Flavell Te Ururoa: Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 09 May 2012. Volume:679;Page:2151. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
:  
Kia ora tatau katoa e hoa ma tatau nga mema o te Whare Paremata i tenei po. A i te tuatahi ka mihi ra ki tena ki tena mo te ahuatanga o nga korero kua korerohia i te roanga o nga wha wiki pea kua hipa. He pai nga korero ahakoa kai reira tonu etahi paku rereketanga he pai tonu. Ko te mea nui kia korerohia nga take no reira me hoki au ki aua korero ra mo te wa poto. 
[ 
Greetings to us all this evening fellow colleagues and members of Parliament. In the first instance I gratefully acknowledge the point of view that each and every one contributed over the length of the past 4 weeks or so. Despite the fact that differences exist still it is good and fine. The important thing is that issues are aired so I will revisit those comments for a brief moment 
.] 
Thanks firstly to all members who have contributed tonight. It is not as if I agree with all of the statements but that is fine—that is the way it goes. I am pleased to reflect firstly very quickly on some of the statements made. Michael Woodhouse referred to the relationship accord that the Maori Party has with National. This bill the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill has been on the agenda for some time and so we are happy that through our relationship accord it comes to the House and hopefully will be able to pass its first reading. The second thing refers then to Ruth Dyson who talked about acknowledging I suppose that the issue of pokie machines and gambling at that level is very much an issue. That is well known. It has very much been a part of the statements that I have made in opening the debate.  
Todd McClay talked about surveying his own people and our own people in Rotorua and accepting that there is a desire on the part of many to have this particular debate because it does open up wide-ranging views in respect of a number of issues. Although the bill is very much looking at reduction of harm from pokie machines the connotations and the wording that have been picked up by members tonight are obviously far reaching.  
I acknowledge my colleague Denise Roche and in particular her statements about how some of these machines are placed only in certain communities and not others. There is an element of support and there is technology I am told around the player tracking and pre-commit cards so that is helpful to know. Also I acknowledge the issues she raised around 80 percent of the money going back to the community which was also acknowledged by the Rt Hon Winston Peters. I acknowledge the effects in terms of racing. The comments by Mr Peters on racing I suppose are understandable bearing in mind that he is a former Minister of Racing so I would expect that he does raise some of those issues. The other point that was raised by Denise Roche was the issue of some of the pokie trusts possibly being involved in some fraudulent activities.  
I do want to reflect on one statement that Mr Peters made and that is in respect of internet gambling. I agree with him wholeheartedly. The issue of internet gambling has certainly come to the fore and we have to remember however that this bill was drafted up some 2½ years ago. The progress in respect of internet gambling has really taken off I would suggest over the last 2 years because I did not hear about it even when we were drafting up this bill. I acknowledge that is an issue that hopefully will be raised through the select committee process. Mr Mallard talked about the big players and I cannot give too much of a response. Suffice it to say that I would expect that through the select committee process again people will raise some of those issues.  
There is not too much else to add other than to thank all those for their contributions. I can say that I have had a number of lobby groups come to me in respect of their positions from racing through to the big trusts through to the smaller trusts and generally the feedback has been positive. Strangely enough although they have a particular view about this bill the views have been wide ranging and I might say that there have been offers to provide some input into the developing of the bill. I am fairly clear that it does not solve every problem but there is a way forward here where it might be possible to deal with some of the issues that have been discussed behind closed doors in respect of the behaviour of some of the trusts. The transparency of some of the trusts is certainly an issue that has been raised as is for example the involvement of the racing industry and money going off to the racing industry. So from a Maori Party perspective I am really pleased that we have had that tonight.  
I am hoping that the bill is supported across the House as it seems like the indications are. I am sure that we can find a way forward. I appreciate also my discussions that I have had with the Minister Chris Tremain around working together following the select committee process to look at trying to find some compromises deal with the issues that have been raised through the select committee process and hopefully come out at the end of it before the end of the second reading with a bill that matches up and deals with many of the issues raised not only tonight but simply by having them as a part of the bill. So with that regard I commend this bill to the House. I am looking forward to the support of the whole House and I look forward also to hearing the debate through the select committee process. 
No reira ka nui te mihi ki tena ki tena o tatau nga kaikorero otira tatau i whakaputa korero i te po nei me te tumanako ia ka eke ki te taumata e wawatatia ana i roto i nga marama kai mua i te aroaro. 
[ 
Therefore I am really grateful to each of us who contributed particularly those this evening in the hope that what each is seeking is achieved in the months ahead 
.]  
Also finally I say thank you to all of those who have lobbied me—