Cosgrove Clayton: New Zealand Geographic Board (Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Bill — In Committee 
Cosgrove Clayton: New Zealand Geographic Board (Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:646;Page:15553] 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 I feel a compulsion to respond to that member. I am addressing his comments in respect of clause 1 “Title” and clause 2 “Commencement”. That member berated members on this side of the Chamber for doing their job in speaking to a bill. In doing our job by debating the New Zealand Geographic Board (Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Bill and going over it in great detail as Mr Mallard did—I think Mr Mallard talked at length about the meaning and nature of clause 1 “Title”—we were berated by the “ghost that walks”. We were berated by a man who is not going to be here much longer; he has done so well in his career that he is heading out of the back door because his party has given him the bullet. 
Coming back to the title I challenge that member. That member challenged us for debating clauses doing our job working the bill over and working the arguments through. Yet as I said before his party is spending all its time debating that and trying to convince Parliament that not only will it vote against the bill in toto but also—I bet—it will vote against the title and against something very small called the commencement date. National members have all got up all pumped up and all full of enthusiasm. The greatest moment in the annals of this House for that member’s career as he exits this place will be his attempts to stymie to attack and to defeat clause 1 and clause 2 of this bill. I know that his constituents will look back on his eminent career—from Ashburton down the Waitaki and around there—and he will be known. They will put up statues they will put up monuments and they will put up silver plates on walls as they open Returned and Services Association premises and schools to remember that he spent his time attacking this bill. 
Brian Connell 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I am sorry to interrupt the member while he is on his feet and demonstrating his ignorance around this but since it is a discussion around names I thought I should correct the member. The constituency of Rakaia does not go as far as South Canterbury. The Minister in the chair David Parker will know that that is correct. So the member is misleading the House. I do not think it is intentional; I just think it is ignorance and a touch of arrogance. But maybe he could just put that right. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: I think that that is really— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I think this is a classic case of a point of order that is not a point of order; it is a matter of debate. No Standing Order has been referred to. Members do occasionally get things wrong. The member may or may not— 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: I did get it wrong. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Well he probably did get it wrong. But the member—at the peak of his career or as he moves out—should understand that he takes a call to debate that rather than a point of order. 
Brian Connell 
: Speaking to the point of order— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: This is the last call I am taking on this because I am going to judge it. 
Brian Connell 
: Certainly. I know the member is used to fighting talk but this is an issue of accuracy and we are talking about a bill that is dealing with naming places. I think it is germane to the argument to say that the member is incorrect and he should be asked to get it right. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: Thank you very much Mr Connell. It may be germane to the argument but it is not a point of order. It was a point of debate and a point of information. 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: I apologise to the member. I acknowledge that the name of his electorate is Rakaia and as I was saying I know that the people of Rakaia will remember him as they are riveted to the spot listening to him on their radios tonight. They know that his major contribution probably his most significant contribution in his political career was a last-ditch stand—sort of Custer’s last stand—to try to defeat clause 1 “Title” and clause 2 “Commencement” of this bill. As I said and Madam Chair knows history better than I—and I am sure Gerry Brownlee would agree with me—they will put up monuments and statues to this learned member. This day will go down and be recorded in the annals of Rakaia’s history as the day Mr Connell—and I do hope I pronounced that name correctly—the member for Rakaia attempted to defeat clauses 1 and 2 of a bill. 
In essence what is this bill about? It is about streamlining a very very old piece of legislation an exceptional piece— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Then why are you filling the Chamber with so much hot air? 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: When it comes to hot air that member is a human blunderbuss. The billows over there in the front row blow pretty regularly for that member to make a wonderful contribution. 
It amazes me that the National Party the anti-bureaucratic party would spend all its energy— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Why is the member so upset? What is the member disappointed about? 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: Now it has brought the big hitter from Ilam the member for Ilam Gerry Brownlee—the big bazooka—who has come down here to put a bit of energy into the team because its members are flailing a bit and to have a crack at attacking clause 1. 
What does clause 2 say? It simply says that this Act will come into force on 1 July 2008. How on earth could one disagree with that? How on earth could one disagree with a bill that seeks to reform and renew a very old Act and that seeks to strip away some of the bureaucratic stuff that was around in respect of the naming of the continental shelf and other areas to assert our sovereignty over those areas? Who on earth could disagree with that? I am sure the punters the real people who sit outside this place listening tonight are scratching their heads asking firstly who is Brian Connell and secondly why is he wasting our time trying to attack and defeat what is a pretty logical bill. Normally we have to say—and I am sure others may agree—that this is a sort of bipartisan bill. There is not a lot of politics in it. But maybe it is audition time—maybe they want the member for Ilam’s job. I do not know.