Smith Nick: General Debates 
Smith Nick: General Debates 
[Volume:619;Page:15028] 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. The parlous state of this Government is reflected in this pathetic Order Paper before the House that shows how lacking this Government is in having any sort of agenda or vision for New Zealand. Let us look at the bold new ideas from the Government this week for taking this country forward. It is another dose of PC pathetic nonsense from this nanny State Government. The latest idea is from George Hawkins Minister of Internal Affairs. Not being satisfied with taxing the heck out of New Zealanders with his speed cameras or his ticket-an-hour quota for the police he has now come up with an initiative to save New Zealanders. 
Opposition Member 
: What is it? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: It is fences around paddling pools. Despite not having a single fatality in 5 years his Department of Internal Affairs will now require every family in New Zealand with an innocent paddling pool to spend $5000 on a fence. If any unsuspecting New Zealand family does not provide the fence required by George Hawkins’ department it will be up for a fine of $500. 
The petty bureaucrats of this Labour Government are again constraining the freedoms of New Zealanders. There is no limit to the petty control-freak elements of the Ministers in this Government. There is no vision for the economy. There is no vision for what will take New Zealand forward. Instead the answer is fences around paddling pools. Is it any wonder that there are podgy children when the Government makes this one of its priorities? But the Government will not stop there. The Minister of Transport not content with trying to control the roads now wants to put the same sorts of petty controls on those New Zealanders who dare go off-road. That provision is in a sneaky transport bill that was not announced to any member of this House. Harry Duynhoven and his bureaucrats now want to control four-wheel drive enthusiasts those involved in the outdoors and farmers by introducing a new set of controls and petty pathetic laws. The police will now give out tickets not just when drivers are on the road but also when their cars are in their driveways at home. 
Is there any limit to the extent this Government will go to regulate and take away the freedoms of New Zealanders? Will Harry Duynhoven get to his feet and explain why the Government wants to ticket people involved in events like those that would have involved Possum Bourne? Possum Bourne would turn in his grave at the notion that this Government wants to put those sorts of regulations on those who use their vehicles off-road. There are absolutely no limits to the extent to which this Government will go to try to control every nook and cranny of New Zealand life whether it is those involved in organising the Rally of New Zealand or those families with paddling pools. 
Hon Steve Maharey 
: It’s too hard too savage. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I ask Mr Maharey whether he supports fences around paddling pools. I know there is hardly a member in this Government who has children but perhaps even those members who do might accept that fences around paddling pools shows in effect the stupidity of this Government and how far it will go to take away the freedoms of ordinary New Zealanders. The country has had enough of the pettiness of the bureaucrats and regulations that this Government would have us follow in order to control every nook and cranny of New Zealand life. People are looking for a different vision. They are looking for the sorts of policies that National has—policies that would get the Government out of people’s lives—rather than the petty nonsense we see from this Labour Government.