edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Hayes Joanne: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: General Debate[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOANNE HAYES (National):I am pleased to be the final speaker in this general debate but before I get on to it I just want to say that I am not going to talk about Māori Television. When we start talking about the merging of colours let us talk about the Dunedin South election in 2011 when National turned Dunedin South from red to a beautiful blue shade of purple. I will not be talking about that.I am going to be talking about the conference I attended at the weekend at Kaikōura—our Bluegreens conference hosted by our member Colin King. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed listening to the announcement of the Kaikōura marine reserve a marine reserve that covers more than 10000 hectares around the Kaikōura Canyon and protects the area from fishing mining and harvesting of any kind. The Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill will introduce a whale sanctuary of over 4 million hectares which will protect whales and their habitats from disturbances including the type of seismic surveying used for petroleum exploration. There will be a seal sanctuary at Ōhau Point as well as—I will reiterate—the five customary fishery areas. The bill will amend the recreational fishing regulations that allow the public to fish and dive in specific areas. We have not forgotten our recreational fishers and divers and we have not forgotten our public because we are giving them access to beaches and rivers as part of this bill. We are maintaining that.The Kaikōura marine reserve is only one of many of the environmental policy outcomes this Government has successfully been responsible for. This is a Government that 5 years ago set out clear environmental priorities—priorities to improve the Resource Management Act improve freshwater management give better protection for flora and fauna provide better ocean management and meet our climate change commitments. These are only some of our principles.I take note that the previous Labour Government was responsible for drilling 34 wells without regulation. When that was announced at the conference everybody cringed—they cringed.Tim Macindoe: How many?JOANNE HAYES: Thirty-four—disgusting. This Government has introduced regulations and we have taken responsibility for establishing the Environmental Protection Authority to make sure we regulate the drilling in our area. This Government has a sound record of better environmental management. We have successful economic and environmental policies. These must go hand in hand to provide a cleaner greener brighter future for all New Zealanders. We all know that every country that has a good environmental policy has a strong economy. It can go on the record of this House that this Government has a strong economic policy and strong economic outcomes. Kia ora.The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.
Carter David: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCarter David: General Debate[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr SPEAKER: The member’s time has expired.
Carter David: Urgent Debates Declined — Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board—Audit and Terms of ReferenceText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCarter David: Urgent Debates Declined — Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board—Audit and Terms of Reference[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr SPEAKER: I have received a letter from the Hon Nanaia Mahuta seeking to debate under Standing Order 386 the results of the review of the financial controls of Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust which were released last night by the Minister of Education and the Associate Minister of Education. This is a particular case of recent occurrence involving ministerial responsibility. The test for whether a particular case requires the immediate attention of the House is a high one. The business of the House should not be set aside just because a ministerial announcement has been made. There must be an element of urgency for the matter to take precedence over other business. Although public confidence in the use of public funding is important the announcement does not raise issues of national significance that require substantive or urgent policy change. A question has been addressed to the Associate Minister today and the House is about to embark on a general debate. In these circumstances I am not persuaded that the matter deserves the immediate attention of the House today. The application is therefore declined.
Dean Jacqui: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDean Jacqui: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki)to the Minister of Corrections: What recent reports has she received on the provision of education programmes in prison?Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Corrections)More good news. I am pleased to advise the House that there has been a huge increase in the number of education programmes in our prisons. Almost 3000 prisoners—3000 prisoners—are scheduled to start a numeracy and literacy programme this financial year which is an increase of 155 percent since 2007-08. There has also been a massive increase in the number of prisoners receiving qualifications up from just 197 in 2008-09 to 1833 in 2012-13. Increasing the number of education programmes in prison is a key part of our plan to reduce reoffending by 25 percent by 2017—Le’aufa’amulia Asenati Lole-Taylor: They’ve been doing the same for the last 10 years Minister.Hon ANNE TOLLEY: —and for that member we will continue to focus on this area as well as providing more drug and alcohol rehabilitation and skills training.Jacqui Dean: What role does education play in reducing reoffending?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Lack of a basic education is a major driver of crime. Most prisoners we find have difficulty reading and writing properly. If this is not addressed prisoners will not only have difficulty finding work on release but they will find it harder to make full use of support and social services. Too often this leads them back to a life of crime. So that is why this Government has introduced education screening and individual learning plans for all prisoners so that the Department of Corrections can accurately assess the level of support required. By increasing access to literacy and numeracy programmes we give prisoners the skills they need to participate fully in other rehabilitation programmes and study towards qualifications.
Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCarter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table a copy of that letter. Is there any objection? There is no objection. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.
Sharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Associate Minister of Education):I seek leave to table a copy of a letter to Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board from Minister Parata and me sent this afternoon.
Mahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]6.Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato)to the Associate Minister of Education: Does he accept all the findings of the Independent Audit Report into Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Associate Minister of Education):Yes.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: How can he be confident in the outcomes of an inquiry that did not actually investigate the allegations surrounding spending by Te Pātaka Ōhanga that led to the inquiry in the first place?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: The terms of the inquiry were to look at the financial controls at Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust for the public money that the Government gives for the funding of kōhanga reo.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Does he not think he owes it to taxpayers whānau andkaiako to fully investigate the expenditure byTe Pātaka Ōhanga given that it gets its funding from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust which is publicly funded?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: Te Pātaka Ōhanga is like many subsidiaries of many companies the Government funds an organisation to provide particular special services. In this case Te Pātaka Ōhanga provides insurance computers a health scheme the internet fuel cards and things like that.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Is the Minister satisfied that all aspects of Te Pātaka Ōhanga governance and financial obligations meet acceptable standards of transparency?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: Absolutely not. That is different from the review that we commissioned which was about the money the Government spends for the running of kōhanga. In terms of Te Pātaka Ōhanga we have made the trust aware several times that there are allegations floating around about impropriety misuse and so on and we have asked it to attend to these things formally.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Can the Minister explain what changed this morning to lead the Government to hurriedly announce that it was now referring matters relating to Te Pātaka Ōhanga from the Charities Commission to the Serious Fraud Office?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: It is part of us being responsible particularly with regard to treasure like kōhanga which some of you—and some of us too—had a role in starting and keeping going and we still do. So what we have done instead is we received some information last night which we acted upon and referred to the Serious Fraud Office.
King Colin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Colin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.COLIN KING (National—Kaikōura)to the Minister of Conservation: What support has he received for the Prime Minister’s recent announcement to create a new marine reserve and whale and seal sanctuary in Kaikōura?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Conservation):This package of measures has been welcomed by Ngāi Tahu by the Kaikōura branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society by Kaikōura recreational and commercial fishers and by the important Whale Watch business who all played an important role in the Te Korowai o Te Tai o Marokura process. It is also being supported by the local mayor and council and by organisations like the World Wide Fund for Nature. I have also received a strong message of support from the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society which notes that this deep canyon so close to shore is very unusual and has the richest marine life anywhere in the world at depths of over 500 metres. And I particularly want to acknowledge that member’s long advocacy for these measures.Colin King: Has the Minister seen the public statements by Opposition parties that our new marine reserves were pathetic and an international embarrassment; if so—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am going to ask the member to rephrase that question. The Minister has no responsibility for other political parties’ comments.Colin King: Has the Minister seen any reports around comments with regards to the negative approach that the Opposition has taken towards the positive aspects of this reserve?Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is still a very marginal question. If the Minister can address any reports he has seen.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I have seen criticism that the marine reserve is too small. I would note that this new Kaikōura reserve at over 10000 hectares is going to be the largest reserve adjacent to any of New Zealand’s main islands. It actually covers an area that is more than all of those nine Fiordland reserves that had previously been created. I have also seen criticism that New Zealand’s record on marine protection is poor but I would note the fact that New Zealand has a greater portion of its territorial sea in no-take reserves than any country. I also take note of the Marine Policy journal which rated New Zealand against 69 countries with significant resources and found New Zealand to be the very best of those 69 in terms of its marine management. I have no problem with criticism but I do have difficulty with those who run down New Zealand’s good name for their narrow political purposes.
