edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Weenink VanessaDr VANESSA WEENINK (National—Banks Peninsula): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a pleasure to rise in support of this Customer and Product Data Bill.Dan Bidois: A good bill.Dr VANESSA WEENINK: It is a great bill in the name of the excellent Minister the Hon Andrew Bayly. This is about choice and competition greater choice in the banking sector and greater choice in the electricity and communications sector. Anybody who has ever tried to change banks will feel quite grateful that we are progressing this bill. I for one have done it once in my life and it was a painful experience and I would not recommend it to anybody. It's very difficult to get everything organised and there is no clarity. We need more competition. We need to strengthen the economy. This is one of the ways that we're doing that. We're simplifying processes we're making it easier for businesses to get things done we're making it easier for consumers to make decisions. This along with some of the other work that is going to be progressed through the committee through the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act and the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act will also help with all of these elements for business and consumers. This is an excellent bill that's well supported around the House. I'm looking forward to seeing this come through the select committee and seeing if there's anything we can do to improve or enhance the bill in any way. I'm sure it's so well done that we will just pass it all the way through and I'm looking forward to that process. I commend the bill to the House.
Smith StuartSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to speak on this Customer and Product Data Bill one from the very hard-working Minister Andrew Bayly—the Hon Andrew Bayly.This is a great bill and I take issue with what the previous speaker Rawiri Waititi said. This is about individual sovereignty of your data. It's not about groups having sovereignty over it it's about your individual sovereignty over your own data. And actually this is at its heart about competition. It's about choice in competition. This is about enabling individuals to own their own data and ensure—we give away huge amounts of data when we interact electronically and particularly with our banks and with our electricity companies as part of this bill.I know from my own experience trying to figure out when I wanted to make a change in heating our home how to get the information on your electricity bill down to the level that you need to make a sensible financial calculation is incredibly difficult. You've got to know the time at which you're using your electricity so you can actually make that calculation sensibly. And it's very difficult to get that data down to that granular level.Whereas apps which will be no doubt developed in the future will be able to do that for you as well as being able to change banks. In terms of the banks and the 10-minute loans that are available overseas as the Hon Andrew Bayly mentioned in his speech as well as other innovations in the banking sector we do not have access to those things at the same as the countries that we like to compare ourselves to. So it is time we made those changes and I think this ties in very well with the banking inquiry that's coming up that the financial expenditure select committee will be doing. So help is on its way. This is a great tool that we're going to be passing through and I really look forward to the progress of this bill and I commend it with great pride to the House.
Waititi RawiriRAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader—Te Pāti Māori): Nō reira. Mōrena tātou. This bill is a non-event really to be quite honest in regards to our support. So we'll be supporting it to select committee Mr Bayly only because it gives the customer the data right to be able to have more control over their ability to move in these particular spaces. But this gives me an opportunity to speak about the more competitive space in the banking system. And they made $7.2 billion last year just in 2023. What this does is it also gives us an opportunity to look at what a Māori banking system might look like in regards to consumer data rights—and not just being served up what we have always been served up.I think even in the electricity sector—I just want to make mention of the Māori electricity company Nau Mai Rā. Again this gives customers the opportunity to move into a more competitive space and to look at other options when it comes to data sharing and consumer data rights.Also this is an opportunity for me to speak about Māori sovereignty in terms of our data sovereignty which has been a huge issue. And I note that both Governments at one particular time have worked with Māori to ensure Māori sovereignty and Māori data sovereignty is an ongoing project. And if we look at Te Whata the iwi data platform it also gives us an opportunity to look at how data is shared across the iwi data sector and platforms. So Te Whata is one of those data platforms that I think we should be looking at in terms of these types of bills.We're supporting it to select committee because we want to see where Te Tiriti o Waitangi sits in terms of data sovereignty in regards to this bill. So this is not just a bill that I think is as simple as it comes across but I think it's an opportunity for us to have a wider discussion around Māori sovereignty and around how Te Tiriti o Waitangi fits within this particular bill in terms of data sovereignty and giving the consumer the data rights. And I think just to reiterate the kōrero here by ACT—how this goes across some of the other sectors in terms of data sharing. And I'm talking about health education welfare housing justice and also across tamariki.So Te Pāti Māori will be supporting this bill to the select committee because we believe that it allows the submitters to have their say on this particular issue.So koinā hoki [that's all]. It's only a short call but I'll just say to Mr Bayly I think this is a good bill but it allows us to have a wider conversation around Māori sovereignty in terms of our data. It also allows us to have stronger conversations around foreign banks and the amount of money they make and take overseas to make it more competitive in that particular space. You might even champion a Māori bank in your Government Mr Bayly—but also in the electricity sector where I think there needs to be more competition. And I look at like I said companies like Nau Mai Rā who are trending in that particular space. Nō reira. We commend this bill to the House. Kia ora tātou.
