edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Ngaro AlfredHon ALFRED NGARO (National): Mr Assistant Speaker I rise and just take a call. First of all can I just acknowledge your ascension to the role of the Assistant Speaker and thank you that your character and your nature truly suit the role that you've been called to. I look forward to your adjudication through the House. I want to also acknowledge the Hon Tracey Martin in this opportunity because what I do realise is that Tracey Martin as the Minister of Internal Affairs will have the honour of actually being at every citizenship ceremony and she'll be able to give a speech where she welcomes people along. Previously it was the Hon Peter Dunne that had that privilege but she'll have that privilege. So I just want to acknowledge you and thank you—Hon Tracey Martin: I've done it in local government. It's wonderful.Hon ALFRED NGARO: —and local government as well—in particular also for this bill.This would be your first legislation coming through the House: the Electronic Interactions Reform Bill. As you've said and you've stated in your speech this is about ensuring that the reform improves the interactions with the public. I think it's fair to say and I'm glad that in your speech—unlike some other members that sort of totally bagged the previous Government. This is a bill that has been a long time coming. It's been worked through the Government Administration Committee as well so it has had the support and the input of the previous Government as well.The one part I do want to bring to the attention of the House is Part 4 of this where clause 82 amends section 26Z of the Conservation Act 1987. Where that becomes important is because it actually then allows for both electronic voting and postal voting to be able to take place. I know that the previous Green member David Clendon—he and I were on the Justice and Electoral Committee. The whole point around digital technology and platforms is that while it's important to improve efficiency it isn't the only form. I think I like the balance in this and I want to acknowledge that he was also of the same mind that we are too. What was important to us when we heard submissions when our digital technicians came in they hand on heart said to us that—this was not in this select committee; it was in the Justice and Electoral Committee—there was no organisation that could 100 percent prove that online voting could be tampered with.We've had some proof from Chlöe Swarbrick who talked about the fate of the kererū and its voting. As humorous as it was what it does prove is the fact that there needs to be options with both. I think most importantly the electronic transaction gives—in Part 4—an opportunity for using both of those together. So I just want to highlight that. I think this is a good bill. We're supporting it anyway as it moves forward in the second reading. Thank you.
Huo RaymondRAYMOND HUO (Labour): As a new member of the Governance and Administration Committee I wonder whether I could put myself in the position of arriving late but claiming all the credit. In any event I do want to acknowledge the former chairperson the Hon Ruth Dyson and all other members of the Government Administration Committee of the last Parliament. The select committee examined the bill and released its report in April. This is a cross-agency omnibus bill seeking to examine and update 17 pieces of legislation to help enable digital interactions between individuals businesses and government agencies. The Minister who is responsible for this bill the Hon Tracey Martin and all other members who spoke earlier have listed all the details and proposed functions of the four parts of this bill. I tend to follow the former Attorney-General the Hon Christopher Finlayson and try to take a succinct approach.I read with great interest in an article published in Computerworld magazine in 2016 that Inland Revenue had begun accepting digital signatures with Mind Your Own Business (MYOB) which claimed to be the first accounting software provider to support the facility. The use of digital signatures by Inland Revenue would redefine how businesses interact with the organisation. The IRD guidelines allow documents such as tax returns to be filed with an electronic signature rather than in writing meaning there will be no need to print sign and send the forms to Inland Revenue. MYOB also said that it had been working with Inland Revenue to find ways of simplifying a range of compliance and taxation proposals and had also worked with the Government on the introduction of e-GST as well as on changes to provisional taxation to allow it to be calculated and paid directly through a business accounting software package.Two years ago a New Zealander had her identity electronically stolen and used online by someone in Russia. The situation is unfortunate but could serve as a timely reminder that we do need to closely scrutinise how this type of electronic activity is carried out. So this bill has taken a balanced approach.The Government Administration Committee also analysed and discussed what they called a digital divide. Now this is a term that generally refers to the gap between those who do and those who do not have internet access often because of geographic or affordability reasons; it can also cover differences in digital capacity between socio-economic groups. It has just refined the view that there is a great deal of urgency for us to get the infrastructure and basic investment in that regard right.I tend not to use too much of the House's time. I commend the bill to the House.