Horan Brendan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHoran Brendan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.BRENDAN HORAN (Independent)to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with the statement of the Minister of Transport in 2011 that “I am confident that the New Zealand Transport Agency engages with property acquisition processes under the Public Works Act in a fair and proper way” and is he satisfied that is the case in the property acquisition for the Hairini Link?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport):Yes and that would be my continued expectation.Brendan Horan: Is the Minister aware that at least two homeowners in Hammond Street whose homes are required for the Hairini Link are being offered at least $65000 less than is needed for them to buy another house on a like-for-like basis and is he prepared to ask his New Zealand Transport Agency chief executive to review the offers taking into account the huge impact on homeowners and the relatively small sum involved compared with the $55 million overall project cost?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: I became aware of the issue that the member is raising about 40 minutes ago when I got an email from him. What I have done is ask my officials to seek advice from the New Zealand Transport Agency and once I have got that information I will be in a better position to answer that question fully.Brendan Horan: Would the Minister consider it—and I thank the Minister as well—fair and proper to take a mortgage-free home away from a New Zealander who is now an invalid beneficiary and offer them a paltry $235000 when they would need at least $300000 to buy a similar property?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: As I say without the specifics of the case in front of me—and I am not suggesting that the member is not giving us accurate information—I really cannot respond until I have had a closer look at the particular issue.
Urgent Debates Declined — Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board—Audit and Terms of ReferenceText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeUrgent Debates Declined — Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board—Audit and Terms of Reference[Sitting date: 19 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16811. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Urgent Debates DeclinedTe Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board—Audit and Terms of ReferenceMr SPEAKER: I have received a letter from the Hon Nanaia Mahuta seeking to debate under Standing Order 386 the results of the review of the financial controls of Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust which were released last night by the Minister of Education and the Associate Minister of Education. This is a particular case of recent occurrence involving ministerial responsibility. The test for whether a particular case requires the immediate attention of the House is a high one. The business of the House should not be set aside just because a ministerial announcement has been made. There must be an element of urgency for the matter to take precedence over other business. Although public confidence in the use of public funding is important the announcement does not raise issues of national significance that require substantive or urgent policy change. A question has been addressed to the Associate Minister today and the House is about to embark on a general debate. In these circumstances I am not persuaded that the matter deserves the immediate attention of the House today. The application is therefore declined.
Vote: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeVote: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16809. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]A party votewas called for on the questionThat the Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill be now read a second time.Ayes64New Zealand National 59; Māori Party 3; ACT New Zealand 1; United Future 1.Noes56New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party 14; New Zealand First 7; Mana 1.Bill read a second time.
Vote: Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeVote: Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16791. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]A party votewas called for on the questionThat the question be agreed to.Ayes102New Zealand National 59; New Zealand Labour 34; New Zealand First 7; ACT New Zealand 1; United Future 1.Noes18Green Party 14; Māori Party 3; Mana 1.Question agreed to.Bill read a second time.
Vote: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeVote: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16750. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]A party votewas called for on the questionThat the Electoral Amendment Bill be now read a third time.Ayes65New Zealand National 59; Māori Party 3; ACT New Zealand 1; Mana 1; United Future 1.Noes55New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party 14; New Zealand First 7.Bill read a third time.
Hauiti Claudette: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHauiti Claudette: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16808. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]CLAUDETTE HAUITI (National):I support the Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill.
Macindoe Tim: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMacindoe Tim: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16806. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West):The member Carol Beaumont who has just resumed her seat is correct that expenditure in this area did increase under Labour—in fact it virtually trebled during its time in office—but she is quite wrong in saying that the results were pleasing. In fact they bordered on abysmal. Not even a third of those who were studying under that scheme under Labour completed their qualifications. After 5 years many of them had nothing to show for it. That is totally unacceptable. The taxpayer of New Zealand rightly demands much greater performance than that and the Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill will deliver a much better regime.
