edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
5. Question No. 5—RevenueBROOKE VAN VELDEN (Deputy Leader—ACT) to the Minister of RevenueQuestion No. 5—Revenue5. BROOKE VAN VELDEN (Deputy Leader—ACT) to the Minister of Revenue: Will the public be consulted on the proposed changes to interest deductibility; and if so what is the timeline for that consultation?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister of Revenue): Yes the public will be consulted in the coming months and final design decisions as a result of that consultation will be announced before the changes take effect on 1 October 2021.Brooke van Velden: Is there anything that submitters could say that would change his mind about his interest deductibility proposals?Hon DAVID PARKER: Well yes as to details. Broadly the consultation will include the interest allocation approach and the application of rules to particular ownership structures the treatment of interest costs when a property is sold the definition of new builds as well as a number of technical issues including those relating to specific industry sectors. Brooke van Velden: What safeguards will he consult on to ensure that homeowners are not forced to sell their property due to their increased tax bill?Hon DAVID PARKER: I've seen reports this week including from people saying that they owned 70 properties 45 of which were residential rentals. And my reading of the analysis in that article was that the overall tax bill for that particular taxpayer after the four-year transition period would be $45000 per annum which would be about $1000 per property. I suspect most property investors will take decisions as they think fit for their future investment portfolio. But clearly in the case of that particular individual with 70 properties the effect was going to be around $1000 per property per annum.Brooke van Velden: Will he consult on ways to lessen the tax burden this proposal is projected to have on mum and dad landlords who will face no other option than to raise rents or sell their asset?Hon DAVID PARKER: Well in respect of the assertion in that question that they have no other option other than to raise rents I would note that most landlords did not drop their rents when interest rates decreased in recent years.
3. Question No. 3—Arts Culture and HeritagePAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Minister for Arts Culture and HeritageQuestion No. 3—Arts Culture and Heritage3. PAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage: What recent announcements has she made about futureproofing the arts culture and heritage sector?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage): Last week I announced the first round of the Cultural Sector Innovation Fund called Te Urungi: Innovating Aotearoa. Through a series of nationwide events Te Urungi encompasses a new approach to supporting ideas collaboration and safeguarding mātauranga Māori. In acknowledging the impact that COVID-19 has had on the sector Te Urungi aims to provide support for creatives to work collectively in designing more sustainable and resilient ways of working. This is a key part of the Government's COVID-19 response to help the arts sector rebuild and recover.Paul Eagle: What is different about this particular fund?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I'm excited that Te Urungi provides us with an opportunity to take a different approach to supporting the arts sector. Over 2½ days cultural sector practitioners creatives collectives and organisations will be supported by mentors and experts to collaborate develop test and refine their ideas as part of a rapid design process. At the end of each event the most promising projects will receive funding to support their further development. While securing funding will be a key goal for the participants these events are being designed so that everyone walks away with new knowledge skills and connections that can be further explored and developed moving forward.Paul Eagle: What feedback has she seen about the announcement?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: An opinion editorial in the Dominion Post written by Mark Amery stated This week's announcement of … Te Urungi: Innovating Aotearoa is a good example of a government exploring how it can be more open and collaborative with the creative sector beyond the usual gatekeepers." We will continue to gather more feedback as we consolidate and roll out more Te Urungi events across Aotearoa."
2. Question No. 2—HealthDr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 2—Health2. Dr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Yes.Dr Shane Reti: When he replied to concerns around the mental health report this morning and said Let's not get dramatic about it" what part of the report is too dramatic for him?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The member must've misheard my answer. I wasn't talking about the report; I was talking about the interviewer.Dr Shane Reti: Subsequent to the latest report being released has he instructed health officials to ensure the indicators that were removed will be included in the next annual report?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I have spoken to ministry officials about the nature of the report and suggested to them that if they think the content of future reports needs to change then that should be in consultation with relevant stakeholders.Dr Shane Reti: Is he concerned that New Zealanders will not believe his first response here today but instead will remember him saying "Let's not get dramatic" about mental health reporting?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I don't think I've faced such a confusing succession of questions but my first answer was yes and I stand by that answer.Dr Shane Reti: Does he think the CEO of the Mental Health Foundation was being dramatic when he said this morning that the mental health situation in New Zealand has got worse under his Government?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I don't think the head of the Mental Health Foundation was being dramatic but he was wrong.Dr Shane Reti: Has he read any briefings around rationalising specialist services at provincial hospitals to manage funding down pressures?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: No."