Reti ShaneDr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. It's a pleasure to speak in support of this bill. I want to just focus on one particular part a part that particularly interests me section 102 in clause 45 which talks about the legitimacy of email as a modality for delivering notices and documents. This interests me because amongst other things for a decade or so I worked at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. In the 1970s the thinking is probably a quarter of all the world's email traversed that organisation. So I have a deep background in the early email days.I'm particularly interested in the mechanisms that the Commerce Act will allow for documents to be delivered. There are four of them: (a) delivering it to the person; or (b) leaving it at the person's usual or last known [address] … (c) sending it by post to the person's usual or last known [address] …"—and it's this fourth part round here around email that interests me—"(d) emailing it to the person at an email address that is used by the person." It's that very first part—"emailing it to the person"—and I'm sure the select committee thought this through but I just wonder: what if the email is a company or a corporate email and not a person?The reason I raise that is because if we look further down at sections 388A(f) and 388A(g) in clause 48 it clearly differentiates emailing it to the director and emailing it to the company. So there seems to be some difference between a person as a director and a company. Just that very first part up there part (d) "emailing it to the person at an email address"—I'm sure this has been well thought through but I just wanted to raise it in this contribution. Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker."
Guy Nathan; Rurawhe AdrianHon NATHAN GUY (National—Ōtaki): Mr Assistant Speaker thank you very much for the opportunity to make a contribution this evening. Can I congratulate you on your new role as Assistant Speaker. When we specifically think about this very important bill the Electronic Interactions Reform Bill it gives me an opportunity to think back to 2009 when I was the Minister of Internal Affairs when we were doing some strategic thinking about online usage uptake of broadband and making it easier for customers to verify themselves online. Now it's great to see some more changes being made. The transformation that's been made in recent times particularly with passports now being able to be applied for online—that is a big transformation that was delivered by the National Government in the previous term. This bill indeed carries on with some of that good work.It also talks about electronic voting and I guess that is the way of the future when we think about this House and democracy and how we are always keen to get more engagement from voters up and down the country. Certainly electronic voting is a way to enable a greater participation in New Zealand's democracy. But I guess that comes with some challenges as well because we need to ensure that we can indeed verify each individual so that those people that are choosing to vote online are indeed those particular individuals and not someone else.This bill also talks about the digital divide and I guess the haves and have-nots—those people that are fortunate to have broadband right into their homes or their businesses. We heard another contributor on this side of the House talking about rural New Zealand. For still a large chunk of New Zealanders out in the heartland it is certainly very challenging to get access to broadband.The National Government rolled out a significant investment over the last nine years—ultra-fast broadband one and two focusing on some of those smaller towns. Also the Rural Broadband Initiative which has enabled access for a lot of those hard-to-reach locations throughout New Zealand. Also mobile blackspots—there was a big initiative there to allow people with cellphones to be able to make emergency calls. So there is a lot happening in this space and this reform bill that we are debating this evening will go a long way to ensure that progress continues to be made.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe): I call Paul Eagle—a 5-minute call.
Swarbrick ChlöeCHLÖE SWARBRICK (Green): Kia ora. I am glad to be rising for the Green Party for the second time tonight to speak to another fantastic piece of legislation. Simeon Brown: National legislation—National legislation.CHLÖE SWARBRICK: The House is broadly in agreement about this bill. It's straightforward it's common-sense—common-sense is not a piece of termination that I like to use frequently; it's more often associated with the likes of Simeon Brown who is making his point known across the House at the moment. I'd like to commend the Hon Tracey Martin for this bill—it is Tracey's bill; I would like to confirm that.Something that it is always important to be cautious of—and to echo the sentiments of the Hon Clare Curran—is that we need to have an awareness of the digital divide which currently is present in New Zealand and is absolutely one of the indicators of inequality. On that point we have to strike the balance between not shutting people out i.e. convenience but also the likes of accessibility.On that point too I would also like to raise the point of privacy. I note that online photographic storage is something that was flagged by the Privacy Commissioner. They noted the need to go through a privacy impact statement so that is something that I would like to draw the Minister's attention to and that is something the Green Party would like to see but still we stand in support of this bill.On the point of online voting this is something that's often lauded as a bit of a panacea for engagement and turnout and participation in elections so we may see that the Fish & Game councils may be run off their feet with engagement in elections. This is something that I also want to ensure that we in this House are aware of when we're talking about increasing engagement by way of online voting because it is something that can be vulnerable to attack to hacks and otherwise by some of those people who may be looking to rig those elections.This is something that I recently experienced in the Forest & Bird Bird of the Year competition which as the campaign manager for the kererū—one of three people managing the campaign for the kererū—Chris Bishop: A fine bird.CHLÖE SWARBRICK: A fine bird. A fine bird who I think really characterises many of us in this House. One hundred votes were fraudulently cast for the white-faced heron.Chris Bishop: What an outrage.CHLÖE SWARBRICK: What an absolute outrage. So that is something that I would like to draw all members' attention to as one of the potential vulnerabilities of online voting. Unfortunately just to conclude that story the mighty kererū was robbed characteristically I might add by the kea of the bird of the year title. But we'll be back in 2018. We will succeed. We will win.In summation the Green Party would like to commend this bill to the House. We are in agreement that it is absolutely straightforward and common sense.
