Williams Andrew: Reserve Bank of New Zealand (Amending Primary Function of Bank) Amendment Bill (No 2) — First ReadingText is subject to correctionWilliams Andrew: Reserve Bank of New Zealand (Amending Primary Function of Bank) Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading[Sitting date: 13 November 2013. Volume:694;Page:70. Text is subject to correction.]ANDREW WILLIAMS (NZ First): The Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989 is now a quarter of a century old. It came into being in a generation prior to the internet prior to email prior to ATMs and prior to all the electronic functions that we now have such as mobile phones and all sorts of other electronic things that we are now accustomed to. And you would think that after 25 years such a fundamental Act as the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act should be subject to at least some form of review to see whether that same Act that suited the 1980s is still applicable in the year 2013 heading to the year 2014.For any Government of this country regardless of your political persuasion to put up an argument and say that after 25 years there is no justification at all to review one of the fundamental cornerstones of our economy then quite frankly that Government is not acting in the best interests of the people of New Zealand. That Government is not acting in the best interests of the people of New Zealand; that Government is acting in the best political interests of its own self-serving financial fundamentals.In that respect I have been in export for the last 35 years and I can assure you that there are exporters out there absolutely hurting in the meat industry in the fishing industry in the forestry industry in manufacturing and in all sorts of industries because they say that our dollar is well and truly overvalued. They say that it is time that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act is reviewed and that it is time that this Government woke up took some responsibility and became a mature responsible Government on behalf of its people. It is time it actually said: “Let’s send this Reserve Bank of New Zealand (Amending Primary Function of Bank) Amendment Bill (No 2) to a select committee let’s give it the light of day let’s let the businesses of New Zealand and the people of New Zealand have some say in this and let’s hear what the people of New Zealand have to say about an Act that is a quarter of a century old and that has such a huge impact on the daily lives of the people of this country.”And the politicians—the 59 of you in the National Party—next year in 12 months’ time at the election need to stand on the hustings and you need to justify to the voters of New Zealand and say: “We weren’t prepared to at least review it to at least see how there could be some fundamentals changed to see how we could assist export growth in this country to see how our economy could perhaps thrive and move at a faster ratethan would otherwise be the case under the current situation.” This is an appalling situation. This should not be a political situation; this should be a situation where you are all New Zealanders. You are all New Zealanders. Wake up and be New Zealanders for a change and realise that New Zealanders out there of all political persuasions are at least saying that we should review this Act see whether the Reserve Bank is working for the best interests of New Zealand and let us do what is best for the country.