Papers Select Committee Reports and Introduction of Bills
Unkovich TanyaTANYA UNKOVICH (NZ First): Thank you Mr Speaker. I stand on behalf of New Zealand First in support of this bill the Customer and Product Data Bill this first reading. I am also on the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee so I'm very much looking forward to hearing submissions.Now we support this bill because it represents critical steps towards establishing a clear and effective regulatory framework for data access and management in New Zealand. Now this provides customers with greater control over their data and it promotes fair and transparent data practices. This bill aligns with our principles of protecting individuals' privacy rights and fostering innovation. We believe that the bill will continue to be more equitable and prosperous in the digital economy while safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders.Hon Andrew Bayly: That's right.TANYA UNKOVICH: Yes. Now we also recognise the importance of striking a balance between promoting innovation and protecting individuals' privacy rights in this digital age. We believe that these robust data regulations are now essential to ensure fair and transparent data practices. Our principles prioritise the interests of consumers and small businesses so we will advocate and always promote competition innovation and data sovereignty. So I am very proud to commend this bill to the House on behalf of New Zealand First.SPEAKER: Is the Māori Party putting up a speaker?Rawiri Waititi: Sorry I thought I was (b) not (a).
Wade-Brown CeliaCELIA WADE-BROWN (Green): Thank you Mr Speaker. The Greens do not support requiring referendums to retain or establish Māori wards. Voters on the Māori roll ought to be able to choose a candidate to represent them. Since the referendum option was removed in 2021 there has been an explosion of Māori wards. In select committee in that rushed process why does that one rush justify another rush?We heard some amazing submissions. Some were pretty emotional about it because they felt attacked. And there were a few who seemed to be misled whether it was deliberate or otherwise. But let it be clear: a Māori ward provides for people on the Māori roll to vote for candidates standing in that ward. It is not an extra vote. The select committee report itself said A common theme of submissions supporting the bill"—these are the people who like the bill—was "it would return to the concept of one person one vote." In fact I suspect some of them would quite like to go back to before 1893 and it would be one man one vote.And all those votes should be treated equally. And this is in—let me return to the select committee report: "Māori ward system does not represent a departure from the concept of one person one vote." Voters on the Māori electoral roll do not have more opportunities to vote. Representation is so critical to our system of local government and I'm really disturbed that less than a third of eligible voters voted in the Tauranga election last weekend. I'm delighted Tauranga has got a new Māori ward councillor—this Government bill is a slap in his face. We heard Māori wards work and they work because Māori are at the local decision-making table sharing their knowledge promoting greater inclusion and addressing issues that they know well whether it's mātuaranga Māori whether it's the history of the whenua—this is 21st century Aotearoa where we are the envy of many countries in having Te Tiriti. This is an example of giving respect and power to Te Tiriti. It's a lot fairer than the ratepayer roll. Now that is discrimination on the basis of property ownership. This Government voted to retain that this year—I say shameful.This bill forces binding referenda on one issue—why not have a referendum on three waters? Why not have a referendum on cycleways? Why not have a referendum on the number of councillors a council has. They're all things that you could have a referendum on but you've just chosen a Māori ward or not a Māori ward. That is incredibly selective it's illogical it's inconsistent to say one decision is subject to a poll.We heard so many awesome submissions and this Government is ploughing on saying that local communities having their say is a binary referendum. There is one point I would agree with—Simon Court: Let's do a non-binary referendum.CELIA WADE-BROWN: No wonder he doesn't understand transgender. Right. I just want to say with postal voting—there is also the bit about postal voting in this bill and I think it's about time to move past postal voting. Most of the votes in Tauranga were actually through the big orange ballot boxes—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): The member's time has expired."