Walker HamishHAMISH WALKER (National—Clutha-Southland): I rise to also support this bill and just to the previous speaker Priyanca Radhakrishnan I really enjoyed your speech there. Sorry to hear about the recent incident on Ponsonby Road but if she moved to a safe place like Clutha-Southland we don't have any of these types of activities or crime down there. It's a great place and the people are even better.Hon Ruth Dyson: Now that Todd's gone.HAMISH WALKER: That's a bit cheap. In the previous speeches no one's actually mentioned the benefits this bill brings to rural New Zealand. We've got farmers that are busy. During lambing farmers can't take time to drive an hour or two to town to do simple Government procedures. The second-largest city in New Zealand is actually rural New Zealand. If you take the population we've got roughly 600000 to 620000 people that live in rural New Zealand. Clutha-Southland is vastly rural. We've got Queenstown we've got Gore Balclutha Te Ānau and last Thursday I was in Milford Sound. I drove about four hours from home to Milford Sound and they've got a workforce there now of around about 200 to 250 throughout the year. It's not like these people can just drive down five minutes down the road or catch a bus to use Government services; they've actually got to drive through Te Ānau on to Invercargill or Gore which can take three or four hours. If they are going on to Invercargill I highly recommend they stop in at Jim Gray's house for a lovely cup of tea and a lovely muffin. Just watch his wife's cooking because if you go there too much the guts will expand.I support this bill. Just a couple of points. Section 26Z amended by clause 82—Fish & Game Council voting online. This is a good initiative and I commend Minister Curran for taking up this bill. Just secondly Part 4 clause 82 amends section 26Z of the Conservation Act which means that with online voting farmers can actually stay on their farm work in their businesses and they don't have to waste time going to town. So I commend Minister Curran for this bill. Thank you.
Brown SimeonSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): Thank you very much Mr Assistant Speaker. It's great to be able to take a call on the Electronic Interactions Reform Bill. I think one of the great reasons why it's so good to be able to talk about this piece of legislation is because we continue to progress National's legislative agenda through the House this evening.Hon Andrew Little: Because they couldn't finish the job.SIMEON BROWN: While this is another omnibus piece of legislation—well we've actually got legislation on the Order Paper and we had a lot more to do unlike the new Government which is yet to put its own bills on the Table.But let's talk about the piece of legislation that we're talking about tonight. It's great to see that this bill is going through because it is about putting into force our Better Public Services goal: 70 percent of the most common interactions to be online. This Government made great progress about ensuring that more and more transactions were taking place online. I don't know why people don't like doing things online because whenever I would ring up IRD or StudyLink and listen to their terrible music it really wanted you to get online and do all your interactions on there.We've made some great progress: 52 percent of all transactions in March 2016 up from 29.9 percent in June 2012. This is about continuing to implement that programme now across a whole wide range of other legislation to allow more and more people to be able to use our online systems to be able to do that. So I would like to commend this bill to the House as another great example of National continuing to improve New Zealand's ability to interact online. Thank you.
Statutes Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading
King MattMATT KING (National—Northland): With a challenge like that how can I refuse? I would like first of all this being my first speech after the maiden speech to acknowledge your appointment Madam Deputy Speaker and the great job you do.While I was sitting here I wanted to let everyone know that there are actually people out there watching this debate because I've got a couple of texts from people from the North.Hon Tracey Martin: Oh come on. They've got no coverage. How did they text you?MATT KING: And the texts were along the lines of—thank you Tracey Martin we've got coverage up there. What the hell is going on?" is what the texts were. So I texted back to them—I did text back to them—that it costs $453000 an hour to run this Parliament and at this moment in time—and that's an old google; so that's a couple of years old now—Hon Tracey Martin: They employed you to come to this place articulate and represent.MATT KING: —$453000 an hour and what's happened is that—ha ha! What's happened is that we agree on these amendments so there's nothing to debate about. We agree with everything that is put down here so we can vote on it right now. We can vote on it right now and we can finish it for the day. But what will happen is that the country will see that Labour have not organised themselves enough.Andrew Bayly: OK sit down.MATT KING: OK. And they haven't organised themselves enough to actually fill the rest of this evening. And Nuk Korako—you hassled him about having a time-wasting bill well this is what you guys are doing now."
