Henare Tau: Employment Relations (Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Henare Tau: Employment Relations (Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
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Hon TAU HENARE (National) 
: 
 I want to go back to what Chris Hipkins said— 
Hon Member 
: Who? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
:—Hipkins—about the good-faith provisions in the parent Act the Employment Relations Act. As far as I am concerned good faith is nothing more than a Fabian notion of “we will tell you what to do.”—the lumpenproletariat. “We know best and we will tell you what to do when and where and we will tell you how to do it.” That is my little spiel on the good-faith provisions in the Act. 
But here is something for Keith Locke to think about. What he should do is put away Nicky Hager’s book stop reading it and stop thinking that there is a conspiracy around every corner. There might be something around every corner but it is not a conspiracy. It is not a conspiracy. Look Keith Locke is a nice man. Keith Locke is one of New Zealand’s genuine nice men—I want to put that out there. 
But—but—unions and workers are two different things. In my experience—and I know I have been referred to as the worst union organiser ever and blah de blah. In fact we have spent 2 hours listening to personal attacks on me and my career. But that is OK because every member from that side of the Chamber has mentioned my name and that is all right. The good people of Te Atatu are hearing that as well. 
Unions are organisations. Union officials are nothing more than people who grab subs from their union members and give them to the Labour Party—and give them to the Labour Party. Here is something I ask Keith Locke and anybody else who wants to butt in with their beautiful pearls of wisdom: how many workers are ever asked whether they mind their union taking $2 a week off them so that it can give $1 out of that $2 to the Labour Party? 
Darien Fenton 
: It’s not true. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Oh it is not true! It is not true! That is what Darien Fenton says. That is what Carol Beaumont says—that it is not true. Well how is it that the Service and Food Workers Union can give 200K to the Labour Party for the election? Where does that money come from? That is $200000-odd. 
Kris Faafoi 
: Where’s your money coming from? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: I know where my money comes from. In fact in Te Atatu it comes from the hard-working people who belong to the National Party. They want to give me five bucks or $10. 
Phil Twyford 
: He hasn’t got any volunteers. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Oh let us see. I saw this fella have a meeting the other night. His kaupapa was the busway out in Te Atatu. Who did he have at his meeting? Eleven people. 
But I digress. One of them was one of my members! But I digress; I do not want to go there. The fact of the matter is that everybody needs insurance whether or not we have an earthquake and whether or not we have stand-over tactics. 
Progress to be reported presently. 
House resumed. 
The Chairperson reported the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill without amendment and progress on the Employment Relations (Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill.  
Report adopted.