1. Question No. 1—FinanceGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. GREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Last week Xero released its latest Small Business Insights data showing that small business revenue was up 1.5 percent in February from a year ago. The data also showed positive revisions to revenue figures in December and January with January's revision showing it had joined every other month since May 2020 in reporting positive annual revenue growth for New Zealand's small business sector. Xero's insights show that small business jobs were up 1.8 percent in February compared to pre-COVID levels in the first week of March 2020. We will continue to see volatility in economic data in New Zealand across the next few months as the impacts of COVID continue to show through but we shouldn't lose sight of the positive underlying indicators for the New Zealand economy.Greg O'Connor: What reports has he seen on how New Zealand's export sector is performing?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: This week the ANZ released its Commodity Price Index for March 2021. It showed the World Commodity Price Index lifted 6.1 percent and the New Zealand Commodity Price Index rose 7.4 percent from February both hitting new record highs. ANZ said the strength in the index was primarily driven by a sharp lift in dairy prices which have actually hit their highest level in seven years. They also reported meat and fibre prices rose in March and are up 5.9 percent from a year ago; the horticulture index was unchanged; and the forestry index rose during the month and is up 25 percent on a year ago. While our borders may have been largely closed for people movement our exporters have continued to do a great job in supporting New Zealand and helping continue to see New Zealand open for business.Greg O'Connor: What reports has he seen on the international context for the New Zealand economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: This week the IMF released updated projections for the international economy revising up its global growth forecasts for 2021 and 2022. The IMF said Even with high uncertainty about the path of the pandemic a way out of this health and economic crisis is increasingly visible." It is good news for New Zealand that the rest of the world can see the path for reopening their domestic economies to where New Zealand has been for some months particularly as our export sector is in a strong position to benefit from the higher rates of global growth. However the IMF also warned that a high degree of uncertainty surrounds these projections. Against the backdrop of an ever-changing global pandemic the Government remains committed to supporting our economy as the recovery continues."
Rurawhe AdrianDEPUTY SPEAKER: Members the debate on this bill is interrupted and set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday 13 April 2021. Pō mārie. Debate interrupted.The House adjourned at 4.55 p.m.
Bayly AndrewANDREW BAYLY (National—Port Waikato): Thank you Mr Speaker. This is our final session on this very interesting bill. I think the other day at the committee of the whole House the interchange on the various technical aspects of this—Hon Grant Robertson: Enlightening.ANDREW BAYLY: Enlightening as the Minister of Finance says. Of course as he correctly points out it's a very technical bill. I don't want to go through a whole host of it; obviously; we're drawing to a close on the bill. We all support the bill. As the Minister talked about it is a very small part of the financial sector but a very important and actually very significant part in terms of quantum of money involved in derivatives and trading of such products. The two definitions or separations—however you want to look at it. One is over-the-counter derivatives and ones that are traded across the exchange. So we've got two types of derivatives; they drive financial markets. If you're doing an interest rate swap to mitigate some of your risk these are the types of instruments you use to actually split up the risk whether it might be an exchange risk it might be an interest rate risk and use derivatives to achieve that outcome.So the bill is about putting in place a better framework. It's been driven from a lot of the work overseas particularly following the Lehman bank closure and a number of other institutions in America and to some extent in the UK. This is very timely that we do this. We've talked about a lot of the detail in the committee of the whole House but I think in terms of trying to arrive at a place where we put in place a legislative platform that will enable us to have proper regard for these at the moment not as well-regulated as they could be type of instruments I think we've landed in a good place. I'm glad everyone has come together across the House and I just also want to acknowledge the officials who worked with all the committee to take us through all the detail of that. I just want to say thank you very much.