King Colin: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Colin: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16803. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]COLIN KING (National—Kaikōura):It is a pleasure to speak on the second reading of the Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill. May I start by saying that it is a bit rich to be lectured by the Opposition about industry training when Labour presided over the most wanting and wasteful situation around industry training. One of the Modern Apprenticeship coordinators only ever graduated one Modern Apprentice. The cost for that service was a quarter of a million dollars—and it only ever graduated one Modern Apprentice. One of the enduring indictments on the Labour Government was that waste of opportunity and waste of money.Just going back to the bill in the 2002 amendment where the leadership role was given to the industry training organisations by the Labour Government it was never ever defined. All it achieved was it created a greater tension between the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics and the industry training organisations. What has occurred within this bill is a correcting of that bad behaviour that was encouraged under the Labour Government. When we actually look at the feedback from the industry the industry itself said that it required more input into the training qualifications. If you look at the 2012-13 review that is what comes out of there. When you look at new section 11A inserted by clause 15 of this bill it talks about opening it up to non - industry training organisations. That also came from the industry. There were five industry sectors that submitted in that 2012-13 review that said that they would like to have more options. Rather than preaching over there in a self-righteous way take a serious look at yourselves while you are in Opposition.Thank you—it is a pleasure to support this bill.
O'Connor Simon: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeO'Connor Simon: Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16801. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SIMON O’CONNOR (National—Tāmaki):The last speaker David Clendon mentioned a progressive Government. One of the great problems with progressivism is that there have to be winners and there have to be losers. They are arbitrarily chosen by certain individuals. That is something that people like myself and I suspect colleagues on this side of the House want to avoid because like this bill the Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill it is about trying to help all people—all Kiwis—who want to move into the training space and particularly facilitating that through industry training organisations.I think our work in the Education and Science Committee was very collegial in working with submitters to bring this bill to its second reading now to a stage that is going to support industry training organisations to be even stronger but acknowledging too that there are other options outside the industry training organisation framework and being able to support in particular our young people—of all genders—to move into the training space where we need them the most. I commend this bill to the House.
Macindoe Tim: Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMacindoe Tim: Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16787. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West):My integrity and motives as an MP were attacked earlier in this debate by Dr Prasad. In response to his criticism of this Government and this bill the Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill I asked him a simple question and that was what we should call those who steal from New Zealand taxpayers by committing fraud to obtain welfare payments to which they are not entitled. Dr Prasad chose to attack me personally rather than answer that question and his abusive comments are on the record in Hansard.I want to make it clear to everyone who may be listening that I have always defended our welfare State and argued that it should treat all who genuinely qualify for welfare assistance and their dependants as compassionately and generously as possible. I have always done that. There is nothing punitive or heartless about that position Dr Prasad. And yes thank you I am at peace with my soul about my concern for everyone in that difficult position. But nor is it punitive to take appropriate steps to detect and prevent planned and intentional fraud. That is not stealing from the nebulous concept of the State as Dr Prasad would put it but from every honest taxpayer in this nation many of whom are also struggling to put a roof over their family’s heads and a square meal on the table. That Dr Prasad is what is morally indefensible. This bill strikes a fair and just balance and I am proud to support it.
Heatley Phil: Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHeatley Phil: Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16785. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei):Welfare will always be there to support the people in our community who need it for as long as they do need it. That is why we have worked hard in the last 5 years to bring the welfare system into the 21st century and to make sure that it is better targeted to those who are in need. Many needed it during that period of the recession. As we have climbed out of the recession of course we are now seeing economic growth and it is a good thing that that system was there.However as part of our reforms we did promise to clamp down on welfare fraud. This Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill is what focuses our attention on the few that small percent who do owe debts to the taxpayer and who continue to undertake fraudulent practices. I think that people have a lot more understanding of how fraud can be frowned upon when you look at the State housing system. We clamped down on fraud in State housing where people would receive a State house courtesy of the taxpayer they would not live in it but would live in a house elsewhere that they had not declared and they then sublet that other property as if they were the landlord and collected the cash.Under the previous Labour Government none of those people was picked up. Oh actually I believe that over several years it caught 10 people. In recent years—in 1 year in fact—we got between 300 and 400 State house tenants who were fraudulently subletting their State houses. Labour ignored that; we are focusing on it in the same way that we are focusing on our welfare system outside State housing but within welfare. We need to do that. We need to do that for the few people who rip off the system for those many who need it from time to time. I support this bill.
