Smith NickHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): There's a very strong consensus across the Parliament around the importance of our defence personnel that are serving overseas that the provision by which they are able to vote is made as easy as possible for them and we are supportive of the provisions in Part 2 and replacement regulation 52 set out in clause 24 that provide for that. We would argue on this side of the Chamber that those brave men and women that are serving in our armed forces defending the very values of democracy have at least the same right as anybody else to vote and it is proper that Parliament makes specific identification of their issues to enable them to participate.We'd also note the regulation changes that there was some discussion in the Justice Committee around the issue of supermarket voting. It's an innovation that National introduced and supermarkets these days are one of the places where people most frequent and it is entirely appropriate that we make voting as easy as possible. The issue that the select committee spent some time on was that the law requires that the votes be removed from the voting place and that they be counted in a place that's free of other people. I think we'd all agree that it's not particularly appropriate to have returning officers in a busy supermarket continuing to count the votes. So there has been a change to allow the votes to be removed from the actual polling place but still counted. On the amendments that the select committee made that've been carried through into the regulations it is our view on this side of the Chamber not because we have any concerns about the Electoral Commission but that it is good practice to always ensure that scrutineers are able to stay with the polling boxes that where we are using those extra provisions that that is able to be done and that has been carried through in the amendments provided for in Part 2. We're pleased that there has been sensible amendment by the Government to ensure we maintain that belt and braces approach to the protection of the security of those voting boxes.The one part of which we have difference of view in respect of Part 2 of this bill is in respect of the regulations that again are designed to allow these late enrolments. Our view is that the Electoral Commission and the taxpayer go to extraordinary efforts to make it as easy as possible for people to enrol. Anybody in this Parliament that suggests that somehow it's hard I'm surprised by how many opportunities there are for people to get themselves on to the roll. We are actually going well beyond what most democracies—where you look around the world and you ask the question Do most liberal democracies of which we respect make sure that there is a separate enrolment process?" The reason for that separate enrolment process is that while we share the value that we want as many New Zealanders to vote as possible we also want to ensure the integrity of the vote. By ensuring that there is a proper enrolment process in our view separate to the process of voting is adding to the integrity of the role and that is best practice internationally around the running of elections.So the provisions that we have in clauses like 19 that are designed to facilitate this Government proposal for us to have people simply enrol on election day and vote at the same time is long term going to undermine our system of elections. Effectively with these regulations we are saying to New Zealanders there is no bother though bothering yourself with trying to enrol. There's absolutely no requirement if we pass these regulations for anybody to bother enrolling. Why do it? Why if there's absolutely no restriction on your capacity to vote would people bother to enrol? I think that is a dangerous and wrong culture to establish. I think the long-established principle in New Zealand electoral law going all the way back to the 1850s that people—and actually all around the world—need to make the effort they need to get themselves on the roll and as a consequence of doing that they are then able to exercise their free and democratic right to have a say in the governance of this country.So again National in Part 2 would want to express our concern about this obsession by this Government of doing something that most democracies do not allow to do. Very very few democracies around the world exercise the capacity to enrol and vote on the same day that it's facilitated."