Waimakariri) 
: 
 I was not going to take a call on this but I was up in my office listening to the rant from Mr Quinn. When I left the Chamber the Minister in the chair the Hon Simon Power had just made an intervention. I thought it was a very good intervention of a very positive nature around the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill given that the previous Labour Government had authored the bill and the current Government is picking it up. 
But I must say that Mr Quinn is doing his usual. I will enlighten him about why members on this side of the Chamber are not taking multiple calls: firstly we wrote most of the bill; secondly we support it; and thirdly the Government wants it passed. I am sure the Minister in the chair is on his second wave of smelling salts to keep himself awake—I do not mean any disrespect to him. 
Hon Simon Power 
: None taken. 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: I know why! His own members are trying to filibuster the bill. So I say to Mr Quinn who speaks in his own very uncharitable way that I think this bill is absolutely supported by all or most parties or certainly by parties on this side of the Chamber. I tell Mr Quinn that the reason why Opposition members are not taking multiple calls on this bill is that we wrote it while in Government and now his party in office supports it. I would have thought that Mr Quinn the Minister in the chair and the New Zealand people would like the thing passed. I say to the new member who chirps like a parrot from the back row that rather than being uncharitable and trying to score political points he might actually want to address the bill. It is good legislation. When it comes into force 8 months after the day it receives Royal assent it will actually do a lot I tell that member towards addressing organised crime and gang activity in New Zealand. So I would have thought that as we go through the commencement and title clauses this is not a time to start scoring cheap political points. 
I say to Mr Quinn that in this place of robust debate there are times once or twice when you do actually put politics aside when you do put aside the colours of red blue green and yellow the political flags of the House and when you do actually support what the people want— 
Paul Quinn 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. As Chairperson you discussed with me particularly the fact that I had used the word “you”. I have listened to the member saying “you” three times in the last minute; I would ask you to address the same comments to the Opposition member. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker) 
: The member makes a point but when the word “you” is used it is very often in the context of a sentence. If someone talks about “the party” etc. then goes on to mention “you” the person is connecting the word “you” to the principle of the sentence. On most of the occasions that was the case with Mr Cosgrove. I invite Mr Cosgrove to continue his speech. 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: I will say that that intervention was better than the speech I heard on the TV. The best Mr Quinn can do is to be advised by his colleague as she sits beside him on the Government benches to raise a point of order and break up a speech. I suppose we all did that as new members maybe but some of us have learnt. 
I say to Mr Quinn that now is not the time for cheap political points. Now is not the time to play politics. On this side of the Chamber we support this legislation. We support its commencement date. We support the provisions and the new amendments that have been lodged to strengthen it. We have not taken calls because we will not waste taxpayers’ money; we support the legislation and we would like to see it passed. [ 
Interruption 
] Yes I will stand up for 5 minutes because I think it pertinent to address the impertinence of that member who has just spoken. I say to Mr Quinn that maybe this is a good learning experience for him. Perhaps other members who are sitting around him like Mr Ardern for whom I have respect will take Mr Quinn aside in the dinner break and suggest to him that there are one or two occasions in this Chamber when we should act in a bipartisan way for the good of the country. I am sure that people watching today hope that we will act in a bipartisan way that we will support the Minister in the chair—it is now his bill although it was formerly ours—and that we will get on and pass it. 
I believe that the Government has taken 14 calls. Mr Power might want to get the Parliamentary Library to examine the record of filibustering from his own Government but I am sure he would like to see this legislation expedited and passed rather swiftly. We on this side of the Chamber support it. We wrote most of it. We support it even though the Government has put it up. I think it will address substantially gang and organised crime in our country. I invite Mr Quinn perhaps over a good feed of bangers and mash in the dinner break to reflect on his own conduct.