Garcia PauloPAULO GARCIA (National—New Lynn): Good morning Mr Speaker. Following the amazing historical and actual re-look by our excellent MP for Upper Harbour Cameron Brewer I stand in support of the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill. The bill really only seeks to restore the policy settings for Māori wards which were in place as Mr Brewer has pointed out for 19 years before the previous Government changed it effectively denying the democratic voting rights of local communities to choose and to have a say about their own governance.This Government is determined to stop the division of New Zealanders where in-group rights and collective identity is used when we should be celebrating the common humanity that unites us all. I commend this bill to the House.
Brownlee Gerry; Brewer CameronTUESDAY 23 JULY 2024(continued on Wednesday 24 July 2024)LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ELECTORAL LEGISLATION AND MĀORI WARDS AND MĀORI CONSTITUENCIES) AMENDMENT BILLSecond ReadingDebate resumed.SPEAKER: The House is resumed. We're debating the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill and the next speaker might like to call.CAMERON BREWER (National—Upper Harbour): Mr Speaker thank you very much. I rise in support of this bill. It's interesting that we listened to Willie Jackson last night—he suffers from acute amnesia because he was part of The Alliance and part of the 46th Parliament that passed the provisions for Māori seats and the community's right to petition for a referendum back in 2002 with the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2002. So Willie was in the Alliance as we recall. Some of us were around in the 45th and 46th Parliament and and leading the charge was the local government Minister at the time Sandra Lee. She was leading the charge for the provision of Māori seats but for the community to have the right to petition for a referendum. And so we are reinstating that.The next thing is Willie Jackson will come out and rail against Kiwibank or something. But the reality is we are reinstating what Mr Jackson passionately fought for back in 2002 and that has worked very successfully since 2002—up to 2021 when it all happened and it all changed without signalling at the 2020 election. It all changed in two weeks. Submissions were open for two days under Minister Mahuta.The fundamental question is do we even need Māori seats? Willie Jackson Mr McAnulty and others said that there's no way that Māori can be represented without the provision of Māori wards on council. Can I remind you of what happened in 2010 at the biggest local government elections that we saw in New Zealand the biggest participatory rate that we saw. There were no Māori wards because Rodney Hide insisted on the independent Māori statutory board which is still in place. There were no Māori wards but guess what happened in the general seats. Guess what happened in the general seat of Franklin in the rural National Party seat of Franklin—guess what happened. Des Morrision won by a huge margin—Des Morrison of Ngāpuhi descent of Citizens and Ratepayers won by a huge margin in the general election.Can we tell you what happened in Howick? In Howick the seat now of Simeon Brown the Minister our Prime Minister very strong conservative National Party seat. Jami-Lee Ross won and he was Ngāti Porou. Jami-Lee won in Howick.Now what happened in the Albany seat with Ōrewa and all that older Pākehā crowd in Albany? Michael Goudie won—of Māori descent and 21 years of age. And what happened in Manukau? Alf Filipaina of Ngāti Porou won. So in 2010 with no Māori wards in Auckland Council we got 20 percent Māori. We did it then and we'll do it again. I support the bill.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the amendments recommended by the Justice Committee by majority be agreed to.Ayes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Noes 55New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 14; Te Pāti Māori 6; Tana.Amendments agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill be now read a second time.Ayes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Noes 55New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 14; Te Pāti Māori 6; Tana.Motion agreed to.Bill read a second time.
Rutherford TomTOM RUTHERFORD (National—Bay of Plenty): Thank you very much Mr Speaker. It's a privilege to stand and give the final speech in the second reading of this legislation. I want it to be crystal clear: this bill will restore the ability for communities to have a direct influence on the establishment of Māori wards and Māori constituencies by restoring the ability of 5 percent of council's electors to call for a binding poll on Māori ward establishment decisions. The bill provides a mechanism for councils that either have established or have resolved to establish Māori wards without a binding poll to disestablish their Māori wards or rescind their decision to have Māori wards before the 2025 local election.I read through—I read through—and Māori New Zealanders let's be clear have successfully been elected as councillors and mayors without the need for Māori wards. Councils have responsibilities to consult with mana whenua on issues that affect them. Changes to Māori wards do not affect these responsibilities.I looked through the submissions that were received by the hard-working Justice Committee and there were a couple from my patch. There was a submission from three Western Bay of Plenty District councillors that considered that the consultation processes involved in establishing a Māori ward were not an adequate substitute for a referendum in which all ratepayers would have the right to express their opinion. Some submitters referred to the convention that elected members should not be responsible for making decisions about their own representation and that the public—the public—should have the final say about representation arrangements. That is the intent of this bill.