Smith StuartSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): Oh thank you for the promotion Madam Deputy Speaker. It's richly deserved! Thank you. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker for the opportunity to make a contribution on this Statutes Amendment Bill (No 2). It is a very important bill but in the spirit of the previous contribution I don't want to waste—we're all against waste.I want to focus on the Animal Welfare Act of 1999 as someone who had live capture traps—deer traps to be precise. They were essentially a fenced-off area in the bush that the deer would walk through and trip a drop gate and they'd be captured and they would stay in there for quite some time actually because they'd calm down. It was a much better outcome for the deer to leave them in there—they had plenty of food and plenty of water—and we would then live capture them with once again either a net gun or with a dart gun.I would like to tell a little funny story about one of them. This deer was pretty angry and we didn't want to give it any more Rompun which is the drug that you use through the dart gun because you can overdose and then have a bit of a problem. But it turned out the problem was that when I'd shot it with the dart gun I thought it had gone into its buttock but it had in fact gone through the scrotum. So it had missed all the vital organs in the scrotum but the drug had disappeared out into the air. That's why it hadn't really been dosed very well and so we had quite a rodeo to get it captured. But the deer survived and it went on to be a good breeding animal. So I support the sentiment of this bill and I commend the bill to the House. Thank you.
Ross Jami-LeeJAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany): Madam Deputy Speaker thank you. I thought I'd get up and speak on the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 2) briefly. It's obviously a bill that the whole House is unanimous in its agreement on on the basis that it is a Statutes Amendment Bill. But I was getting a bit concerned when I saw Minister after Minister after Minister standing up and having to filibuster a Statutes Amendment Bill. I mean I've been here only 6½ to seven years and I've never seen Minister after Minister having to stand up and speak on statutes amendment bills like this.I know that they've become very busy Ministers but to find the time to come down for 10 minutes to speak in the House on a Statutes Amendment Bill—I just want to congratulate them. They clearly have a lot of time on their hands. These statutes amendment bills—[Interruption] Well they don't need to interject. I saw the junior Labour whip handing out speaking notes on a Statutes Amendment Bill so I thought I'd be helpful and use up one of the calls for you.It's a Statutes Amendment Bill. It's one that we normally let go through fairly quickly. They're simple changes to pieces of legislation and it's unnecessary for the House to waste a huge amount of time on it. Therefore this side of the House does support this Statutes Amendment Bill (No 2).
Adams AmyHon AMY ADAMS (National—Selwyn): Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. I am happy to take a call on this first reading of the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 2) and I thank the Associate Minister of Justice for walking us through some of the examples of the matters in the bill. As the Minister has said in his speech these are by tradition uncontroversial and well-supported bills. One thing I thought that the Minister may have wanted to mention was that of course this is a bill that our side of the House was in charge of when all the policy work was done but of course they are as I say creatures of this House and by convention any member really can have any particular change in the bill altered if they think it is controversial and needs more debate.So it won't come as any surprise to this House that National will be supporting this legislation. The Minister set out in his contribution some of the changes. In total I think there are 29 different pieces of legislation that are amended. It probably is worth just mentioning not so much examples but the types of things that these useful bills do allow this House to do in a reasonably efficient way. For example you've got a change to the Animal Welfare Act which really just enables us to update that process so that modern technology can be brought into play and without changing the nature of what's being done enable a much more efficient process. Through a number of pieces of legislation the Care of Children Act Child Support Act Children Young Persons and Their Families Act Domestic Violence Act Family Proceedings Act and the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act we have some very simple amendments that really just go to the way invoicing is handled and processed—again just to add more efficiency into the system.Through the Justices of the Peace Act the Minister mentioned one change but one of them really is just enabling a recognition of appropriate service—where JPs have had to retire often through ill health or no fault of their own where it is appropriate it will allow them to still use the JP (retired)" tag that would normally be available only after 10 years' service. In other situations it's correcting errors or just making it simpler for legislation to be understood and applied.So they are the sort of thing that this House has to treat seriously and it's quite right that the bill will go to select committee and be tested to make sure there aren't unforeseen consequences but at the same time it would be a nonsense if we were to waste the time of the House on each of these being processed as separate amendment bills. So where we can find as I say common and uncontroversial changes like this putting them through the House in this way is something that is actually a very important part of the process and the procedure of Parliament.As I said it is a bill that was put together during my time as the Minister of Justice. It's now in the name of the existing Minister of Justice Andrew Little obviously being taken through by his Associate. National supports it and commends it to the House."
