Smith NickClause 2 CommencementHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): I want to support strongly the work of Simeon Brown and specifically clause 2 in ensuring this becomes the law of New Zealand as quickly as is possible. I want to draw to the committee's attention the work of the coroner that said that in the last year 45 New Zealanders have lost their lives from psychoactive substances as compared with just two in the previous year. That is a reminder to this House of how quickly these psychoactive substances are wreaking havoc in our communities and why it is so critical that this bill commences as quickly as possible.This bill comes down to a very simple issue and that is that the penalty for those people that peddle the stuff that is killing fellow New Zealanders comes into effect with that increasing maximum penalty being available to the courts. I challenge members that are filibustering I challenge members opposite that oppose the immediate commencement of this bill to think about the New Zealander a week that is dying as a consequence of these psychoactive substances. Who in this Parliament wants to see another Calum Jones die because we in this Parliament are playing political games—Hon Stuart Nash: You are. So you think this fixes the problem?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: —over the commencement of penalties. I say to the Minister of Police he's been the Minister of Police for a year—45 New Zealanders mainly young people have died on his watch. I give full credit to the member in the chair Simeon Brown who's appropriately brought this bill to this House so that this issue can be taken seriously and I plead with this committee to stop the games to support clause 2 and to enable this to become—Hon Clare Curran: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I take absolute offence at the implication by that member over there that a Minister is somehow responsible for 45 deaths.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Well you may take offence but in the Standing Orders you cannot take it on someone else's behalf. It is not a point of order.Chlöe Swarbrick: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. A new fresh point of order: I'd just like to correct the record—please excuse me if I'm incorrect as a new member but there were actually 25 deaths in the past year.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): No that's not a point of order either. That's a debating point.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: It would be good if that member had bothered to turn up at the select committee that heard the evidence. The coroner was very clear on the number of people that are dying and why it is so urgent that we get this law on to the books of New Zealand and give the courts—Hon Andrew Little: Then you do something serious. Why don't you do something serious?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Well I just simply say to the Minister of Justice—Hon Andrew Little: Why don't you do something serious?CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Excuse me—excuse me. I really just ask members to calm down. I appreciate that there are some strong feelings but actually that is unacceptable bullying. Please we'll have an end to that.Hon Andrew Little: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. This is as the member has already pointed out a very serious issue that I think every member in this House takes seriously. The member who was on his feet just then made inflammatory remarks that your ruling was—it was within the Standing Orders. When that happens then it must be expected that members will interject in a way that calls other members to account.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): No that is incorrect. I did not. I pointed out that the point of order that the member took was not a correct point of order. You cannot take offence on behalf of someone else. That is the point of order. Had the member—Hon Clare Curran: Speaking to the point of order.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): I am speaking thank you. What I objected to was your response to that Minister and I think that that is unacceptable.Hon Clare Curran: Speaking to the point of order.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Is this a fresh point of order or are we—Hon Clare Curran: Fresh point of order Madam Chair—or speaking to the point of order of the previous—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): No that wasn't a point of order.Hon Clare Curran: All right a fresh point of order Madam Chair. If there is to be order in this Chamber tonight then it is incumbent on the Chair actually to ensure that members speaking are not making inflammatory points that are—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Sit down. Now members know that they cannot throw aspersions on the Chair. The point of order that the member raised was not a point of order.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: It's very clear that Government members are very sensitive about this issue. And so they should be because actually having 45 people die having 30 to 40 people admitted by St John Ambulance every single week highlights how urgent it is that this legislation—Hon Andrew Little: Dirty grubby member.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Well Mr Little is the Minister of Justice. Mr Nash is the Minister of Police—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Come to the clause please.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: —and what I'm arguing is that the urgent commencement of the provisions in this bill are absolutely required when the coroner is telling us that there's been 45 deaths from psychoactive substances in New Zealand in the last year and when St John Ambulance a respected organisation—and I know members don't want to hear the facts when St John Ambulance tells this Parliament our select committee that there are between 30 and 40 cases every single week—every single week—that we need to get on and put this law on the books.I say to the Minister of Justice and I say to the Minister of Police that they have had their ministerial warrants for a whole year and they have not lifted a finger about this issue. That's why I'm backing Simeon Brown this bill and its commencement as provided for in clause 2 as soon as it receives the Royal assent. It's very simple: do we want to give the courts the power of a maximum sentence of eight years coming into effect as quickly as possible?Any member who sat on that select committee and heard the submissions the pleas from the parents the pleas from the people in places like St John's and our accident and emergency departments—they are asking for urgent action not the sitting on the hands that we're seeing from Government Ministers. That is why I say to members opposite: back this bill. Stop the filibuster. Get this on the law books because we need to take seriously the issue of psychoactive substances that are wreaking havoc and urgently.