Ngaro AlfredHon ALFRED NGARO (National): Madam Chair thank you. I stand in support of this amendment. At the heart of this amendment and at the heart of what we are proposing over here on this side of the House is the word integrity". The word "integrity" has elements of definitions such as trust and of faith. If you think about this amendment it talks about the role which is a statutory role of the Electoral Commission. Its role of responsibility is to ensure that the process to both administer and fulfil the electoral process is entrusted into the Electoral Commission. So I would say to the Minister that this amendment proposed by the Hon Dr Nick Smith is a practical amendment that will again continue the extension of that process.I cannot see that it is unreasonable to ask that the Minister will consider this amendment because what it means is that it's a further extension. It's nothing new. It's what we currently have in process in place at present. It's what we entrust. All New Zealanders throughout New Zealand know that election day and even in the advance voting and in the process leading up to that and even whether it be the promotion of the election itself is entrusted in the Electoral Commission. So I would say to the Minister how difficult is it to ensure that in this amendment all it is requiring is that the Electoral Commission have the role to ensure that they report back to the House. There's nothing new there. We entrust them with that role of responsibility as it is now. I'd like to read from the departmental disclosure statement. On page 5 section 3.3 where it talks about the consistency with the New Zealand Bill of Rights of 1990—and I quote here—it says "Has sought advice provided by the Attorney-General". This is the advice that has been returned: "The Attorney General has reviewed the draft Bill. The Bill significantly limits freedom of expression and freedom of association and so raises the issue of whether those limits are justifiable under section 5 the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 … The Attorney-General has concluded that while the issue is finely balanced the limitations on the freedoms are justified." So we have to accept that that's his view. I want to go back though and in his statement is this: "The Attorney-General has concluded that while the issue is finely balanced". So if it is finely balanced and if he has already said in his previous remarks that actually it is a significant limitation on freedoms then who do we place that responsibility on? That responsibility should be replaced back to the Electoral Commission and that is what we are asking for here. In the explanatory note it simply says this: "The use of the MP exclusion provisions in the Act are an extreme measure undertaken by leaders of political parties and should require significant oversight." When we talk about significant oversight I again say to the Minister it is not unreasonable to include this amendment. It's what we currently have as a provision of care and responsibility—a statutory role from the Electoral Commission that is in there as well. I want to conclude by saying this: if the intent shown by the speeches from the Minister himself and of the Government of the day is to ensure that this will provide integrity then why not include this amendment? Why not include this amendment? Why not include the provisions of responsibility that are already there with the Electoral Commission so that it can report to the House? It's a body that has a neutral positon. It's a body that's already trusted by all of New Zealanders. It's not unreasonable to be able to have this provision as a significant oversight. The Attorney-General has himself already noted in the departmental disclosure statement that this is a finely balanced piece of legislation here. So in order to find that balance we should have the care and responsibility in the hands of those that are able to provide that. I conclude my remarks in saying that I hope the Minister will consider this. It is a small but significant amendment and it means that all New Zealanders can entrust—if we are arguing for integrity and integrity in its definition about faith and trust in the system when we are seeing a significant shift and change and when the democratic rights of New Zealanders have been to vote whether by list or by constituent electorate MPs into that position then surely the process should have integrity and faith inside of it. We propose on this side with this amendment that the pathway forward for this is to allow the Electoral Commission to take on this role and responsibility.I'm looking at the Minister. He's a reasonable person I know. We've spoken on different occasions. I hope that he will see this as a reasonable proposition about an amendment to the bill that's been proposed to the committee. I propose and support this amendment to the committee."