Robertson Grant; Rurawhe AdrianFINANCIAL MARKET INFRASTRUCTURES BILLThird ReadingHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I present a legislative statement on the Financial Market Infrastructures Bill.DEPUTY SPEAKER: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I move That the Financial Market Infrastructures Bill be now read a third time.I want to thank all of the members across the House who have contributed to the enlightening debate on this very important if somewhat technical piece—Hon Michael Woodhouse: Can't wait for the plumbing references.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: —of legislation that is in front of us now. It's a frightening spot to see Mr Woodhouse in! So it is with great pleasure that I stand here for the final stage of this bill. To recap for members who haven't perhaps been following along as closely at home for what this bill does this is a timely piece of legislation to provide a new framework for the regulation and oversight of financial market infrastructures or FMIs. They are an important part if a little-known part of our financial system.What we have been talking about mostly in the House when we've been discussing this is what we call payment systems; so the ways in which transactions that we all make on our credit cards or using things like Apple Pay and so on—the systems that underpin that. But also there are a number of other infrastructures that are not so much about what we might do with retail spending but are involved in what are called central counterparties or settlement systems where you've got payments that are transferring between financial institutions to do with things like derivatives that take place within particular financial market infrastructures that are often set up by banks or other financial institutions to do that work. This is how bonds are traded and this is how a lot of important underpinnings of our financial system work.In New Zealand we have not had a framework to govern this that international agencies such as the IMF have seen as being sufficiently robust and so that is precisely what this bill does. It makes sure that the agencies who are responsible for looking after this work that being the Reserve Bank and the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) are both given the authority to do the work and given the powers that they need to undertake that work.The bill particularly focuses on what are called designated FMIs. This is where these have some level of systemic importance. That is something that both the Reserve Bank and the FMA have the power to designate. But actually a financial market infrastructure can decide itself that it wants to be one of these and that gets considered by those agencies and I think that's important.It's a regime based on a framework. It has flexibility to allow the regulators to do their job underneath it. It is a very important piece of legislation and I commend it to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to.
Faafoi Kris; Rurawhe AdrianInstruction to the Education and Workforce CommitteeHon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Immigration): I move That the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill be reported to the House by 29 April 2021 and that the committee have the authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting (except during oral questions) during an evening on a day in which there has been a sitting of the House on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House and outside the Wellington area despite Standing Orders 193 195 and 196(1)(b) and (c).We are asking for an expedited process through the select committee for this process for the simple fact which I pointed out in my first reading speech that the powers within the bill that was passed last year expire on 15 May. In order for the Government to have one of the crucial tools that we have used to keep New Zealand safe over the last 12 months to be able to maintain the system flexibility within our immigration system to respond to the pandemic that these powers approved by Parliament this year it's extremely important to continue to have as an important tool for the Government. As was said in first reading speeches again the powers that are in the amendment bill are the same powers that were dealt with in the Act as it is and which were taken through select committee. The only minor amendment I believe that is within the legislation—the bill that has passed now—is that the relevant regulations time frame the request in the bill is to move that window from a three-month window to a six-month window. Again the existing safeguards within the current Act look to be extended as well.We look forward to those in the public and members on the other side of the House having an opportunity to scrutinise the bill. Again those powers are similar to what were traversed by the last select committee the Epidemic Response Committee in the last Parliament and they contain powers relating to classes of persons that can only be exercised by special directions made by the Minister of Immigration made public and of course can be overturned. Again after 12 months it's timely that a select committee and the public are able to have a look at that. Again 13 submissions to the select committee last time—we encourage people in the expedited select committee process to have their say.Can I thank everyone in the House for their contributions to the first reading debate whether they support the bill or have reservations about the bill to support it at first reading. We want to make sure again that it gets the scrutiny that it deserves by the select committee. But again these powers expire on 15 May and the Government wants to continue to make sure it has these powers to keep New Zealanders safe.DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to.
