Lee DeniseDENISE LEE (National—Maungakiekie): Thank you Mr Chair. I appreciate the chance to take this call. I'd like to speak to the amendment in my name which seeks to insert a clause to provide an analysis of what price-spreading behaviour could occur. Now several speakers have referred to this but this is a request a specific amendment. We're bringing a solution here. Given that the entire process for this bill was truncated—very much shortened; in our opinion found absolutely wanting and lacking for its due process—we would like to see certain clauses inserted and here's one: the analysis of what price-spreading behaviour could occur.According to the ministry and I said this earlier price spreading occurred when fuel taxes were introduced in the 1990s and it was one of the reasons a fuel tax was repealed back in 2009. So the Government's been clear that this is supposedly just for Auckland but consumers in other parts of New Zealand will clearly be affected by price spreading and—how's this Mr Chair—eligible for rebates? No they will not be eligible for rebates and to be able to claim it back. So there's some real discrepancy here. There's evidence that price spreading is already happening in the South Island. There's a growth in the gap between Auckland and Wellington and it's surged since March. That's been very much reported on.So what this amendment does is make it a requirement for price spreading to be included in the programme of projects provided for in this regional fuel tax proposal. Now if you think that's just an idea that we've come up with—no. The bill in its current form already outlines a number of other things that need to be included in the proposal—for example the duration of the projects that needs to be included; the impact on fuel-buying behaviour that needs to be included. So why not include the importance of price spreading—and the wording in this particular amendment is an analysis" of what price-spreading behaviour could occur. If we're going to have those other things why not have this?Implementing a regional fuel tax—stating the obvious here—is a very big decision and it comes with a lot of responsibility from councils so they should have to consider the impacts that there will be on those outside of their respective regions not just within. Also if it's in the proposal it means that Ministers should have to seriously consider it. So this amendment requiring an analysis of what price-spreading behaviour could occur makes sense; it is a sensible way forward. Up until now while this bill was being developed with so little consideration price-spreading consideration by the Minister and the councils—look heck this amendment could be considered a consolation prize. If you've done little analysis up until this point today here you go here's a consolation prize—an amendment that helps the Minister and the Government insert what should have been there in the first place—a requirement to consider the impact of price spreading.I commend this particular amendment and I'm sure that some of my very learned and eloquent colleagues will back me up in the course of the debate here this afternoon and long into the hours tonight—Simeon Brown: "Eloquent" being the operative word.DENISE LEE: "Eloquent" is the operative word. Thank you to the member for Pakuranga and we'll look forward to the Government accepting this amendment that requires an analysis of what price-spreading behaviour could occur. Thank you."