Watts SimonSIMON WATTS (National—North Shore): Thank you very much Madam Chair. I want to get the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety's view on a number of questions in regard to clauses 208 and 209 under Subpart 2 Bargaining support services" as part of Part 10. My questions—there are about three questions actually—are in regards to those clauses and the first aspect is in regards to clause 208 which notes that "A person who wishes to access bargaining support services must contact an office of the department that deals with employment relations issues." I guess just building on the comments from my colleague from the ACT Party previously I think the reality is that we're going to see a significant increase in volumes in this space. I mean it's pretty hard to envisage a scenario where we're going to get—what was it?—three or four. I think that was reasonably wishful thinking. But on the basis that we're going to see a significant increase in volume in regards to this—particularly in rural and provincial New Zealand where we've got a large number of our small businesses that do not have access potentially to the support available in urban areas—my question really is in regards to what consideration in regards to clauses 208 and 209 the Minister and officials have given in regards to the provision of support to enable access to those bargaining support services over and above what is currently available. What assessment if any has been undertaken in order to quantify potentially where they deem the volume and the complexity of those queries to arise geographically and in contrast to the complexities I think that are going to evolve from businesses that haven't been part of this process previously. You're going to have a large number of businesses that will be entering into this arrangement that previously would not have been captured because of the legislation and therefore that's going to have a change impact in regards to volume on the departmental services. So a little bit of understanding and clarity in regards to that assessment would be useful. I guess the question that logically follows from the conversation around the capacity of the system to be able to deal with an increase in volume is in regards to you know the good old thing—and no surprise I'll be raising it—of what are the costs right? I mean what's the implication for the taxpayer in regards to that? Has any assessment been undertaken? Again I've had a review so as not to waste time: is there any assessment for that in the documentation? There isn't so hence the question. Lastly my question relates to individuals. When I talk about access to those services in particular the reality of this legislation is we're going to capture a huge number or a much wider overview in terms of individuals that are impacted by the legislation. I'm particularly interested for those individuals that have disabilities and those who have intellectual disabilities. I know that my colleague Penny Simmonds noted earlier on in the conversation today around her visit to Abilities Group which is a disabilities employer on Auckland's North Shore which employs nearly 200 individuals with intellectual disabilities. They do an absolutely sterling job both for people with disabilities but also for the provision of sustainable employment. My concern about legislation such as this is that while the intent is what it is the unintended consequences of such legislation in regards to people that are particularly at risk and don't have the capability that potentially other individuals would have in regards to their advocacy under clause 208 in regards to the provision or to obtaining support services—I mean how is that going to be factored in? You are going to be dealing with a different cohort and a much broader cohort of individuals in regards to this legislation and I'm really keen to understand what is the depth of thinking that has gone on in regards to that. Madam Chair I've got a couple more questions but I think I'll do those three at the moment and I'll come back again. Thank you."