Stanford Erica; Rurawhe AdrianERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays): Point of order. I seek leave for the Education and Workforce Committee's consideration of the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill to include amendments relating to new powers allowing the Minister to create a class of visa for the purposes of reuniting split migrant families which would otherwise be out of scope.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is objection.
Kanongata'a-Suisuiki AnahilaANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour): It's an absolute privilege to stand here to make a short contribution to the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill. My short contribution will take us down memory lane to last year but before I do that I want to acknowledge the excellent Minister the Minster Kris Faafoi. Thank you for your leadership in shepherding this through the House at this time which is really really required and needed by the country.On 28 February 2020 we had our first case of COVID-19. On 14 March 2020 arrivals were asked to isolate. On 19 March gatherings were restricted to 100 and borders closed. On 21 March 2020 the Prime Minister our leader the great Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern announced four tiered alert levels. On 23 March we went into alert level 3. On 25 March we went into alert level 4. On 31 March we extended the state of national emergency. On 20 April we went back to alert level 4 and we stayed there for five days then we stayed for two weeks at alert level 3. And on 11 May 2020 we were at alert level 2. I have been thinking: why wasn't I in the House during that time this bill was debated in the House? That's because we were at home and this work was done in a time that was needed to be done with prompt fast efficiency. So I want to acknowledge Parliament all of Parliament who have agreed that this is an important bill that needed to be addressed.But also what we do forget is the public servants that had worked through that time that I have just spoken about that have worked night and day to ensure that New Zealand is safe. I want to say to the Minister in his work with his officials to extend our thanks to the public servants who have done that in bringing this bill to the House.I'm not going to go and respond to any negativity on that side—we'll just put it like that—but I think that some of them are a bit confused. Last year it was a good idea to do this and today it's not such a good idea. We've heard from the Minister himself that it had gone through a select committee process and that all of Parliament had agreed to it and this is extending the eight powers without any further changes.I want to end my speech with acknowledging Prakash Pabla who was in India during this time last year. Prakash usually goes through three pairs of shoes doorknocking or delivering pamphlets in Papakura for elections but this year he couldn't do it. When he came back to the country in February he said to me Can you extend this—if you get a moment to say thank you could you please thank the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern her Cabinet."—which includes the Hon Kris Faafoi here—"Thank them for keeping New Zealand safe. Thank the staff at managed isolation." because they provided excellent care of him and now he's back in Papakura within the Labour Party in Papakura. I just want to say—I've spoken too long—I commend this bill to the House. Mālō."
Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Kia ora e te Mana Whakawā. I'm surprised that Te Paati Māori isn't taking this call but I'm very happy to stand in its place to take this call on this important bill. And Stuart Smith I don't know where he's been but if he hasn't been listening to the news today only today we've shown that we have to be very quick on our feet when it comes to immigration issues because things change rapidly and the need for these powers to be nimble and responsive is acute. So we absolutely need to pass this bill to give the Minister—and a very good very competent and if I may say so a very compassionate Minister—Angie Warren-Clark: Hard-working.Dr DUNCAN WEBB: —I forgot hard-working Angie Warren-Clark—the powers needed to properly administer. And look we do have broad support for this bill across this House which does acknowledge that we recognise that. I thank most of the Opposition members for that. I commend this bill to the House.
