Brown SimeonSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): Thank you very much Madam Chair. I've been seeking the call for a long time in this debate and it's a pleasure to be able to take a quick call on the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill.Hon Tim Macindoe: Good things take time.SIMEON BROWN: Well good things do take time but the problem is that this legislation is not a good thing and it's been rushed through very very quickly.Now I'd like to speak on clause 2 which is the commencement. Of course at the moment we are very aware that the commencement of this legislation will start the day after it is given the Royal assent. That means that everyone who voted for me in Pakuranga and everyone who voted for every other member of Parliament who is represented here has not had the ability to be able to have their say on this piece of legislation and have the ability to vote for somebody who they know will represent them. I think that's something which we really need to reflect on here as a Parliament when we are passing this legislation because of course this is changing the Electoral Act.Now the Electoral Act is the law and the legislation which sets up how New Zealand is governed and how the New Zealand people choose who represents them. That is an important principle that we have in a democracy. It is the people who choose who represents them in this Parliament. For me every day it is an honour and a privilege to represent the good people of Pakuranga and to represent their concerns here in this House. They voted for me to be their local member of Parliament knowing that I would serve them and represent their concerns. Whether that's transport issues whether that's law and order issues whether that's local education or health issues that was the position and that was the job that they have elected me to do. I have that job for the next two and a bit years until the next election and then I will be hoping to serve for many many years to come. But—but—under this legislation in the way that clause 2 is currently worded they voted for me to serve but this Government is saying No we're going to give party leaders the ability to come and make decisions as to whether someone should stay or whether they should go." and they can do that mid-term.Well I find it completely unsatisfactory the answers which the Minister of Justice has said in saying "This is not retrospective." This is completely retrospective—completely retrospective—and offensive to the voters in my electorate and the voters across New Zealand treating them with contempt saying that what they had to say was not worth it and saying that "No we know better." Well I think that's what this Government signals.So I want to commend to the House the amendment in the name of my very wise and learned colleague the Hon Dr Nick Smith who is saying that OK there are two options here. One we could delay this until the next election so that all New Zealanders know what contract they're putting their local member of Parliament into and so they will have the ability to make an informed decision knowing that they are electing MPs who will be part of parties who—with the party leader and the party structure—will be able to expel them if they were to go against party principles or party decisions etc. or whatever the decision was made within that party process. Or the other option is let's give New Zealanders their say. Let's give them the opportunity to make a decision on this.That's why I think the alternative of allowing a referendum on this issue—and yes we all understand that the referendums do cost money. But democracy costs money. New Zealand First has campaigned up and down the country on the principle of having referendums. They've campaigned on referendums for a whole wide range of policy and I know that because Mark Patterson—he's sitting over there. He's thinking about all the times he's stood up in public meetings in Gore in Queenstown and in Balclutha and wherever else he could find a crowd of three or four people. When he did he would talk about referendums and he would say "Well Parliament—they all go there." and he would complain about the decisions which were made and then he'd say "But we'll fix that. We're going to put referendums in place so that you're able to have your say." But here when it comes to changing electoral law—the fundamental legislation which gives power to people to choose who represents them—they say no. And I find that absolutely shameful.I came here to represent the people of my electorate. I'm proud to do so. I'm proud to be a member of the National Party but the Government and what they're doing is absolutely shameful—taking the power being arrogant in the way they're doing it and treating New Zealanders with contempt. It's an absolute shame."