Prasad Rajen: Governor-General Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Prasad Rajen: Governor-General Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:668;Page:14810] 
Dr RAJEN PRASAD (Labour) 
: 
 I am taking a call to address several aspects of Part 2 of the Governor-General Bill. In referring to clause 16 the one thing we can be certain of is that clearly the present Governor-General will not be using these provisions. That is a good thing because we talked about the calibre of the present Governor-General earlier and we know for certain that there is no need for him to use this part of the provisions at all. However it is fascinating to try to understand why this clause is there and what might be the set of circumstances in which it might be brought into play. The Hon Trevor Mallard’s thesis about how this clause might come into play has been fascinating as was the speech of the previous speaker my colleague Mr Grant Robertson as well. 
There probably are some areas where it would come into play and perhaps the Minister in the chair the Hon Phil Heatley will take a call and explain what his thinking was about this particular provision. That might clarify some of the concerns that members on this side of the Chamber have raised. The Minister has not taken a call so far and we have asked several questions. I am sure that he is keeping all his answers for one tight response which I am sure that he will take just prior to 6 p.m. so we know we will have those answers. I can see it is possible that this might be utilised. The honourable Minister has his answers provided on very small sticky Post-it notes. [ 
Interruption 
] Is that what it is? OK I thank the member. But I am serious about this; it is testament to the officials who worked on this bill that they have considered it from many aspects and it is very thorough. Clause 16 is an example of that. 
Referring now to clauses 19 and 20 here we have a stand-alone enactment once this bill is passed that relates to all of the conditions to do with the Governor-General. I think that is a good thing. It is an easy place to go to. It comes out of the Civil List and here will be all of the provisions. So clauses 19 and 20 do a good job. Perhaps from a public perspective they will be interested in the provisions in clauses 21 to 24 which refer to the requirement that the Governor-General pay taxes. The public of New Zealand will probably take this very seriously and will take great heart from it because it is beginning to say that we will treat our Governor-General as an ordinary person. Colloquially speaking we will treat him in terms of a person who is earning a salary. Part 1 makes those changes and here in Part 2 the Governor-General will be required to pay taxes like the rest of us. There will be widespread support for this particular provision. It regularises the position as indeed do all of the other clauses. 
There is great transparency as others have said. I would expect the present Governor-General—indeed I am certain that this is so—would support this type of provision because the present Governor-General has not even taken the salary rise that he was entitled to. He said that he takes a different position on this. He seriously understands the current climate and has demonstrated that he wants to be treated in this particular way. I will also refer briefly to clauses 25 and 26. Here the present Governor-General is again protected in terms of ongoing annuities. The provisions in clauses 25 and 26 do not compromise the provisions applying to the present Governor-General. Clause 26 is just making certain that there is an avoidance-of-doubt clause there and makes certain that the provisions will apply. 
All in all Part 2 clarifies a lot of the questions we had about this particular role. It regularises many of the provisions which is necessary and increases transparency as we understand it. It protects the present Governor-General and enables the public to have greater faith and confidence in this particular role in terms of its holder being treated like every other taxpayer. 
The question was put that the amendment set out on Supplementary Order Paper 164 in the name of the Rt Hon John Key to insert new clause 20A be agreed to. 
Amendment agreed to. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I would like to now further debate especially questions around the amendment to the Civil List Act in clause 18— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I am sorry to interrupt the member— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Sorry I did not think there had been a closure motion. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: No I have started to put the vote. When I have started to put the vote— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: No I do not think you had. I think— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: Well I have. I put the question that Part 2 stand part. I have put the amendment. We have voted on the amendment and now we are moving through. The final part is to put the question that Part 2 as amended stand part. There is no opportunity to relitigate once I have started to put the vote. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I am reluctant to disagree with the Chairperson and his ruling in this area—and I can see that the Standing Orders are being passed to you—but it has long been the practice of this House to have votes on amendments to particular clauses then to move on especially where there are parts and amendments that affect particular clauses to further debates on the bill as amended.