Twyford PhilClause 6 New section 132A and cross-heading insertedHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): Thank you Mr Chairman. I rise to reply to one of the questions raised by the honourable member Michael Woodhouse about the regulations now that we're discussing clause 6 of the bill which is basically about the regulation-making power that our amendment will give to the Governor-General. The member very kindly showed the House a photographic image of me in the old days when we were in Opposition showing the two different kinds of insulation. One was to convey the thickness of insulation typically found in the 1978 insulation standard that the former National Government's legislation allows 70000 to 80000 rental properties to continue with under their new law. I compared that to the typical thickness of insulation required by the 2008—the most up-to-date—building standard. So my response to the member's question is that the regulations that we will be developing over the next 18 months after the bill is passed into law will certainly require all landlords to implement and meet a higher standard—a more recent standard—than the 1978 standard.It's not good enough in our view that the current law passed by the National Government allows landlords to have 38-year-old insulation in their property—a 39-year-old insulation standard. The point of this legislation is that we are modernising and upgrading the insulation standards of New Zealand homes. That's the point of this bill. So we are not going to allow 38-year-old insulation to continue in a house because that's simply not good enough. We will be—the Government will be the officials will be—consulting with the public with industry with landlords with tenants and with the scientific experts on the appropriate standards for insulation but I can reassure the member that we will not be allowing some 80000 New Zealand rental properties that are currently insulated to the 1978 standard to continue with that woefully inadequate standard.What will be the impact for landlords? I'll tell the member. It will cost approximately between $3000 and $5000 or $6000 for a landlord to put in a heat pump and insulate a standard New Zealand home. That property depending on where you are in the country over the lifetime of that insulation—and let's say it's a heat pump—will generate several hundred thousand dollars in gross revenue; that's what that asset will generate. It's a very small expense for an asset that generates quite a large amount of revenue.On top of that—on top of that—our policy is to provide grants of up to $2000 to assist both landlords and owner-occupiers with that expense. And for the benefit of tenants we are going to be providing a winter fuel payment—$450 for a person living alone over the five months of winter and $700 for a multi-occupant household.In answer to the member's question about the cost to Housing New Zealand our estimate is that it's going to cost about $87 million for Housing New Zealand to meet the standards that are likely to be required under the regulations that will be promulgated under this piece of legislation.
Hipkins ChrisHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): I move That Mr Speaker accompanied by the mover and the seconder and other members of the House do present the said Address to Her Excellency the Governor-General at a place and time to be appointed by Her Excellency.Motion agreed to.
Mallard TrevorADDRESS IN REPLYPresentation to Governor-GeneralMr SPEAKER: The Address is as follows:ADDRESS FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVEStoHer Excellency The Right Honourable Dame Patsy Reddy Chancellor and Principal Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit Principal Companion of The Queen's Service Order Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Realm of New Zealand.YOUR EXCELLENCY—WE the House of Representatives thank you for the speech addressed to us when you opened this Fifty Second Parliament.We assure you that the matters referred to in your speech will receive our careful considerationKo te tūmanako nei kia mahi tahi tātou katoa.[Our hope is that we will work together.]Address agreed to.
Points of Order — Leave for Introduction and Setting Down as Members' Order of the Day No. 1—Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Shared Leave) Amendment Bill
Adams Amy; Mallard TrevorPOINTS OF ORDERLeave for Introduction and Setting Down as Members' Order of the Day No. 1—Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Shared Leave) Amendment BillHon AMY ADAMS (National—Selwyn): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I seek leave to introduce the Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Shared Leave) Amendment Bill a member's bill in my name and for that bill to be set down as members' order of the day No. 1.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is objection.
