Muller ToddTODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty): Thank you very much Mr Chair. I very much enjoy the opportunity to speak to this extraordinarily poor piece of legislation and in particular this clause 4 which is the enabler of such an extraordinary piece of legislation which says that despite being elected here and being asked by your constituents to give voice to their concerns the ultimate arbiter of your value as a member of Parliament is whether you can continue to have the support and confidence of your leader. This is outrageous.Every one of us in this House began a journey knocking on a door and looking at somebody who answered that door and said I would like to introduce who I am and the values that I stand for." How many of you in this Parliament ever had a constituent who you were being introduced to for the first time and were talking to about what you would like to achieve as a politician on their behalf say "I will judge you on your fealty to the leader?" None. None. Everyone is tested by the character test of your capacity to represent a particular community and the values that you as a politician will give voice to. No one out in the community that we all here tonight profess to represent would ask us above all else "I ask you always to genuflect to the leader." and that is what this clause enables.It states the conditions by which you have to resign as a member of the party not because of a choice of values or passion or direction of country or representing your constituent—none of that. That's included in part but the critical enabling clause here that clause 4 reference—new section 55A you go below that—is that the parliamentary leader can write to the Speaker and say "I'm sorry but your contribution as a member of this political party is over so therefore you have to resign your seat." That is absolutely outrageous. If a form of this was put up as a member's bill I know that the Minister in the chair would have railed against it. He would have added his voice to the Attorney-General's—Hon Tim Macindoe: So would the Green Party.TODD MULLER: —and certainly so would the Green Party.What makes this so frustrating is that this is a place—of course at times—of partisan debate but one would hope that through the partisan debate there is an essence of values that underpin a conversation. Yet throughout the time that we have reflected on this bill and particularly this conversation here about this clause—everyone knows it's a façade on the other side. They look at the floor. They can't look at the eyes and acknowledge the rational views that are being expressed on this side because they know in their hearts this is absolutely wrong.They are better than this. At their better times they are better than this. I disagree with most of the philosophical and policy implications of this coalition Government but there are men and women of principle but none of them have taken a call. None of them with the exception of Ron Mark talking about the fact—Alastair Scott: For two minutes.TODD MULLER: —for two minutes—that "defence is good and I've always supported the leader and I can't ever imagine a time that I wouldn't support a leader." He could have just stood up and said "The way I run my political career is 'How high Winston?' " I mean I'm sorry this is an outrageous piece of legislation and everybody on the other side knows it and it's an absolute disgrace."