Sepuloni Carmel; Salesa JennySecond ReadingHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for ACC) on behalf of the Minister of Finance: I move That the Income Insurance Scheme (Enabling Development) Bill be now read a second time. Every year it is estimated that more than 100000 Kiwis lose their job through no fault of their own. The COVID-19 outbreak is a stark example that widespread job losses have occurred all too frequently over the last 40 years. As we rebuild the economy we have an opportunity to put better protections for Kiwi workers in place. For this reason we have consulted publicly on a proposal for an income insurance scheme that would be administered by ACC. The new scheme would be delivered alongside but separate to the accident compensation scheme. However it is important to note that the Government has not yet decided whether to establish a scheme or whether ACC should deliver it. We are currently considering submissions and feedback we received given the closing date for submissions was 26 April 2022. ACC is currently only able to exercise functions that relate to the purposes of the accident compensation scheme. This means that at the moment it is difficult for ACC to participate significantly in any pre-implementation work on a scheme. It can only do so where it is consistent with what is in the legislation. The bill empowers ACC to support any future work on a scheme and ensures Government has access to the wealth of information and expertise ACC has in delivering social insurance. The authority provided by the bill is time limited and would be replaced by subsequent legislation to establish and govern a scheme.The bill will be repealed in 2025 in the absence of subsequent legislation. The enabling legislation includes a Te Tiriti provision recognising that decisions made when establishing and operationalising such a scheme will impact on how Māori and others experience the scheme. We want a scheme that Māori can access as easily as others that responds to their needs as individuals and also as members of whānau hapū and iwi. Most of all we want a scheme that delivers outcomes for Māori and does not perpetuate current inequities that Māori experience in the Labour Party. I want to acknowledge the support that we've had in the House in the first reading particularly the Māori Party and we've also been supported by iwi leaders with regards to continuing to explore and further development on this particular scheme. And there is great interest by iwi leaders with regards to how this could support Māori whānau. The bill also includes a provision requiring ACC to engage with worker and employer representatives. It goes without saying that workers' and employers' views must be reflected in the development of a social insurance scheme such as this. But the provision also recognises the value of the tripartite process that was critical to developing the proposal for consultation and ensures the continuation of the tripartite process where representatives of workers employers and Government work together. I hear the other side of the House mocking the reference to a tripartite arrangement here. We wouldn't have gone ahead if we didn't have the support of both Business New Zealand and the Council of Trade Unions with regards to developing this proposal. They clearly see the benefits of such a scheme for workers and it's very very disappointing that the National Party can't also see the benefits potentially to workers in the way in which Business New Zealand and the Council of Trade Unions clearly do. Also I will say listening to some of the first reading speeches it's been very disappointing to hear some of the Opposition speeches. They really do highlight how out of touch the Opposition is with New Zealanders. They refer to hard-working Kiwis and then make statements inferring that most New Zealanders have private medical insurance. The reality is that most New Zealanders do not have private medical insurance. And so the comments that Simon Watts made about that in reference to that clearly shows how out of touch he and his party really are with the hard-working New Zealanders that they refer to the middle New Zealanders that they refer to. Very disappointing but a revelation hopefully for the many people that will be watching this debate across the country I'm sure right now.The bill includes information-sharing provisions that authorise ACC to use the information it receives from Government agencies and other information held by ACC for the purpose of setting up the systems and processes for the establishment of the scheme. ACC already has authorisation to receive and use the information for administering the accident compensation scheme. The provisions in the bill will authorise requests and use of information for the new purpose of establishing the operational requirements of an income insurance scheme. I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The question is that the motion be agreed to.