Roy Eric: Amended Answers to Oral Questions — Question No. 11 to MinisterText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoy Eric: Amended Answers to Oral Questions — Question No. 11 to Minister[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16776. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The record will stand corrected.
Lotu-Iiga Sam: Amended Answers to Oral Questions — Question No. 11 to MinisterText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLotu-Iiga Sam: Amended Answers to Oral Questions — Question No. 11 to Minister[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16776. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Minister of Pacific Island Affairs):I seek leave to make a personal explanation to correct an answer to question No. 11 today.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there anyone opposed to that course of action? It appears not. Leave is granted.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker. In response to a supplementary question to question No. 11 today I stated to the House that there were 10000 more Pacific people working in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared with the fourth quarter of 2009. In checking my figures again the correct answer should have been “compared with the second quarter of 2009”. Thank you.
Ross Jami-Lee: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoss Jami-Lee: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16772. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany):I commend the Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill to the House.Bill read a second time.
Tisch Lindsay: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTisch Lindsay: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16770. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): I understand that the next call is a split call—Hon Trevor Mallard: No I don’t think it is.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): It is not? OK—Hon Trevor Mallard: No no. I think the Greens have been kind enough to say that they would like to listen to me for 10 minutes.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Well we look forward to 10 minutes from the Hon Trevor Mallard.
O'Connor Simon: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeO'Connor Simon: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16770. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SIMON O’CONNOR (National—Tāmaki):I think this has been a great example listening to the Opposition members of the green tail wagging the red dog—the belief that if you use words like “strategic” and “planning” and all of this somehow it will just come to pass. They are talking about that then with the roading network—that somehow you know we are just going to value-add to things like logs and the fisheries and so on without actually taking in the fact of whether anyone is going to buy them and ultimately how you are going to transport them.If you live up in Whangarei like I used to where there are huge logging issues you want these roads of national significance opened up. That is why colleagues like Mike Sabin and Mark Mitchell are supporting the Pūhoi to Wellsford highway and why we are trying to open up areas like the Waikato Expressway. It is to make this economy work more efficiently and faster.So this legislation the Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill here in its second reading is an attempt—a small attempt but an attempt in the wider scheme of things—to make the transport system in New Zealand far more efficient. We are committed to an economy that is fast and flexible and that is why we move towards a fast and flexible land transport scheme. I commend the bill to the House.
Calder Cam: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCalder Cam: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16767. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Dr CAM CALDER (National):What an extraordinarily perceptive contribution from Mr Prosser expounding at length on the mellifluous oratory of his colleague Denis O’Rourke and the merits of Massey Ferguson tractors. It followed on a beautiful segue from the peroration of the bucolic charms of “Taradise” from the member Mr Andrew Little and the charms of State Highway 3. What an extraordinary contribution. I was thinking that it might be 5 to 6 on a Thursday but it is not. I look at the clock and it is 25 past 5 on a Tuesday. I wonder what we are in for later on this week.I must say this bill the Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill is small and perfectly formed. It amends primary legislation to enable exemptions from road-user charges for vehicles not required to be registered for use on roads such as the many by-ways and highways of Taranaki. I commend this bill to the House.
Tisch Lindsay: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTisch Lindsay: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16763. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): The next call will be a split call. Julie Anne Genter—5 minutes.
Bennett David: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBennett David: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16760. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East):It is good to hear that the Labour Party is supporting this bill the Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill. I just want to acknowledge the Labour members on the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee who do such a fine job there—Darien and the others who have worked so hard on this bill. Thank you for your support for the Government on this bill.This bill has a somewhat chequered history as the previous speaker Darien Fenton has said. At the same time these areas of road-user charges are not the easiest to deliver rules and regulations around in the first hit. Even when this bill was being considered by the select committee the Road Transport Forum brought up the risk of tractors potentially using the road in a way that had not been anticipated or is not easy to accommodate through our road-user charges process. So it is still not 100 percent you could say in the sense that there may be opportunities for people to try to use their forms of transport to avoid the charges but that is the nature of these things. We have just got to do what we can under the rules in the way that we can. I appreciate the work the Minister of Transport has done in getting this bill through the House and the select committee.Also today we have had comments in this House from the Green Party about the roads of national significance. It is very disappointing to see those members attacking those roads which are so important for the structure of the New Zealand infrastructure and freight transport forwarding in New Zealand going forward. When we look at the Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill we have got to remember that these things travel on roads and the roads of national significance are vital for the growth of this country. It would be good to see the Green Party actually supporting those roads rather than trying to decry them and reduce funding for them which no doubt the Green Party intends to do.This is a bill that is important in the sense that it clears up some of the anomalies in the road-user charge system. They are very simple changes but they are necessary to make that system more effective. We look forward to it passing through the House. Thank you.