Roberts Angela; Salesa JennyANGELA ROBERTS (Labour): Kia ora thank you Madam Speaker. I wasn't in this House when this bill was passed by everybody but as a member of the public and a citizen of this country I was really relieved to see the evidence of an ability to work across the House and respond to this pandemic in such a way. This bill—or the renewal of this bill a continuation of what was established a year ago—is evidence of our ability to work across the House and be nimble and responsive something that is absolutely essential when every day the context within which we are working changes—every day. You know the reflection about not knowing whether or not we would have a vaccine is absolutely true and as we look externally and look across our borders we notice that things are still pretty precarious in the rest of the planet. So this isn't just about how safe we feel right now—and the reason we can feel safe right now is because of the decisions that were made in the House a year ago.So what I'm really pleased to consider is that this bill will come to my select committee and the proposition that it is going to continue in the state that it was originally in is because it was effective. We have heard that from across the House. It has worked. It has enabled a nimble and responsive processing of these issues over the next 12 months. So it retains the safeguards and it ensures some greater certainty actually in such uncertain times.I know that there were concerns raised about the truncated process but what it does is it continues the prompt response—it means that we can continue to be nimble and responsive but we still have an opportunity to collaborate. I'll just remind you that there were changes made. The explicit condition around the exercising of powers was added on the recommendation of the Epidemic Response Committee last year and reflected the submissions to the committee. So this idea this implying that there will be an abuse of power just doesn't cut it. The evidence is not there. We are collaborators in this House—you have proven that when you passed this last year—and we will continue to do that. We will collaborate in the select committee because we're pretty good at that actually and we will make sure that things continue to work for our people and we can continue to be able to be responsive and nimble. So I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The next call is a split call. I call Stuart Smith.
Tuiono TeanauTEANAU TUIONO (Green): Kia ora Madam Speaker. I rise on behalf of the Greens in this split call to talk on the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill. The original amendment of this bill when passed last year—and I just wanted to acknowledge the context in which this bill was passed. We were moving into lockdown and things needed to move quickly and fast and the Government did that. So I wanted to acknowledge that context. In terms of trying to keep our country safe and moving forward through the COVID crisis the amendment Act created eight time-limited powers and we are looking to extend those powers. But I was just reflecting on what my Uncle Ben said to me once. He said With great power comes great responsibility." so with this great responsibility I think it's also a time that we need to actually reflect on what the future policy settings for immigration could look like.The immigration system has been broken for quite some time and there have been voices that have been excluded from the immigration conversation. I was thinking about where the voice of tangata whenua is. Where is the voice of the people that hold the mauri of Te Tiriti o Waitangi within their immigration conversation? I also was thinking about all of this in the context of Pasifika peoples because yes we have the COVID crisis but we also have the climate crisis as well. In those future policy settings I think it's really really important for us to actually think about that in that wider context because we need to have an immigration system I think which is more welcoming to Pasifika peoples who are becoming more and more displaced because of climate change. This is I think an opportunity for us to rethink that within the context of the time frame of the two years.There are some questions around what will happen if all of a sudden the unemployment rate drops and these jobs disappear. What happens to those workers? So we need to actually think about the workers and the people getting these visas within the context of communities within the context of them becoming deeply rooted within those communities as well. So I support what was said earlier about the role that essential workers played in getting us through the last year. Within the context of making sure that we are not exacerbating worker exploitation it's really important that we think about that within this context. I was thinking about it because some of the things that have been said to me within different communities that I'm connected to they look at immigration and they think about it and they think about that in the context of things that have happened before in the past. One of those things that happened in the past is around the dawn raids where Pasifika peoples were invited into the country because there were labour shortages but as soon as those jobs dried up next thing you know whole swathes of them were sort of rounded up and deported. So we need to make sure that whatever we do within this two-year period those workers' rights those rights of people that have come here to build lives and to build communities and to work with families are protected.I commend this bill to the House."