12. Question No. 12—HealthHŪHANA LYNDON (Green) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 12—Health12. HŪHANA LYNDON (Green) to the Minister of Health: In what specific sectors of Te Whatu Ora has overspending occurred and was this raised with him in the last eight months of the Crown observer appointment?Hon Dr SHANE RETI (Minister of Health): The Government appointed a Crown observer in December given our longstanding concerns about the implementation of the health reforms that created Health New Zealand. The Crown observer has highlighted numerous issues to me including a lack of focus on the current financial situation particularly in the hospital sector. Hospitals are a critical sector in the health system and is one reason why this Government has taken significant action by appointing a commissioner to ensure all New Zealanders get timely access to quality healthcare.Hūhana Lyndon: How will slashing up to 3000 jobs from the organisation that employs doctors and nurses help to get more doctors and nurses on the front line to serve our people?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: The commissioner has expressed that we will streamline the back-office staff that are not directly patient facing so that we can redistribute funds towards the front line and deliver better outcome for New Zealanders.Hūhana Lyndon: Does he accept that the overall health Budget funding has actually reduced by 4.5 percent per capita and if so will he increase funding to sustainable levels so that our health system isn't on its knees?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: What I accept is the biggest contribution to health of roughly $16.67 billion across three Budgets in our last Budget.Hūhana Lyndon: Does he really think that a relentless focus on cost savings for our new commissioner is what he should be looking for when our health system is chronically underfunded and does not deliver for those who are most in need?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: What I think is that it's important to deliver timely access to quality health care for New Zealanders to improve life expectancy and quality of life.Hūhana Lyndon: What will he say to senior doctors this weekend at the GP conference who have told us this morning that they are doing administrative tasks themselves because the back-office staff reductions at Te Whatu Ora are impacting them?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: What I will do is thank them for their work and tell them that this Government backs them and that we're looking at ways to ameliorate some of the issues that they're raising with us. That's what I'll say to them.Hūhana Lyndon: Will the Minister make a promise to New Zealanders right now in this Whare that he will never prioritise any part of our public health system?Hon Dr SHANE RETI: The Government policy statement which I've announced explores a wide range of actions that this Government will take including what that member is asking now.
9. Question No. 9—Social Development and EmploymentRIMA NAKHLE (National—Takanini) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 9—Social Development and Employment9. RIMA NAKHLE (National—Takanini) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What changes has the Government made to support young people into work?Hon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment): Last week I announced that 4000 additional job seekers aged 18 to 24 will receive support from a case manager over the phone. Fifteen hundred young people were receiving this new service at the beginning of July and the roll-out to 4000 young job seekers will be complete in two months. This is one of the many actions the Government is taking to make the welfare system more proactive and to support people into work because we are not prepared to accept the current forecasts that under-25-year-olds on a jobseeker benefit will spend two decades of their life on welfare.Rima Nakhle: Why is the Government providing young job seekers this additional support now?Hon LOUISE UPSTON: The challenging economic situation that we have inherited means that job seeker numbers were always due to increase and to peak at the start of 2025. We know that young job seekers are more vulnerable to tougher labour market conditions and we want the welfare system to proactively help as many job seekers as possible in the current economic climate. Getting more direct help to young people now will mean they are better prepared to enter the workforce and take up job opportunities as they arise.Rima Nakhle: How will phone-based case management work for young people?Hon LOUISE UPSTON: Ministry of Social Development (MSD) case managers will contact young job seekers at least once every 28 days. There will be a set appointment time for the phone call. Having a case manager means that young people will have tailored advice and support that suits their unique circumstances. This additional support of course comes with obligations. If a young person misses their assigned phone appointment without good reason an obligation failure will be initiated which may result in a sanction.Rima Nakhle: Is phone-based case management the only action the Government has taken to make the welfare system more proactive at supporting people into work?Hon LOUISE UPSTON: No. We have set out our expectations that along with the additional support we are providing there will be consequences including sanctions when people fail to fulfil their obligations to become work-ready and to take steps to find work. We are also requiring those with work obligations to have a work-focused appointment in their first two weeks of being on benefit and if they're still on benefit after six months they will need to meet MSD again. The Government believes that work is the best pathway to independence and to further opportunities and we will continue to take more actions over the coming months to support more New Zealanders into work.