Motions — New Zealand Women's Suffrage—124th Anniversary
Bennett PaulaNew Zealand Women's Suffrage—124th AnniversaryHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National): I seek leave that the House mark the 124th anniversary today of the first time women voted in a New Zealand general election following the signing—Mr SPEAKER: Ah ah! I think you're seeking leave first. Right?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Sorry.Hon Member: Without debate?Mr SPEAKER: Without debate—is that right?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Yes.Mr SPEAKER: Is there any objection? There appears to be none.Hon PAULA BENNETT: Thank you. Sorry sir. I move That the House mark the 124th anniversary today of the first time women voted in a New Zealand general election following the signing by Lord Glasgow of the Electoral Act 1893 into law in September that year making this country the first in the world to give all adult women the vote.Motion agreed to.
Motions — World Rugby Awards 2017—Black Ferns' Success
Robertson GrantWorld Rugby Awards 2017—Black Ferns' SuccessHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister for Sport and Recreation): I seek leave to move a motion without notice or debate on the Black Ferns being named world rugby team of the year.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There appears to be none.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I move That the House congratulate our winners at the World Rugby Awards 2017 in particular the world-champion Black Ferns team of the year and first ever women's team to take out that title. I also take this opportunity on behalf of the House to congratulate Portia Woodman women's player of the year; Rieko Ioane breakthrough player of the year; Michaella Blyde women's sevens player of the year; and Beauden Barrett Hurricane men's player of the year.Mr SPEAKER: Yes and I think the member took a liberty with the leave.Motion agreed to.
Seymour DavidDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT): On behalf of the ACT Party I'd like to say that we also congratulate the happy couple wish them all the best and in great Kiwi spirit we'd like to send them a happy good on you mate".Motion agreed to."
Shaw JamesHon JAMES SHAW (Leader—Green): Thank you Mr Speaker. I would like to acknowledge the longstanding and shared histories and constitutional ties between Aotearoa New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The bonds are deep and genuine and a critical part of our collective identity as New Zealanders and the development of our society our legal systems and our institutions. The Green Party and I personally would like to send our best wishes to His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and to their families and to the people of the United Kingdom as they celebrate this news.
Peters WinstonRt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First): We do not think in New Zealand First that these happy occasions should be politicised and so we support entirely what the Prime Minister has said.
English BillRt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Leader of the Opposition): I join with the Prime Minister in extending my warmest congratulations and those of the National Party to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their engagement. Many New Zealanders are ardent followers of the royal family and they will simply be delighted with this fantastic news. As the Prime Minister has indicated Prince Harry came to New Zealand in 2015 on his first official visit. He went to Stewart Island met the Christchurch Student Volunteer Army learnt our own army's haka and took in the atmosphere of a Hurricanes game in Wellington. He made headlines at the time with his comments at Stewart Island's Oban pub about his search for the right woman. No doubt many are today disappointed. The monarchy is a very important institution for New Zealand and the level of public interest in this event underlines the widespread public interest. We want to congratulate the pair and wish them a happy and enduring relationship and we agree with the Prime Minister that we should take the opportunity to invite them to New Zealand.
Wednesday 15 November 2017 - Volume 725
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the question be now put.Ayes 61New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 8; Green Party 7.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Motion agreed to.The question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 1 in the name of the Hon Phil Twyford to clause 2 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 61New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 8; Green Party 7.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Amendments agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That clause 2 as amended be agreed to.Ayes 61New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 8; Green Party 7.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Clause 2 as amended agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the question be now put.Ayes 61New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 8; Green Party 7.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Motion agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That clause 1 be agreed to.Ayes 61New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 8; Green Party 7.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Clause 1 agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the question be now put.Ayes 61New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 8; Green Party 7.Noes 56New Zealand National 56.Motion agreed to.Clause 1 agreed to.Clause 2 agreed to.Clause 3 agreed to.Clause 4 agreed to.Bill to be reported with amendment presently.
Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill — In Committee
Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill — Discharge
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the motion be agreed to.Ayes 56New Zealand National 56.Noes 61New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 8; Green Party 7.Motion not agreed to.
