Henare PeeniHon PEENI HENARE (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector): Tēnā koe Madam Chair and thank you for this opportunity. I wish to stand not only to address the question I've just been offered by my erudite colleague Mr McAnulty but also to support the words of some of the members of the committee who have far more local government experience than I: namely I think of the member Willow-Jean Prime and of course the member Paul Eagle and others in this committee who have long-standing ties with local government. If the committee will allow me I do think in reply to the contribution made by the member Jami-Lee Ross it's fair that from my position here we offer a reply and then I'll talk to some of the mentions already made by my colleagues from the Government.If I can just remind members of the committee—and in particular with this bill—the purpose of the Local Government Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill is to make a number of minor and technical amendments to seven local government Acts. It is a repairs and maintenance bill which will clarify and update statutory provisions; address gaps errors and inconsistencies between different pieces of local government legislation; and remove unnecessary compliance costs.The bill can be split into two broad things: efficient operations and administration and effective local governance and representation. I just wanted to highlight that part for the member for Jami-Lee Ross because while I appreciate the points he raises in this debate this particular bill that we're currently debating at the moment once again talks about repairs and maintenance and minor and technical amendments. The member in his contribution constantly spoke of trust and I'm mindful when we consider such an important part in modern democracies whether what he's considering is something far beyond what we're actually trying to propose here in this bill. Maybe that's a debate for another time or something that can be taken up with the Minister. But I certainly want to reiterate to the committee if I can it is a repairs and maintenance bill which will clarify and update statutory provisions; address gaps errors and inconsistencies between different pieces of local government legislation; and remove unnecessary compliance costs. To Part 5 my colleagues have already mentioned a number of I think rather important things. The definition of an internet site"—Mr Paul Eagle talked about that. And of course Willow-Jean Prime talked about Part 5 using her experience as a former local government member—a local government member yep that's the one. I just want to now touch on the point that Mr McAnulty raised around the definition of a "working day" as a "day observed in the appropriate area as the anniversary of the province of which the area forms a part" and then of course the amended section 2(1)(c) in clause 29 "a day in the period commencing with 20 December in any year and ending with 10 January in the following year." More generally speaking on this particular clause: one I've already mentioned the definition of the "internet site" and we've already heard comments about the definition of "publicly notified". But more importantly to the question offered by the member the definition of a "working day" is updated so that it is consistent with the definition of "working day" in the Local Government Act 2002 and the Building Act 2004. If I can offer to Mr McAnulty it's simply just as I mentioned earlier a minor technicality bringing things in line with Acts that actually affect and govern the way our local government operates. So just a reminder again the definition of a "working day" is updated so that it is consistent with the definition of "working day" in not just the Local Government Act 2002 but the Building Act 2004."