7. Question No. 7—TransportCARL BATES (National—Whanganui) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 7—Transport7. CARL BATES (National—Whanganui) to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made about fixing potholes?Hon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Transport): Thank you Mr Speaker. Last week I announced that the New Zealand Transport Agency is delivering on our commitment to introduce pothole repair targets that will ensure a greater number of pesky potholes on our State highways are identified and fixed within 24 hours. Our Government's pothole repair targets include 95 percent of potholes on high volume national and arterial State highways to be repaired within 24 hours of identification and 85 percent of potholes on regional primary collector and secondary collector State highways repaired within 24 hours of identification. Under this Government we're getting transport back to basics maintaining our roads so Kiwis can get where they need to go quickly and safely.Carl Bates: How is the Government funding pothole repairs and prevention on our State highways?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well our Government has established pothole prevention activity class for both State highways and local roads to ring-fence critical maintenance spending to resealing rehabilitation and drainage maintenance work within the National Land Transport Fund. Already we have delivered a record $2.07 billion for State highway pothole prevention over the next three years. That's a 91 percent increase in funding compared to the previous three years under Labour. Kiwis want potholes fixed roads properly maintained; we're getting transport back to basics so Kiwis can get where they need to go quickly and safely.Carl Bates: What investment is the Government making in pothole prevention on local roads?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well whenever I travel around New Zealand I'm constantly reminded by New Zealanders about the need to fix our local roads too. And that's why our Government is supporting local councils with a record $1.9 billion for local road pothole prevention over the next three years—a 50 percent increase in funding to prevent potholes from forming in the first place. This includes a 74 percent increase in funding for Auckland Council a 61 percent increase for the Bay of Plenty an 83 percent increase for Nelson and a 38 percent increase for Canterbury. We are getting transport back to basics so Kiwis can get where they need to go quickly and safely.Carl Bates: What does this mean for local roads in Whanganui?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well good news for the good hard-working people of Whanganui. As part of the pothole prevention fund there's $132 million for local road pothole prevention in the Manawatū-Whanganui region a 38 percent increase compared to the previous three years. This Government is getting on with the task of getting transport back to basics.Rt Hon Christopher Luxon: 0800 what?Hon SIMEON BROWN: And to answer the Prime Minister's question if you're on our State highway network and you do see a pothole please call 0800 444 449 to get those potholes fixed.
O'Connor GregASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): The House is suspended and I'll resume the Chair at 9 a.m. tomorrow for an extended sitting.Sitting suspended from 10.03 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Wednesday)
VoteSPEAKER: The question is that the amendment in the name of the Leader of the Opposition be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendment be agreed to.Ayes 55New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 14; Te Pāti Māori 6; Tana.Noes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Amendment not agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the motion be agreed to.Ayes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Noes 55New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 14; Te Pāti Māori 6; Tana.Motion agreed to.Bill read a second time.
Brownlee GerryPETITIONSSPEAKER: Members we come now to petitions papers and select committee reports. There are a total of 82 of them and I ask for your forbearance as the Clerk needs to read them all.CLERK: Petition of Ann Chapman requesting the House amend the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2004 to abolish the 10-year storage time frame.Petition of Wayne Jessop requesting that the House bring about a law change so that any family members or friends can be charged with a crime for refusing to cooperate with police in the investigation of a murdered child. Petition of Shubhanyu Chandra requesting that the House cancel regulations that implement a ban on phones in secondary schools. Petition of Captain William Stafford requesting that the House declare New Zealand a nation of armed neutrality. Petition of Richard Capie requesting that the House ensure that a select committee has an opportunity to consider the final list of projects for addition to Schedule 2 of the Fast-track Approvals Bill. Petition of Carl Smith requesting the House require Oranga Tamariki to remove all information it holds about people who have been a child through State care and are now adults.Petition of Nick Ruane requesting that the House ensure that disability funding follows the Enabling Good Lives principles. Petition of Health Consumer Advocacy Alliance requesting the House establish a patient safety commissioner.Petition of Zane Allan requesting the House legislate to prohibit any present and future geoengineering and weather modification in New Zealand. Petition of Aaron Hendry requesting that the House shall not pass the Ram Raid Offending and Related Measures Amendment Bill.Petition of Paul Barton requesting that the House request the Minister of Health designate Motor Neurone Disease as a notifiable disease. Petition of Casey Regtien requesting that the House require pet cats and dogs be desexed. Petition of Benjamin Plows-Kolff requesting that the House urge the Government to create a fairer regulation system for smaller food businesses. Petition of Leonie Morris requesting that the House urgently add stalking to the 1961 Crimes Act.