Ross Jami-Lee: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoss Jami-Lee: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16757. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany):I commend the Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill to the House.Bill read a second time.
Hayes Joanne: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16755. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOANNE HAYES (National):Kia ora Mr Deputy Speaker. I am pleased to take a short call on the Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill. We New Zealanders deserve to feel safe in our homes and in our communities. This Government is building a safer New Zealand and we have embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform to protect communities prevent crime and put victims first. We are staying tough on criminals we are keeping record numbers of police on the beat and we are ensuring that the justice system focuses on the rights of victims. I commend this bill to the House.
Sabin Mike: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSabin Mike: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16753. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MIKE SABIN (National—Northland):The Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill is another very good example of the work that is going on right across the whole justice pipeline—in particular when we look at the implications of crime to the victims. Victims through no fault of their own find themselves embroiled in events that will probably stay with them for the rest of their lives and that is perpetuated only in situations where those charged with offences against those victims are able to in some way shape or form continue to intimidate harass or otherwise affect that victim. This bill is very much about ensuring that the balance is achieved between protecting the rights of the offender to defend themselves against the charges and putting the victim absolutely at the centre of the justice system in terms of the protections that need to be afforded to them to ensure that their passage through the justice system is smoothly travelled and that they do not continue to essentially be violated.I just want to commend the Minister of Justice and the Law and Order Committee for the work that they are doing in this space. It is another good example of a raft of work actually going on that is reorganising how we deal with crime in this country. There is a 33-year low in reported crime and the best way that we can do right by our victims is to have less crime in the first place but this bill is another good step.
Mitchell Mark: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMitchell Mark: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16750. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MARK MITCHELL (National—Rodney):When I last spoke on this bill I was acknowledging the chair of the Law and Order Committee Jacqui Dean who is a very very good chair of the committee. We worked well as a committee. I notice that when Mr Goff took his call he made it sound like it was an individual sport. It is not. It has been a real team effort so I would like to acknowledge all the members of the Law and Order Committee.The Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill is a very important bill. I just want to refer to the last time the select committee sat. We were hearing submissions but it was actually about parole hearings. The committee heard from a young lady who had been subjected to a very serious and violent domestic assault. The offender in this case was still in prison but she felt distressed even thinking about having to appear at a parole hearing. That folds into these non-contact orders in terms of the amount of stress placed on victims when they know there is even a possibility that they could come into contact with or run into the offender or the person responsible for the attack on them. We were very very pleased as a committee to work on this bill.I will not mention all the main provisions but I would like to go through just a couple that really are the guts of the bill. The bill establishes a mechanism for a victim of a violent offence including offences of a sexual nature to obtain a non-contact order against the offender in any case where the offender has been convicted of the offence and sentenced to imprisonment for 2 years or more. We had a fair bit of debate in the committee about this. Originally it was not 2 years and we actually brought it back and brought it in line with other related legislation at 2 years which I think was a very very good change. I am very very happy to commend this bill to the House. Thank you.
Hayes Joanne: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16750. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOANNE HAYES (National):Kia ora Mr Deputy Speaker. I will take a short call on this bill the Electoral Amendment Bill. What I do not get is whatever happened to people standing by their word? From reading everything that I have read on this bill and hearing the discussions and deliberations that have gone on the 11 recommendations were unanimously agreed to by all of the Justice and Electoral Committee members. So where are the Opposition members standing by their word on this bill and supporting it? We are not taking out the EasyVote card; it is OK as it is. I can tell you now that it disappoints me that Opposition members have gone against their word of support for this bill.This bill is an excellent bill and it has been delivered by an outstanding Minister of Justice Judith Collins. I commend this bill to the House.
