Hughes GarethGARETH HUGHES (Green): Kia ora Mr Assistant Speaker. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora. I rise to support this legislation on behalf of the Green Party. Look when you look at last year we saw 62 organ donations in New Zealand. Now that's an incredibly small number vis-à-vis the rest of our population but when you think each of those are 62 unique people with lives with history with loved ones and with whānau—62 families wider communities impacted—you see what a blessing what a gift organ donation can be: as has been canvassed in this debate tonight it is literally the gift of life.Now while it's a small number when you look at the other side of the ledger there are 550 New Zealanders according to Organ Donation New Zealand that are awaiting donations. It's heartbreaking when you look at the front page of their website where they quite frankly say that people will die in New Zealand waiting for an organ. It's a tragic set of affairs a tragic case for those individuals those whānaus and those communities. That's why it's so important that Parliament is coming together unanimously tonight to support organ donation to make it easier to see organs donated and to put in place a more effective regime that's literally going to save lives.So this comes out of the expert advisory group that the previous Government worked on. I know Chris Bishop talked before and I acknowledge the work that he's done through his member's bill but this legislation tonight is truly a cross-party effort involving experts involving those with lived experiences on the ground to develop the national organ donation strategy. A key centrepiece of this will be the establishment of a national organ donation agency most likely the New Zealand Blood Service. Now this is common overseas. I understand doing a little bit of research this is what has driven the increase in organ donation both in the UK and Canada which have a regime.If you look at the New Zealand stats we've got about 13 out of a million deceased organ donations in New Zealand per annum. When you look at Australia it's more than that; it's 20. If you look at the United Kingdom it's 21.4 so substantially more—again more stories more real people and more families and communities impacted. So we think the establishment of a central body to raise the profile to support effective clinical governance to work with the health sector to coordinate donation transplantation and to provide expert advice will make a difference.Now the second big part of this legislation that will make a difference for Kiwis awaiting organ donation is changing some of the compensation rules to donors. There is a situation under the previous older regime where when people return to work part-time they aren't eligible. This is cleaning that up to make sure those people will be eligible. The second area is around where compensation is to be paid to donors even if the doctor's surgery is undertaken overseas. Now there's an important caveat to this: that this is only in approved organ donation examples. But for Kiwis that have to go overseas this is going to make a huge difference. So the Green Party is very proud to be working in this space. I know associate health Minister Julie Anne Genter is doing a great deal of work in association with the Hon Dr David Clark improving the health situation for New Zealanders. So this is a positive step forward that's going to make a real difference so it is great to be joining with other parties making a difference for Kiwis. Kia ora koutou.Bill read a first time. Bill referred to the Health Committee.