Peters Winston; Brownlee Gerry; Hipkins ChrisPOINTS OF ORDERCorrespondence with Speaker—Conduct of MemberRt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister): Point of order. Mr Speaker reluctantly I raise the issue of having written to you 11 days ago about the behaviour of a member of Parliament for the Labour Party. We understand that that was referred to that member who has yet not replied to you. We'd like to be brought up to date as to what's going on.SPEAKER: Yes I have had discussions with that member and there will be a reply and I will rule on that very serious allegation.Rt Hon Winston Peters: When?SPEAKER: By the end of the week.Rt Hon Winston Peters: That's a long time.SPEAKER: Yeah well it's a long time for some but for others it's a reasonable time to contemplate a serious matter.Speaker's Ruling—Urgent Debates DeclinedRt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition): Point of order. Just reflecting on the ruling that you made at the beginning and I wanted to consider it before raising a point of order immediately you've indicated that because the Ombudsman is an officer of Parliament that therefore that's a matter of responsibility for the Speaker. But the House has routinely in the past on several occasions debated using the urgent debate procedure reports that have been produced by the Auditor-General who was also an officer of Parliament. I just wonder whether you could reflect on that a little more because I think if you were to rule that because a report has been produced by an officer of Parliament that it cannot be the subject of an urgent debate then you're actually shutting down what has in the past been quite an important source of material that has generated urgent debates in the House.Rt Hon Winston Peters: If I could be helpful here—it happens to be a circumstance of 8 September 2023 when the Chief Ombudsman ordered Mr Hipkins to apologise. No urgent debate happened as a consequence of that so let's just get on with it.SPEAKER: Look I think if the leader of the Opposition would like to go back and read the actual document that was sent to me he'll note that it requested a debate on the Ombudsman's decision. So it's a technical point. You are right that there should be an avenue in Parliament for matters that are raised by the Ombudsman to be debated but not the report itself and that is the fine distinction.
Brownlee GerryURGENT DEBATES DECLINEDMinister for Resources' Statement—Meeting with Mining Industry RepresentativesOmbudsman's Findings—Associate Minister of Health Withholding Official InformationSPEAKER: I've received a letter from the Hon Megan Woods seeking to debate under Standing Order 399 the Minister for Resources' statement about a meeting with representatives of the mining industry. This is a particular case of recent occurrence for which there is ministerial responsibility. However it does not meet the threshold for urgency to warrant the setting aside of the business of the House. It's a matter that could be pursued through oral questions or if the member thinks the House is being deliberately mislead it's a matter of privilege. I also received a letter from the Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall seeking to debate the Ombudsman's finding about the Associate Minister of Health the Hon Casey Costello withholding official information. The urgent debate is a way of holding the Government to account for an action for which it is responsible. It is not a vehicle for addressing matters that are the responsibility of the Speaker such as a report by an Officer of Parliament. The applications are therefore declined.
Speaker's Statements — Darleen Tana
Bishop ChrisSITTINGS OF THE HOUSEHon CHRIS BISHOP (Leader of the House): I move That the sitting of the House today be extended into tomorrow morning for the second reading of the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill; the first readings of the Customer and Product Data Bill the Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and the Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill the Regulatory Systems (Social Security) Amendment Bill; and the interrupted debate on the third reading of the Māori Fisheries Amendment Bill.
Brownlee GerrySPEAKER'S STATEMENTSGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand—Darleen TanaSPEAKER: Members under Standing Order 36(1)(c) I've been advised by the Green Party musterer that the party's parliamentary membership has changed and that Darleen Tana is no longer a member of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand for parliamentary purposes. Accordingly under Standing Order 35(5) Ms Tana is from 6 July 2024 regarded as an independent member for parliamentary purposes.
Brownlee GerryTUESDAY 23 JULY 2024 The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSSPEAKER: Almighty God we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom justice mercy and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.
Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill — Second Reading
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill be now read a second time.Ayes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Noes 49New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15.Motion agreed to.Bill read a second time.DEPUTY SPEAKER: This bill is set down for committee stage immediately. I declare the House in committee for the consideration of the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill.
