Bakshi Kanwaljit SinghKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. First of all I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you and other presiding officers on your election and I look forward to working with you during the sessions. This is an important bill and the intent of the bill as other colleagues have mentioned is good but still there are some weaknesses in this bill which we would like to be rectified before it is implemented. Some of those I will be highlighting during my speech.First of all I would like to clarify what the Hon Tracey Martin said—that the owners and operators of villages are saints. In my view yes they are saints because they provide a place to live for those elderly retirees who are in loneliness in their homes. The elderly go there they have the company of other villagers they share their thoughts their talk and they spend time together to kill that loneliness. So in my view yes the operators of villages are saints. The people working there become family members and if I look at myself I am also slowly going in that direction and one day my children will also leave me alone at home—Rt Hon Winston Peters: Really? How quickly?KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: Oh after you; after you leave—only after you. I'm looking forward to you—to leave.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Order!KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: The day you leave I will follow you soon—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Excuse me. Order! The member will not bring the Speaker into the debate.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: Sorry Madam Assistant Speaker. I was talking to the honourable member who was trying to interject asking for my viewpoint. [Interruption] Listen to me. I'm talking here. I'm not talking to him.As I was saying these villages provide a great facility for seniors and retirees—[Interruption]—and some of the retirees are ready to go there very soon. I hope so. The main problem is how to calculate the rebates that are to be passed on to those retirees. There are already so many conditions. When this legislation was introduced in 1973 it was a simple time when owner-occupiers were there in the retirement villages. But it has become very complicated in the last 40 years. We can see that there are freehold titles leasehold titles cross-lease titles licences to occupy and lease arrangements. All of these make it very complex to determine how the rebate can be passed on to these retirees. We agree that we should be passing on these rebates but it's very hard to calculate. The current maximum rebate is $610 with a threshold of $24470 of income. Hon Tracey Martin: Should have used those officials when you had them.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: So these are the complex issues that are to be addressed before we can conclude. It is very simple for the Hon Tracey Martin to just stand up and say This is a Government bill. We'll take it back and we will do the work that is required. As was mentioned by the Department of Internal Affairs this is a complex area." She has already accused the officials of just working to the tone of the Government. So it is her turn now to stand up take the liberty take up the bill and take it back to the officials to make sure that they speak the tone of the Minister and how she is going to do it. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Why does National hate retired people?Hon Tracey Martin: Why do you leave our seniors out there on their own?KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: This is very important. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Why do you hate seniors?KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: Don't just barrage me. Listen to what I am telling you. Listen to your leader. You don't have much to say because your leader says everything. He has got the secret documents in the safe; you need to go and read these also.Hon Iain Lees-Galloway: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I just want to help the member. I know he's new to this House and he hasn't been here for very long but he does repeatedly insist on bringing the Speaker into the debate. He doesn't seem to have got the message from the Assistant Speaker. The member needs to stick to the Standing Orders—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Thank you. I thank the member.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: Speaking to the point of order Madam Assistant Speaker I did not bring you into the debate. I was talking to the two members. He needs to have a hearing aid I think.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): If I could just have the member—[Interruption] Thank you. Thank you for resuming your seat.Jami-Lee Ross: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I think he might have been referring to me. I want to apologise. I got excited with Winston talking about retirement.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Members will you resume your seats. I don't think we need any more. Thank you very much for your interventions members; I think we will continue with the debate.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. It is an interesting time and I'm enjoying it.Hon Tracey Martin: Ha ha!KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: Once again it makes someone laugh because they are very grim in their offices. At least they get this opportunity to come and laugh in the House so it's a real opportunity.The Department of Internal Affairs in their departmental report clearly said—and I would like to read it—that "As outlined in our initial briefing to the Committee the Department of Internal Affairs … considers that the Bill as introduced would not achieve its stated purpose. Additional and complex amendments would be required to do this." So this is a real opportunity for the Government to go back and do some homework and bring this bill back to the House to ensure it can deliver its intent. With these words I conclude my speech.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): I understand this is a split call. Deborah Russell—five minutes."