SpeechDARROCH BALL (NZ First): Thank you Madam Speaker. I don't actually know where to begin with this bill. I think that the intent with which Matt King wanted to create a piece legislation that targeted king-hits and coward punches New Zealand First actually agrees with right? So we actually believe that there should be something carved out in the law that deals with these thugs that actually punch and injure without warning innocent people: knock them out injure them and even kill them.The problem with this bill that we've got is it does nothing of the sort. It does nothing of the sort. The only thing in this bill that has got anything to do with coward punching is in the title—it's in the title. Matt King: Aargh!DARROCH BALL: I'll read it out for that member. I know he says that he wrote it but he didn't because he just copied and pasted it from Australian legislation directly. I've highlighted it. But here's the first part: assault causing death with any part of the person's body or with an object held by the person;"—with any part of the person's body or an object held by the person. Does that sound like a punch to you Mr King? Does that sound like a one-punch to you? You could be holding a baseball bat and crack a guy kill him right? You want them instead of being charged with murder or manslaughter—I hope people are watching because there's a very good reason why this side of the House is not voting for this bill. This bill does not make any sort of sense at all—not one. But the worst part of it is that they're standing there saying that we're soft on crime. The worst part of it is that what those people are currently charged with and would be charged with is murder or manslaughter. What murder and manslaughter have currently Mr King is life imprisonment as the maximum sentence. Now everyone watching please understand that what this bill this individual and this party have got to try to stand up and convince us of is to change that maximum of life imprisonment to a maximum of—what Mr King? 20 years?—20 years. So from life imprisonment to 20 years.Now those members are going to stand up—and I'm sure Mr Mitchell will—and say that we're soft on crime we should have one-punch and these people are cowards. We agree right? New Zealand First agrees. This bill does not achieve that and he knows that. In no way does this bill achieve that. It actually weakens the law. Matt King: Ha ha!DARROCH BALL: Well it does. You're the only one laughing Mr King. You're the only one laughing Mr King. It's quite sad—it's quite sad. Because I know you're a nice guy and you've got the best intentions but this legislation is actually going backward from what you want to do and what the intent is of the bill.Not only can you use any part of your body in this legislation—and prove me wrong. Any member of the National Party stand up after me and prove that I'm wrong. Quote it from the bill. Not only can you use any part of your body—you can use your foot you could use your knee you could use your elbow you could use your head you could use your punch right? You could use any object in your hand. But here's the kicker. It doesn't have to be one punch.Matt King: Yeah. What's the issue?DARROCH BALL: What's the issue? Do you agree with that? Do you agree with that Mr King? This has got nothing to do with coward punching. This has got nothing to do with king punches. This has got to with assaulting and killing someone which we already have in the Crimes Act. Not only do we have this in the Crimes Act but they've got harsher penalties than what this individual wants to come in with this bill. Why? Why would we agree with that? Why would we support that? I don't even know why the National Party let it in the ballot in the first place. It's quite embarrassing for them. Do you know what it is? We can rightly stand on this side of the House and say that the National Party is soft on crime because they want to lower the maximum penalty. That's what it is when it boils down to it Mr King. That's what it is.So unfortunately—and I'd like to make and reiterate this point—New Zealand First agrees with the concept that there's an issue with coward punches that they are conducted by thugs that they are king-hits and that there should be legislation for it. But one of the things that Mr Greg O'Connor actually brought up was very very important. This deals with the resulting in death not resulting in grievous bodily harm or harm or just the assault of one-punch. It doesn't do any of it Mr Mitchell. Please stand up and talk some sense into your colleague."