12. Film Industry—Collective BargainingWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) to the Minister for Workplace Relations and SafetyFilm Industry—Collective Bargaining12. WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Is the Government committed to restoring the right to bargain collectively in the film and television industry?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): Yes. The right to seek fair wages and conditions by negotiating together is part of the basic human right to freedom of association. New Zealand has committed to this right by ratifying International Labour Organisation Convention 98. I am further advised that the current law would in fact be in breach of article 19.1 of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.Willow-Jean Prime: How does the Minister intend to restore rights?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: It is important that any change works for the industry and the people working in it. To that end we are convening a film industry working group to investigate and propose solutions. That working group will involve organisations such as the Screen Industry Guild the actors' union Equity New Zealand Weta the Screen Production and Development Association and the guilds for directors writers and stunt people.Willow-Jean Prime: What has the industry said about the proposals so far?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: Good news: the industry has welcomed a more mature discussion around these issues. They've been clear that it is a delicate conversation but one that they are ready to have a constructive conversation about and to craft an enduring solution. Noted producer Barrie Osborne said he felt reassured by the Government's approach and he said I want to encourage the people back home this is a good place to work."Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does the Minister accept that thousands of Kiwis will continue to enjoy great incomes from the $3.3 billion local film and television industry only if major international players choose to invest in New Zealand?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: I do accept that and that is why this Government is taking a constructive and collaborative approach. The only thing that will threaten that industry in New Zealand is scaremongering from Opposition members.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Why then after seven years of good progress is he risking ongoing investment in this country by introducing significant uncertainty into the industry at the behest of his union mates?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: I recommend that that member listen more closely to the industry. The producers the guilds and the unions have all stated on record that they are confident in this Government's approach. They have welcomed the joint working group that this Government has established and what they have made clear to me is that the only thing that will threaten those jobs and will threaten that industry is misinformation and mischief from members like that member.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Supplementary question.Mr SPEAKER: No you've run out."
10. Crime Statistics—TrendsGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of JusticeCrime Statistics—Trends10. GREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of Justice: Has he seen any evidence that victimisations of serious crime are increasing?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): I'm advised by the Ministry of Justice that New Zealand Police data shows that since the 2014-15 financial year the number of reported victimisations for violent crime has increased from about 48000 to 54000 in the 2016-17 financial year. The rate of burglaries has also increased over the past three years and that's why this Government is determined to do something meaningful to address crime and its causes.Greg O'Connor: How will the new Government reverse—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I think Mr Joyce has just accepted that he's lost a supplementary for the National Party. Mr O'Connor could you ask the supplementary again please.Greg O'Connor: How will the new Government reverse the increases in violent crime?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: In two ways: first of all by being tough on crime as we strive towards adding 1800 new police officers over three years and commit to a serious focus on combating organised crime and drugs. The second limb of our approach is doing what works and not political point-scoring. We will build more houses making sure houses are warm and dry so there is housing security; have an education system that works and provides opportunity; have decent wages jobs and a New Zealand free of child poverty; and finally seriously address family and sexual violence.Greg O'Connor: Why is it important to reduce violent crime in New Zealand?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: We all suffer when there are broken victims and broken communities and we must break the intergenerational cycle of abuse that was ignored by the last Government.
5. Education National Standards—Removal and Replacement SystemHon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of EducationEducation National Standards—Removal and Replacement System5. Hon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by his statement that National Standards will be gone very quickly"; if so why?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): Yes because they will.Hon Nikki Kaye: How does he reconcile his comments then that some schools will be able to keep national standards with the comments as well attributed to the Secretary of Education on 6 November that national standards will be replaced?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Because the Government will be abolishing national standards. Whether schools choose to use them or not is up to them.Hon Nikki Kaye: Firstly I seek leave to table a New Zealand Principals' Federation newsletter—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order! Don't try; that goes to all members.Hon Nikki Kaye: OK well I seek leave to table the Ministry of Education education leaders' news bulletin which doesn't go to all members of 6 November where the Secretary of Education—Mr SPEAKER: Is it available on a website? Is it available on a publicly accessible website?Hon Nikki Kaye: I will have to check that because it actually goes to a link that I don't think is accessible to all members but also the other point that I'd make is that while it is available to education leaders it's not available to a whole lot of parents and necessarily members of this House.Mr SPEAKER: What I'm going to advise the member and all members is to ascertain before they attempt to table things here whether they are in fact available on a publicly accessible website. I'm willing to if the member comes back at the end of question time and gives me an assurance that it is not available on a publicly accessible website—at that stage I will put the leave.Hon Nikki Kaye: How can parents have confidence in the robustness of their future school reports on the progress of their child if there is no nationwide consistent set of data that enables progress to be benchmarked against?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Well there hasn't been up until now because national standards have been neither national nor consistent. I think they can have trust in the teachers who work with their children.Hon Nikki Kaye: Why will he not just admit that he does not have a detailed new system and that he is just trying to rename national standards and systems of progression that already exist to please some of his union mates?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: The previous Government acknowledged the problems with national standards when they themselves proposed to replace them and rename them. So there is already a widespread acknowledgment within the Parliament and within the education system that they were fundamentally flawed."
