Henare Peeni: Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Extended licensing hours during Rugby World Cup) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHenare Peeni: Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Extended licensing hours during Rugby World Cup) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 26 August 2015. Volume:708;Page:6182. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]PEENI HENARE (Labour—Tāmaki Makaurau): Tēnā koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Thank you for this opportunity. Let us hope that the action on the field come the Rugby World Cup is a little bit more lively than this debate at the moment. I would have expected the lead member on the bill to at least have some sort of sports analogy—“It was a game of two halves” or some sort of comment of that nature. But what we are looking forward to is the progression of this bill to allow exactly what Mr Seymour has mentioned: for this country to share in its most favourite of pastimes—that is sport and in this particular instance rugby.Can I also echo the comments already made thanking the Justice and Electoral Committee of which I am proud to be a member. It was almost like rugby training where some of us were fair-weather trainers—you know you only go out when the sun comes out and you do not want to actually train in the rain. But we were all committed to this cause. We came together at odd hours and on non-sitting days and I commend those in the select committee and of course the leadership from Jacqui Dean of the select committee.Can I also commend the member Mr Seymour for his rather open-minded approach when coming to the select committee to present his bill. He did actually come with a Magna Doodle if you like and he had a bit of clean slate and he was actually quite prepared to take a fair amount of criticism. He was prepared to take a fair amount of challenge during the robust process held through the select committee and to his credit he was able to just simply shake that Magna Doodle and we got to draw and draft the bill that we have in front of the House today. So I say thank you to the select committee.The main purpose and it has been talked about very technically by the member Jacqui Dean is to ease if you like the administrative burden placed upon in particular those local authorities in regulating policing and also granting and administering liquor licences and the applications for special occasions or special events. So what this does is it will lump it all together and we will call it the Rugby World Cup. We will make it an opportunity where most places in most communities will come together whether it is at a local pub a local rugby club or a local sports club to enjoy watching rugby.It just so happens that as we all know the Rugby World Cup will be held over in England. Therefore there is a time difference here and we want to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible to get out and enjoy that. What better way to foster community spirit and community togetherness if you like than by bringing them all together and allowing them to enjoy the rugby at their local rugby club or at their local pub?There were—and it has already been mentioned—a significant number of submissions. I must admit that there was some dismay amongst the select committee members that we were not going to open up to hear oral submissions. However we allowed for written submissions and considered written submissions. There were a number. Some of those who did submit were from the New Zealand Medical Association Women’s Refuge district health boards and local authorities. For most of them—and it needs to be pointed out here—their submissions were in objection to this bill for quite simple reasons and some of those have already been mentioned.There is sadly a binge-drinking culture in our country and in particular amongst our young people. Recent statistics have told us that it is an increasing concern amongst women. The binge-drinking culture in this country is often fostered around sport and tertiary institutions. So there were major concerns from those key stakeholders who were responsible ultimately for administering the applications for these types of special occasions and for these events to be hosted but also there were those at the other end who are there picking up the pieces after a long night. So I want to acknowledge all of those who did make submissions.The select committee considered them all and of course went through a robust debate on many of the points. I think what has come from it is a bill that does actually take into serious consideration many of the submissions—things around noise and things around proximity to schools and to community spaces—while also considering one our joy of watching rugby and two encouraging the hospitality sector or reminding it if you like of its host responsibilities. I also hope that what this bill will do given the times that we are extending the hours for is encourage many of the licensed premises to come up with innovative ways to engage those people who do choose to come along to watch the rugby such as by having breakfast or coffee or a breakfast club. I know it sounds like a bit of an old thing—The Breakfast Club. It is even a bit before my time.Jono Naylor: You’re too young to remember that.PEENI HENARE: Mr Naylor may recall TheBreakfast Club. But it does allow scope for innovative ways to include the community.When I say “the community” I want to talk a little bit about extending the number of games being covered from 16 to all of the games. The reason for that is when we look across our communities—and this is certainly the case right across the country in all of our towns and cities—we are so diverse. We are multicultural and multi-ethnic. Although everybody in the country I am sure supports black and supports the All Blacks at heart you know there is a little bit of Irish in some there is a little bit of Scottish in some and certainly indeed in Auckland there is a strong Pacific Island community. We want to be able to encourage them to come together to be able to watch their particular team and to not just limit them to watching the All Blacks but allow them to celebrate with their team.I know that the member Jacqui Dean mentioned dressing up like kids in costume but actually that is part of the fun of it. You will recall that in the Rugby World Cup hosted by our great country South Auckland was painted in Tongan red. Flag sales went through the roof. We want to encourage that kind of community spirit to get people behind their teams and not just limit them to watching the All Blacks.The bill was actually a game of two halves. We know that it was turned down the first time and it got through the second time. There was robust debate right through the select committee process. Some of the more technical things were around such things as technology. The question was highlighted: “Well what’s to stop one particular place just turning a very small TV on in the corner while everybody gets drunk and nobody is actually watching the rugby?” so there were some technical points on defining what kinds of technology that may be used to screen the game. Also there are some very tight restrictions around those who have outdoor premises around the noise and I have already mentioned the proximity to community spaces and to schools.I think this bill is a good thing. I am supporting it and I would like to thank Mr Seymour for bringing this bill to the House. Finally I will just finish by saying go the mighty All Blacks. Kia ora.