Petitions Papers Select Commitee Reports and Introduction of Bills
Mallard TrevorPETITIONS PAPERS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: Petitions have been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.CLERK:Petition of Jessica Keltie requesting that the House amend the rules in the KiwiSaver Act 2006 or update the definitions in the Care of Children Act 2004 to allow a person less than 16 years old to opt into KiwiSaver with permission from a parent or guardianpetition of Angela Meyer for The Gender Justice Collective requesting that the House urge the Government to create a National Women's Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Action Plan and ensure that $6 million is allocated to create this in the 2021 Budget.SPEAKER: Those petitions stand referred to the Petitions Committee. Ministers have delivered papers.CLERK: Classification Office Statement of Performance Expectations 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021Classification Office Statement of Intent 2021-2025Government Response to the Report of the Social Services and Community Committee on the petition of Jenn Hooper.SPEAKER: Those papers are published under the authority of the House.Select committee reports have been delivered for presentation.CLERK: Report of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Budget Policy Statement 2021 and the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update December 2020report of the Governance and Administration Committee on the Report of the Controller and Auditor-General Managing stormwater systems to reduce the risk of floodingreport of the Regulations Review Committee on the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 6) 2021.SPEAKER: Those reports are set down for consideration.The Clerk has been informed of the introduction of bills.CLERK: Income Tax (Adjustment of Taxable Income Ranges) Amendment Bill introductionRegulatory Standards Bill introductionHuman Rights (Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination) Amendment Bill introduction.SPEAKER: Those bills are set down for first reading.
Robertson Grant; Bishop ChrisBUSINESS STATEMENTHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Leader of the House: Next week the annual review debate will begin. The debate is the committee stage of the Appropriation (2019/20 Confirmation and Validation) Bill and is 10 hours long. It will be conducted under the revised procedures for committee stage with Ministers responding to questions from members. On Tuesday the House will consider a motion to approve orders made under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and a motion to continue the Act until the end of the year. Wednesday will be a members' day. A debate on the report of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Budget Policy Statement 2021 will replace the general debate. The second reading of the Fair Trading Amendment Bill will also be considered next week.CHRIS BISHOP (National): Thank you to the acting Leader of the House for that. Can I ask him whether or not the Government has given any thought to allowing members' notice of motion No. 1 to be debated during the members' day next week thus not eating into Government time just members' time?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Leader of the House: On behalf of the Leader of the House as the acting Acting Leader of the House no we haven't given consideration to that matter.
Salesa JennyTHURSDAY 8 APRIL 2021The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): Ke tau lotu. 'E 'Otua Māfimafi kuo mau taa'i mālie 'i ho'o 'ofá mo e ngaahi tāpuaki hono kotoa. 'Oku tuku homau lotó ka mau hū atu ke ke malu'i ange mu'a 'a e Kuiní mo tataki ange 'emau fua fatongia 'i he Fale Aleá 'aki 'a e poto Faka-e-'Otua 'ofa pea mo e 'ulungaanga malū ko e 'uhí ko e mo'ui mo e melino 'o e fonuá. 'Oku mau kole atu 'a e ngaahi me'á ni hono kotoa 'i he huafa ho 'aló pē 'e taha ko Sīsū Kalaisi ko homau fakamo'uí 'Emeni.
Wednesday 7 April 2021 - Volume 751
Accident Compensation (Notice of Decisions) Amendment Bill — First Reading
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Accident Compensation (Notice of Decisions) Amendment Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 77New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Motion not agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Adverse Weather-affected Timber Recovery on Conservation Lands Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 77New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Motion not agreed to.
Adverse Weather-affected Timber Recovery on Conservation Lands Bill — First Reading
10. Question No. 10—YouthNAISI CHEN (Labour) to the Minister for YouthQuestion No. 10—Youth10. NAISI CHEN (Labour) to the Minister for Youth: What recent announcements has she made about supporting young people impacted by COVID-19?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Minister for Youth): Last week I announced that an additional 4000 young New Zealanders who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 will get support to stay engaged or to re-engage in their education journey through the Ākonga Youth Development Community Fund that was set up in November last year as part of the Government's response to COVID-19. This is in addition to the 1500 rangatahi who are already being supported by this fund.Naisi Chen: What types of services will this funding deliver?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Through this funding 28 iwi- and community-based organisations across Aotearoa will deliver wraparound services for young people most at risk of disengaging with their education journey. They will be able to access programmes that offer a range of support from comprehensive mentoring to mental health and wellbeing services and career navigation. Naisi Chen: Why is this funding important?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: We know that rangatahi are facing specific challenges as a result of the pandemic. This fund presents a great opportunity for local organisations to support our youth to stay connected and committed to their education while also being active members of their whānau and community. These programmes will also equip them with the skills they need to succeed later in life as we continue to recover from COVID-19.