4. Schools—Teacher SupplyJO LUXTON (Labour) to the Minister of EducationSchools—Teacher Supply4. JO LUXTON (Labour) to the Minister of Education: Is he confident that schools will be able to recruit enough teachers next year to fully staff classrooms particularly in Auckland?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): Regrettably no I'm not at this point. Student numbers are increasing the number of teacher trainees completing their training has been declining and an increasing number of teachers are nearing retirement age. Some schools are already advising that they are getting no applications for the jobs that they are advertising. I've initiated an urgent package of measures which I'll be taking to Cabinet for approval very shortly.Jo Luxton: Does he intend to proceed with the previous Government's decision to extend the voluntary bonding scheme to all Auckland schools?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Regrettably the previous Government made no such decision. While the previous Minister did make that announcement during the election campaign there was very little supporting policy work there were no supporting papers going to Cabinet and as a result we are left with a $37.5 million hole because no funding was appropriated to meet that commitment.Hon Nikki Kaye: Will he fund the extension of expat relocation grants and voluntary bonding for Auckland if this is such an urgent situation; if not why not?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: On the expat relocation grants the money was appropriated for that by the previous Minister so that will go ahead but she didn't appropriate the $37.5 million required to extend the voluntary bonding scheme so I can't give that commitment because there's a big funding hole where the money should've been appropriated by the previous Government.
Smith Nick; Williams PotoHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): The first thing that was notable about Mr Little's contribution is that he could not answer the very simple good question from my colleague Michael Woodhouse. A simple question that is: if somebody's got a house that was insulated to the standard 10 years ago will this bill require them to upgrade? Fair question; what's the answer? Andrew Little can't answer it and we've got no indication from any other member on the Government benches.Here's the second point: Mr Little has just argued that the big change in this bill is that when you sign a tenancy agreement it's going to have to meet the standards as set out in the regulations that are empowered by this bill—but that's the law now. I have before me the Housing Improvement Regulations. It covers every single one of the issues: heating—The CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): I'm sorry to interrupt the member; the time has come for me to report progress.House resumed.The Chairperson reported the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill with amendment and progress on the Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill (No 2).Report adopted.The House adjourned at 9.56 p.m.
Twyford PhilHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): Thank you Madam Chair. Now I don't want to waste the time of the committee responding to all of the hyperbole and the rhetoric that we have heard from the Opposition benches but I just want to say this: for the next nine to 12 years we are going to be spending a lot of time debating the Labour-led Government's housing legislation and housing policy. If that side of the Chamber wants to spend all of that time debating the legacy of the Hon Dr Nick Smith we are quite happy with that. In fact we welcome that.But I want to just make a few brief comments about the time frames around the commencement and compliance period. The first point I want to make in response to a number of queries from the Opposition benches is that the current compliance period for the insulation and smoke alarm standards contained in the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act persist. They're still there so the requirements on people to meet the standards for smoke alarms and insulation as contained in last year's amendment bill still continue. A number of speakers have questioned why in this Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill (No 2) there is a longer compliance period of five years from the point of commencement. The reason is that this bill will go a lot further than last year's Government legislation. So it will add—it will contain in the regulations standards on drainage heating insulation moisture control and ventilation. It goes a lot further than the Government's legislation last year. It will be more complex and yes it will be more expensive for landlords because it actually does the job properly. It will make all rental properties in this country warm and dry and that is worth voting for.But I want to correct some of the statements that were made and most recently by the member the Hon Alfred Ngaro who seemed to be under the misapprehension that under this bill there will be a five-year commencement period. It's not a commencement period for five years. There is an 18-month commencement period. From the moment the Governor-General signs this bill into law there is an 18-month commencement period during which the Government will be designing and testing and consulting on the regulations. The first of July 2019; that's when it comes into force OK? Then there is a five-year compliance period—but hold your breath because during that time every time a tenancy agreement is renewed varied or set up the landlord in that tenancy will have to certify in the agreement that the property meets the standards set down in the regulations. And during that time we know—we know that the average tenancy length in New Zealand is less than a year right? So in the first year approximately 40 to 50 percent of those homes in the market of rental properties will have to meet the standards. In another year it will be another 40 to 50 percent. So it will be staggered over the first few years and then when the five years is up if there are any properties that still don't meet the standards they will then have to certify that they meet them.
Twyford PhilHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): I move That the question be now put.