Jones Shane: Land Transport (Road Safety and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Jones Shane: Land Transport (Road Safety and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:671;Page:18077] 
Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Chairperson. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I just seek clarification. Can you give me some clarification and point to where it states in the Standing Orders that when two members from different sides of the Chamber get up a member from the same side as previously gets the call again? 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: First of all that is at the discretion of the Chair. Secondly once I have called a member I cannot take the call away from that member. I recognise the concern that the member has expressed and I have noted that. The call has already been given. 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: Mr Chair tena koe. It is very important that we note that your encyclopaedic knowledge of the arcane rules of Parliament has demonstrated that Tau represents zero waste because in order for waste to occur there has to be a product. For the entirety of this evening there has been no product. There has actually been an enormous amount of fog an enormous amount of confusion where that member prepared to deliver to his own Minister his commitment to vote against the bill. Mr Tau Henare had not chosen to read the bill; he did not realise that members on this side of the Chamber actually applaud some of what the Minister is doing in terms of taking a zero-tolerance approach towards very young and vulnerable drivers. Please can we enable the Minister to provide that message to Mr Tau Henare. 
I will talk about the title of the Land Transport (Road Safety and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. I suggest that it be called the “Land and Marine Transport (Road and Marine Safety) Bill” as that would enable us to actually address the issue of the day which is the gross danger and absence of safety in the marine environment today. There has been a total absence a total disinterest on the part of the Acting—and I use that term in its fullest meaning—Minister of Energy and Resources. I wish that the title of this bill had been expanded because that would have enabled us to address one of the larger safety issues today. It does relate to transport: it relates to the intrepid yachties who are bobbing around out there defending the rights of the tangata whenua up and down the Tai Rawhiti and who have been long since forgotten about by members on the other side of the Chamber. All that those people are doing is ensuring that their democratic rights are protected as they are transported around by yachts and as they stand against the dangers represented by exploration activity in the absence of environmental safeguards. That level of safety could have been addressed had we changed the title of this bill. 
I also want to talk about the commencement date. I thank the Minister in the chair the Hon Nathan Guy for explaining to the Committee that there is a reason why all these dates and segments have been identified. It provides an opportunity for the police and various other agencies to prepare to enforce these rules. But that causes us to look at the Royal assent. I bring members’ attention to clause 2(4): “The rest of this Act comes into force on the day after the date of Royal assent.” Royal assent has a very proud and rich history. It goes right back to the Royal Council at a time when Parliament was a pawn of the Sovereign. We have come right forward although I feel it is necessary for me to point out to a number of members that in the time of King Henry VIII he sought to avoid using the Royal assent when he sought to execute his fifth wife. The prospect of execution— 
Hon Tau Henare 
: You’ve been watching  
Robin Hood  
again. 
Hon SHANE JONES 
:—and the most voluble member over there is actually— 
Hon Tau Henare 
: I’ve seen this movie. 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: Sir please counsel the member. If he keeps going on like that he will have another heart attack. He is getting too feverish; he runs the risk of having another heart attack. King Henry VIII and I think it was some time in the 1500s as he sought to execute his fifth wife was not interested in personally exercising the Royal assent and at that point he was able to deputise to commissioners so that he could effect the outcome and take his place in history. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: Who played Henry? 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: The term of execution and that member’s voice—they are inseparable. The execution unfortunately for that member will be delivered by his colleagues. When we use the term “zero” we are actually thinking about that poor man’s prospects. He has zero prospect of finding a seat.