Robertson H V Ross: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRobertson H V Ross: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16748. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): I recognise the honourable member Iain Lees-Galloway.
Wilkinson Kate: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWilkinson Kate: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16744. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon KATE WILKINSON (National—Waimakariri):I rise to take a short call in support of the Electoral Amendment Bill. I want to refer firstly to what the Hon Maryan Street said. In this regard I actually have to agree wholeheartedly. What she said last week was that this is electoral law reform this is the modernisation of our electoral legislation and it should enjoy the support of the House. Well actually she is absolutely right but we have a select committee process in this country that I think is one to be admired and respected. In that select committee process we had the Justice and Electoral Committee comprising all the parties—the Green Party the New Zealand First Party and Labour—and we had what is called a unanimous report back. We have this copy here that says: “As reported from the Justice and Electoral Committee” “text inserted unanimously” and “text deleted unanimously”.We have had a bit of criticism about the EasyVote card. The bill says: “We consider that the proposed provision for a new process known operationally as EasyVote Express would in effect lower the threshold for casting a vote increasing the potential for fraud …”. The “we” that is referred to in the select committee report which was agreed to was the Hon Maryan Street the honourable Denis O’Rourke and the honourable Holly Walker—well it was David Clendon on her behalf. That is why we have a select committee process. Something obviously happened between the report back and later where they changed their minds. Maybe it is because it is election year and silly things get said and silly things get done. I am really disappointed that other parties are playing politics with our election law because I do not think that is acceptable.The other thing that I am disappointed about is the Hon Maryan Street. Do you know what she said? She said that the convention that all parties—or at least the vast majority of parties—would support changes to legislation was one that had not been broken until now. We all remember the Electoral Finance Act. It was broken then and it was a disgrace then. At least now we have a select committee process where all the parties are represented. They worked together collaboratively for some law that is actually an improvement and now they change their minds. There is a word for that. Unfortunately they are a disgrace to our select committee process but election year does actually throw up funny things. However this is good law. It is modernising the electoral law and I support it.
Robertson H V Ross: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRobertson H V Ross: Electoral Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16739. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): I call the honourable member Holly Walker but could I just advise you to speak into the microphone. It is very difficult to hear.
Carter David: Urgent Debates Declined — Schools—Performance-based FundingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCarter David: Urgent Debates Declined — Schools—Performance-based Funding[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16735. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members I have received a letter from Chris Hipkins seeking to debate under Standing Order 386 an announcement of a plan to move toward performance-based funding in schools. For there to be an urgent debate the matter raised must be a particular case of recent occurrence involving ministerial responsibility. Although school decile ratings will be recalculated by the Ministry of Education following the census claims that the Government is looking to fund schools according to student performance appear to be media speculation and have been rejected by the Minister of Education. Media speculation can never give rise to an urgent debate. The urgent debate procedure is a means of debating matters that have occurred. It is not a means of debating matters that might or might not happen in the future. The fact that a Minister may have indicated “we need to be looking for something else.” is not on its own sufficient to constitute a case of recent occurrence. The application is therefore declined.
Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 18 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16734. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East)to the Minister of Transport: What progress is being made on the Government’s high-productivity motor vehicles routes programme?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport):Good progress is being made. The Government has invested $45 million in improving bridges nationwide so heavier loads can be carried on them. The first of a number of these have been completed on State Highway 1 near Whangarei. The Otaika Stream Bridge No. 85 and the Kauri railway overbridge are now operating as high-productivity motor vehicles routes.David Bennett: What are the benefits of the high-productivity motor vehicles routes programme?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: It means that motor vehicles can carry more freight per trip. Accordingly they reduce the number of trips that need to be taken. For example the Otaika Stream Bridge took approximately 56 truck crossings a day 6 days a week making this part of a nationwide high-productivity motor vehicles route. It means that it saves about 14 truck movements a day. As well as productivity gains that is also good for the environment.