Donnelly Brian: Farmers' Mutual Group Bill — Second Reading Procedure Third Reading 
Donnelly Brian: Farmers' Mutual Group Bill — Second Reading Procedure Third Reading 
[Volume:641;Page:11151] 
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY (NZ First) 
: 
 I am very grateful to have heard the contribution made by Mr David Carter who explained a number of things to us about this bill. New Zealand First had already decided it would support the passage of the bill all the way through because we thought it made sense but we were not aware that the rationale behind that was to ensure the legislation was passed before the Farmers’ Mutual Group annual general meeting so that Mr Peter Jensen could have some recognition of the work he has put in behind it. That makes New Zealand First even more pleased that we have cooperated in this case. 
There is an interesting thing about the history of it. Mr Carter mentioned a Mr Kirkbride a former member for Manukau. I always stay at a hotel in Mangere just off Kirkbride Road and I just wonder whether it is named after the same person. If it is the same person then every time I go down there it will ring a special bell in my head. 
Hon David Carter 
: They’ll be able to name a street in Rarotonga. 
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY 
: Ha ha! There is a thing called Ara Metua which goes all the way around. It is called the Old Road. 
There is more than just a simple name change in this legislation obviously. I guess to understand that we have to understand why there is only one remaining mutual association under the Act which was obviously put in place in 1903 for some very very good reasons as have been explained by Mr Carter. It was updated in 1955 but really it no longer serves the purpose as well as it might for modern society. I quote from the report back which states: “The Farmers’ Mutual Group retains its mutuality under this bill but it will also have the powers capacity and governance regime of a company under the Companies Act 1993.” I think that sentence basically explains what the purpose of the bill is. 
The select committee however as has been pointed out made a number of changes to the wording which obviously improves the quality of the legislation but has not made any substantive change. Once again I agree with the preceding speaker Simon Power that select committees actually do add value to legislation by trawling through it and by acting as the vehicle for participatory democracy. I think that improves the procedure. 
 I pay credit to the work done by David Carter. The critical point is that under first past the post it was almost a given that members of the governing party had to be the chairs of select committees. Under the first MMP Government—the coalition between New Zealand First and National—that sentiment was retained. But as time went on it became understood that chairs of select committees do not necessarily have to be part of a governing party that those roles could be given out to members from other parties and that MPs took their responsibilities and roles seriously. In this particular case Mr David Carter is a member of the Opposition but he is the chair of that select committee and he sees that particular function as being the most important part of it. It shows in this legislation that David Carter has acted responsibly as the chair of the select committee which is an agency of Parliament. 
I think that shows a recognition that we no longer need to think in terms of first-past-the-post politics. We have genuinely entered the MMP era. For that I give credit to the Labour Government. Gradually and slowly it has had the fortitude to give members of other parties the confidence and credibility to chair those select committees and I say that very much as a non-Government member who has chaired a select committee not only over this Parliament but the one before. So I give credit to all of the committee members here because obviously they have taken their duties seriously improved the legislation and have effectively supported the major thrust of it. I believe it is good to be part of a Parliament that acts cooperatively as we have acted this afternoon in respect of this legislation.