Utikere Tangi; Rurawhe AdrianTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Kia orana Mr Speaker. I'm delighted to take a call. Even though there's still a chance that the ACT Party could see some reason and an opportunity to cut some red tape it seems as though that's not going to be the case this evening.I want to add to the chorus of thanks that has already been expressed by members of the House this evening particularly to my colleagues on the Environment Committee for the bipartisanship approach to what is obviously a significant issue. But I also want to commend our chair the Hon Eugenie Sage who I think actually exudes much patience and fairness to all—even Mr Court as a member of the committee. Where perhaps others may have terminated the leeway a little bit earlier than our chair did she certainly indicated some patience there.But I also want to acknowledge the staff because while members this evening have identified that we have spent some time dealing with this particular bill I know that the staff from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development from the Ministry for the Environment from Parliamentary Counsel Office and also our select committee secretariat alongside others have spent more time than we have around this issue. So I want to acknowledge their significant contribution and support as well alongside the submissions that we received from many many people.This bill will enable an increase in medium-density housing and I'm pleased actually that it will provide an increase in that particular space but more so in the area of affordability and variety in suburbs particularly in our main urban areas. The select committee did consider a number of factors and made a number of recommendations and I'm delighted to hear from the Minister this evening that he welcomes the hard work but also those suggestions as well. When I look at the medium-density residential standards and what they will provide yes they provide an opportunity in this bill to apply to tier 1 councils in our large urban areas but also to tier 2 councils and tier 3 councils if the Minister upon application is satisfied that there is an acute housing need. Obviously there's a process that needs to go alongside that.So when I step back and think of the work that the select committee have done and look at what is in the report and in the bill and what is to come this really is an enabling piece of legislation because it does cut red tape but it also will provide opportunities for many individuals and whānau in circumstances where currently they are constrained by restrictive council planning rules and approaches. These changes do not disadvantage councils who are already in a process that is seeking to modify in a good way medium-density so having no disadvantage in that particular sphere or area is really important as well.Finally I want to touch on the urban design aspects particularly around the minimum requirements for outdoor space. We've heard this evening that the select committee is recommending a minimum area for ground units of 20 square metres but what I think is really helpful is the suggestion from the select committee that actually in some areas it is appropriate to have a communal approach to that and to ensure that there is an opportunity for good urban design and form but also place-making livability and vitality so that people can actually come together.So this does speed up the introduction of intensification policies as a result of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development and that's a good thing. On that basis I commend this bill to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: This is a split call.