O'Connor SimonSIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki): If I might as an Auckland MP in joining with other colleagues in the House to acknowledge obviously the tragic circumstances and action today in central Auckland and acknowledge obviously the victims—those who have died but also the injured. If I might as well I acknowledge our police particularly the Armed Offenders Squad and the Special Tactics Group teams and the St Johns Ambulance but also all those who were present and witnessed what had occurred. These are horrific events that we don't expect to see here and again I just want to put on record my thoughts with all involved particularly the loved ones who are mourning the loss of a loved one.We're standing here today to debate and discuss the second reading of the Legal Services Amendment Bill. Look like a suite of other justice or legal bills which the Government has put forward it looks good and it sounds good but it's actually really not enough within the justice space to actually change the dial or change where things should go. The previous speaker Vanushi Walters mentioned changes within the Family Court and coronial court and as I said on those two bills there's nothing particularly wrong with them. To some degree there's nothing particularly wrong with this one either although there is one point I'm going to particularly raise. But it's just not making the necessary and substantial changes which are required in our justice system because if you're anything like myself an electorate MP who has to deal with constituents happily day after day they are coming in with major major issues: slow access to justice a sense of an ever-going process which is broken and often too results that they are not happy with. Again this may look to the public as a whole set of positive changes—yep maybe they are—but they are only minor. They're tinkering for want of a better word. The way I look at this—and I heard the debate between the Hon Paul Goldsmith and Vanushi Walters point and counterpoint but mine is much more simple. The changes proposed here around both the levy and interests are going to cost just shy of $4 million and for me if I had $4 million in the justice space would this be the area I would apply it to being the change around legal aid? The simple answer is no. There are so many needs within the justice system at the moment that that money could be better spent elsewhere. We have always paid to a certain degree for access to justice. I don't think it's overly onerous. As I said the fundamental point to me is with that $4 million we could do so much better. Something as simple as providing some video feeds for those who need to present to the courts—particularly for the prisoners actually or those on remand—would be a good step forward. So it's only a simple argument this on a Thursday afternoon but I think the fundamental point that the public needs to understand—and I've come across it and spoken to it time and time again—is that nothing is free in this country. Every time a Government chooses to waive an interest or a fee the taxpayers in New Zealand are having to foot that bill. This is not free; this is another cost that the Government is wearing which means more taxes are required from hard-pressed New Zealanders. As I say and have said for that almost $4 million that this is going to cost I could think of many other and better spends in the justice system right now and therefore we'll be opposing this bill.