8. Question No. 8—TransportDr GAURAV SHARMA (Labour—Hamilton West) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 8—Transport8. Dr GAURAV SHARMA (Labour—Hamilton West) to the Minister of Transport: What recent improvements have been made to connect Hamilton and Auckland? Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): Yesterday the Te Huia commuter rail service officially began with regular commuter services between Hamilton and Auckland. Te Huia has the potential to replace up to 73000 return car trips annually helping to ease congestion and supporting our goal of reducing climate emissions from transport. Dr Gaurav Sharma: What has the uptake of Te Huia's service been so far?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Uptake of the service is going well. Excluding VIPs and reporters of whom there were many there are about 120 commuters on the first two morning services and 130 on the return journey on its first day. KiwiRail's other inter-regional train the Capital Connection started with only a handful of commuters when it began about two decades ago and it now carries between 250 and 300 people every day from Palmerston North to Wellington. We always expect that it will take time to build passenger numbers from a zero base but this is a very solid start. Dr Gaurav Sharma: What support has there been for the Te Huia service? Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Well there has been a lot. I've seen reporting that most passengers on the first service said it was an enjoyable and comfortable trip and I understand that a number of commuters have signalled that this will now be their preferred way of getting from their home in the Waikato to their work in Auckland. The Waikato Regional Council chair Russ Rimmington said It will help to make roads safer give people the stress-free travel and reliability they need between Waikato and Auckland" and Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate said "The new rail service will be great for commuters and day-trippers and is a true partnership between local regional and central government as well as Crown agencies"."
6. Question No. 6—TourismTĀMATI COFFEY (Labour) to the Minister of TourismQuestion No. 6—Tourism6. TĀMATI COFFEY (Labour) to the Minister of Tourism: Will quarantine-free travel with Australia provide an economic boost to the New Zealand tourism industry; if so how?Hon STUART NASH (Minister of Tourism): Yesterday's announcement by our Prime Minister is excellent news for the tourism industry. Tourism New Zealand's insights suggest that opening to Australia could deliver a billion dollars to the economy by the end of the year. Their research shows that over half of Australians surveyed are motivated to have a holiday that includes fun and enjoyment—56 percent—and to relax and refresh—53 percent. This presents a great opportunity for tourism operators and other small businesses to offer an experience that will appeal to Australian visitors. Despite solid domestic tourism over the summer with many Kiwis trying something new there is still a significant gap from the loss of international—SPEAKER: Order! That answer is too long.Tāmati Coffey: What feedback has the Minister received from the tourism industry on quarantine-free travel with Australia?Hon STUART NASH: A lot of positive feedback. I've seen messages and reports from the Mayor of Queenstown from the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce airports Ngāi Tahu the tourism industry and from small businesses especially in the South Island who say they are over the moon". Mayor Jim Boult said "I … cannot express … how happy I am at today's announcement. This is a thing that will make a really big difference for th[e] people who have been struggling." Tourism Industry Aotearoa said "[Travel] operators from around the country are breathing a sigh of relief". They can now take bookings with confidence and scale up their staffing. The timing means that the ski regions in particular will receive a boost in the coming months as in normal times more than 70 percent of overseas visitors who ski in New Zealand are from Australia. Business—SPEAKER: Order!Tāmati Coffey: Final supplementary: what advice has Tourism New Zealand given on the benefits of quarantine-free travel with Australia?Hon STUART NASH: Tourism New Zealand has previously stated that combined with New Zealand's domestic tourism market the return of the Australian market provides the opportunity to bring the tourism industry back to 70 percent of pre-COVID tourism value at a national level. Australians previously made up around 40 percent of international arrivals in 2019 and contributed $2.6 billion to the New Zealand economy. Tourism New Zealand's recent activity in Australia has been designed—SPEAKER: OK. That is enough. These answers are—[Interruption] The member will resume his seat when I stand up. I am accepting the word of Mr Coffey that that was the last supplementary but the member needs to get his answers down to a reasonable size. I will say to Mr Bennett that once again today I am getting sick of his inane interjections. There are members of the House who are trying to convince me at the moment that this is a serious issue. He is not helping."
