Guy Nathan: Sports Anti-Doping Bill — In Committee 
Guy Nathan: Sports Anti-Doping Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:634;Page:6144] 
NATHAN GUY (National) 
: 
 It is good to take a call on the Sports Anti-Doping Bill. It is interesting that the word “doping” was probably derived from the Dutch word “dope” which was an alcoholic drink made up of grape skins and used by Zulu warriors apparently. It made them pretty macho in battle. So that is a little bit of history about where the word “dope” came from many many centuries ago. 
The important thing is that performance enhancement through foreign substances—oh the Minister is going to get out the dictionary now. We will look forward to something from the “Mallard Concise Dictionary” shortly. 
The main thing is that for years and years there have been performance-enhancing drugs in sport. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: “Doop” was the word. 
NATHAN GUY 
: “Doop”? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Yes that was the Dutch word. 
NATHAN GUY 
: Oh I thought it was “dope”. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: No “doop”—d o o p. 
NATHAN GUY 
: OK I am using another dictionary from Holland. Anyway it is a small debating point. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: It is a derivative so to speak. 
NATHAN GUY 
: Thank you. Thanks for that. I will look forward to hearing a call from the Minister shortly. 
What is actually happening is that this legislation is a bit of a tidy-up as I look at it because the old legislation looks to be a little bit fragmented and haphazard. I think that now what the Government Administration Committee and the Minister are trying to do—which we are supporting—is actually to modernise the rules around this subject and in particular around professionalism. It is really a matter of having a level playing field. I think back to the days when I used to play a little bit of rugby—that is rugby to National Provincial Championship standard. I remember coming off the field from one particular game and seeing a colleague of mine being given a jar and having to do a urine sample there and then on the spot. So he went away to drink a whole lot of water— 
Brian Connell 
: That was Jerry’s problem. 
NATHAN GUY 
: Oh I am not sure about that. So this legislation will actually tidy up a few things that need to be done in order to move our sporting ethics into the modernised world. But I think the key thing with sport—and the Minister knows this being a bit of a sport buff and having a history of playing for the parliamentary rugby team. Unfortunately I do not think he will be putting on his boots next week for the golden oldies tournament will he? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: No I’m history. 
NATHAN GUY 
: Yes. That is actually a good comment. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: In a rugby sense. 
NATHAN GUY 
: Yes. We will wait for 2008 or before to see whether that becomes true. 
The good thing about sport though is that it enables participation and I would hate to see this legislation stop people from playing sport. For a lot of rural and provincial areas around New Zealand it is extremely hard to attract people into our rugby clubs and sports clubs so the important thing with sport is actually to make sure that people are able to participate. 
I was pleased to see that the select committee did not want to refer to the police people who take some of these substances because that to me would seem a bit ludicrous. Someone may have to take a substance on the advice of a doctor. Pethidine or morphine are examples. It would seem stupid to refer that to the police because right now we have problems in our society and we need the police out there solving those problems. Notwithstanding that if a major drug ring were involved in sports then it should be referred to the police. 
I alert the Minister to new subclause (2A) of clause 30: “In recommending a person for appointment as a member of the Tribunal the Minister must have regard to the person’s personal attributes qualifications and skills.” There are a couple of people up in Horowhenua whom I think the Minister might like to consider. One of those of course is Dean Kent a fantastic swimmer who did extremely well in the Commonwealth Games of 2006 when he obtained a silver medal in the 200 metre individual medley in the pool. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: You don’t think he might have a conflict at the moment? 
NATHAN GUY 
: Ah—not that I am aware of. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Being a current athlete? 
NATHAN GUY 
: Oh yes—fair enough. I was meaning in more futuristic terms. The other one whom I think in the future the Minister might want to have a look at is a great sporting icon from Horowhenua who is still playing a little bit. It is Carlos Spencer. 
Jo Goodhew 
: Oh we thought you were talking about you. 
NATHAN GUY 
: No no not myself I have actually retired. It is Carlos Spencer. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Where’s he playing? 
NATHAN GUY 
: He is playing at the moment over in Northampton in England but he will be coming back to New Zealand at some stage soon. He got his first tattoo at the age of 15 while at Waiopehu College. So I say well done; it is a good bill and we support it. I look forward— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Say “Mr Chairman” and you can keep going. 
NATHAN GUY 
: Mr Chairman? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: If you are praising me you can keep going for another 5 minutes. 
NATHAN GUY 
: I look forward to the Minister taking a call because I think he needs to do so on a couple of things. One is the definition he has got out of his dictionary and the other is his talking about himself being history. I think it would be great if he could take a call and further explain that.