Lu NancyNANCY LU (National): I wanted to say to the Pakuranga couple right now at home watching this live on TV to Yali and Issac: thank you for sending me your screenshot and telling me your plan for the annual saving of $3029 that we have announced for you and your family today. Thank you. Thank you for telling me that you will be able to get your sons—your two children—to two extracurricular activities every week and take them to the zoo. But you know what? Don't thank us. Members on this side of the House want to say thank you for voting for us and giving us your trust to be the responsible Government for your hard-earned money. So with that I commend this bill to the House.
Hamilton RyanRYAN HAMILTON (National—Hamilton East): Thank you Mr Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to talk about the actual bill that we're here to talk about tonight: the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill. The previous speakers have been talking about Māori inequality housing and the previous speaker the Hon Willow-Jean Prime was talking in te reo about giving with one hand and taking with another. Well actually this is just about allowing New Zealanders to keep more of their own money and getting Government out of the way. I ask myself Why didn't we do this 14 years ago?"—why didn't we do this? Fourteen years. And then I see we did under Sir Bill English and Steven Joyce. We actually did in 2017 but that Government reversed it. Well here today we're getting it back on track."
Wedd Catherine; O'Connor GregCATHERINE WEDD (National—Tukituki): I rise in support of this bill. I'm very eager to talk about our Budget which is delivering on our campaign promises to ensure that there is tax relief for hard-working New Zealanders—that's right. The member on the other side of the House has spoken about our door-knocking during the campaign and all of those tradies all of those truck drivers all of those nurses all of those teachers all of those police officers that I spoke to out on the streets in Hawke's Bay during the campaign who were sick of the wasteful spending by that side of the House who were sick of the $100 billion and absolutely nothing to show for it. They want tax relief that goes back into their pocket. They know how to spend it better than the Government on that side of the House. They want the money in their back pocket not in the bureaucracy and the ideology and everything else. They haven't had tax relief for 14 years and that is why this Government is going to deliver it. I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): The battle of the shouting is about equal. Can I just see if we can bring it down equally too just so everyone can hear. The Hon Willow-Jean Prime—five-minute split call.
Smith StuartSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): Thank you Mr Speaker. The economic mire that we're in was six years in the making and this Budget is the first step to rebuild our economy and get New Zealand back on track. And with that I commend this bill to the House.
Unkovich TanyaTANYA UNKOVICH (NZ First): Thank you Mr Speaker. I'll take a short call once again on behalf of New Zealand First to support the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill in the second reading. Now we support this bill not only because of what it will do for hard-working New Zealanders but also because it's another example of this Government delivering and that is one thing we do. We don't only talk but we also do what we said we were going to do and we will continue to deliver for everyone in New Zealand so that they can have greater certainty in what is coming and have faith in us that we will deliver. I commend this bill to the House.
Hoggard AndrewHon ANDREW HOGGARD (ACT): Thank you Mr Speaker. Jeez where to go! I mean if you needed a lesson in how to kill off any building of rentals that speech was it. That's how you kill the rental market—put rent controls in. Honestly! Look this bill is pretty simple really. It's a movement of the tax brackets. It's about time—2011 was the last time these tax brackets were shifted. In that time we've had a 34 percent increase in inflation. That's a 25 percent decrease in people's purchasing power. For every dollar you had then you've got 25 percent less—you've only got 75 percent. This needed to happen a long time ago this needs to happen now and quite frankly it needs to happen again. This is really really simple stuff. It's not the Government's money; it's the people's money. It's leaving it in their pockets—it's pretty simple stuff. I've heard a lot about Oh we need to be investing in this and investing in that." Well this Budget is investing in a lot of the core things. What it's not investing in is a whole bunch of failed projects dreamy ideas and white elephants all over the show—$100 billion was wasted. What can we see for it? Absolutely nothing. I see across my portfolios things that I could invest in that would deliver results but there's no money. It's all gone—it's all been wasted. So like with any business we've got to cut our cloth to suit. Right now up and down this country farmers and other small businesses are doing it tough. They're doing it really tough and they're having to cut their cloth to suit. So that's what this Government has to do. I've heard a bit about inflation happening everywhere and that it's not the last six years' fault. I'll leave you with a quote which will make the Green Party really happy because they'll love the person that made this quote. "Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon. It's caused by too much money chasing after too few goods." and in the last six years we've had $100 billion put out there—that's where your inflation comes from. Thank you Mr Speaker. I commend this bill to the House."
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Noes 49New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15.Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.DEPUTY SPEAKER: This bill is set down for second reading immediately.
Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill — First Reading
Appropriation (2023/24 Supplementary Estimates) Bill—First Reading
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Appropriation (2023/24 Supplementary Estimates) Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Noes 49New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15.Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That urgency be accorded.Ayes 68New Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.Noes 49New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15.Motion agreed to.
Wedd CatherineCATHERINE WEDD (National—Tukituki): Madam Speaker thank you. I'm so eager to talk about Budget 2024 which is a Budget for hard-working New Zealanders providing tax relief after 14 years while on that side of the House they kept on dipping into the incomes of hard-working New Zealanders like they were a bottomless ATM. Well we are here to turn that around and reduce the cost of living and give more back to those hard-working New Zealanders.Our tax package targets hard-working New Zealanders and families and young people and the middle and lower income earners. It gives average-income households up to $102 a fortnight plus FamilyBoost childcare payments of up to $150 per fortnight. We all know how tough it is with those childcare costs out there. People are doing it very tough at the moment.Our tax relief in this Budget puts $3.7 billion a year back into the pockets of New Zealanders. This tax relief package will also be fully funded from all the savings from all the wasteful spending of that side of the House because we are going to be more fiscally responsible with taxpayers' money. Therefore I commend this bill to the House.
Smith StuartSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): Oh thank you Madam Speaker. It's a pleasure to speak on this bill.This is as the finance Minister said a clean-up Budget. It is a clean-up Budget because of the mess that has been left by the previous Government and it actually heralds a new era. It's an era in lowering Government spending giving much-needed tax relief to the squeezed middle in particular and actually getting on with the business of rebuilding this economy. It's in huge stress because of the mismanagement by the previous Government and it's at the hole—it's a massive hole; we've heard a lot about fiscal cliffs. But they are holes because of that previous Government not spending enough time on actually getting New Zealand back working and just employing more and more people to do less work. That's just out of control.But what does it actually mean? Well for someone on an average income they're going to end up with $102 more a fortnight. That's a significant amount of tax relief. That's fantastic for those families and if they've got FamilyBoost they can have another $150 a fortnight. That's fantastic. And a single person earning $55000 will be better off by $51 a fortnight. It is significant tax relief that is long overdue—the first time in 14 years that we've got tax relief. It's way overdue.And the fees free—I think that's one of my favourites. Fees free—shifting it from the first year at university to the last. Hon Mark Patterson: You're welcome.STUART SMITH: Yes it's a New Zealand First policy and I think it's fantastic.So with that I commend this wonderful bill to the House.
Rutherford TomTOM RUTHERFORD (National—Bay of Plenty): Thank you very much Madam Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to stand and rise and speak on behalf of the National Party and our Government in support of the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill that we are bringing to the House straight after the delivery of the Budget this afternoon. And what a fantastic job did Nicola Willis do as the Minister of Finance. What a superb job of finding a great medium in the difficult economic times we find ourselves in of actually delivering tax relief for New Zealanders and bringing this bill to the House straight after the delivery of the Budget. The Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill is about increasing personal income tax thresholds from 31 July this year just as was campaigned on in the 2023 election. This bill gives effect to our Budget's tax measures'—announced earlier—aim to help reduce the cost of living pressures faced by hard-working New Zealanders by providing much-needed tax relief and additional support in particular to low and middle income individuals and families. It delivers the FamilyBoost tax credit helping with the cost of early childhood education; expands eligibility to the independent earner tax credit; and increases the in-work tax credit and the minimum family tax credit. I support this bill and I commend it to the House.
Unkovich TanyaTANYA UNKOVICH (NZ First): I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to contribute to the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill. And I'm proud to say that we support this bill. It's quite an honour to stand in my very first Budget and provide the very first speech. Now why are we supporting this bill? Well it's been 14 long years and it's now time. It is now time to change the—Hon Mark Patterson: The time has come.TANYA UNKOVICH: What was that my friend?Hon Mark Patterson: The time has come.TANYA UNKOVICH: The time has come. Now finally from 31 July this year the taxation thresholds will change. And it's going to be a significant change for many many New Zealanders—hard-working New Zealanders who have been waiting for this change. I feel very honoured to be able to stand here and say Your time has come." Not long to wait for this change. And the good thing is the money is going to be in their pockets for them to choose how they would like to spend their money. So that is why I am very pleased to commend this bill to the House on behalf of New Zealand First."