3. Question No. 3—HealthANNA LORCK (Labour—Tukituki) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 3—Health3. ANNA LORCK (Labour—Tukituki) to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements has he made on new crisis mental health and addiction services in Hawke's Bay?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Last week I announced a new support service for people in Hawke's Bay who are experiencing or at risk of mental health and addiction crisis. The mahi that will be delivered through this service will be life changing and represents an important shift in the way we deliver mental health crisis services. The pilot programme named Te Tāwharau will be a hub of community-based services delivered as a collaboration between health social services and police and will include a dedicated peer support team. That is to say those providing the support will include those people with lived experience.Anna Lorck: Why is this programme different from the current services?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Te Tāwharau is the first programme of its kind where services will be based at one site in the community 24/7. This makes it easier for whānau to know where to get help as services are coordinated to support people in the best way possible. Te Tāwharau will include adult respite residential beds provided by a kaupapa Māori iwi provider an emergency mental health and home-based treatment team peer support workers Ministry of Social Development support and a police liaison.Anna Lorck: What role will peer support play in the new service?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Every lived experience of mental health is unique and the values and depth of understanding that peers—and that includes family members supporting those with lived experience; every understanding that they bring is important. The intention will be that peer support workers act as a first step in preventing a crisis to ensure those in need can get help early. The peer support workers will be people with their own lived experience or who've supported friends or whānau through mental health or addiction issues.
Menéndez March RicardoRICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. I rise to speak in regards to the Policing (Killing a Police Dog) Amendment Bill and I believe it's—no pun intended—nothing short of a dog whistle. The purpose of this bill to increase the penalty for killing a police dog from a maximum of two years to five years of imprisonment under section 53 of the Policing Act 2008 won't result in keeping people safe. It also goes against our Green Party's policy that aims towards a rehabilitative purpose. It is highly unlikely that increasing the penalty for killing a police dog will actually reduce instances of this crime. As the member to my left pointed out addressing the issue of violent crime doesn't come from imprisonment; it actually comes from addressing the determinants that lead people to commit crimes in the first place. So to follow the example of the US or Canada or Australia—who all have mass incarceration problems who all have issues of inequities within the prison system—is not a model that I would like this House to follow. We know—and I'm quoting here a piece from Mark Hanna titled We need to talk about police dogs" published in Honest Universe—that there's also a wider issue with the use of police dogs in general and the fact that despite being used at only 6.9 percent of incidents in 2018 where police used force attack dogs actually caused more than half the moderate and serious injuries inflicted by police that year. Tim van de Molen: What's an attack dog? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH: It's a police dog that is used to attack. We have to make it clear that the purpose and the use of these dogs ultimately results in harm. We also want to bring to attention the data from 2020 in May "about the high proportion of mental health or emotional distress in incidents where people were hospitalised by [police] dog injuries" and despite the "NZ Police [defending] their use of this extremely dangerous tactical option" we know that ultimately Māori were disproportionately affected by this. Tim van de Molen: So they're racist dogs too? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH: Well as the members to our right will point out dogs may not be racist but our criminal justice system and prison system is and this bill will just not address any of these issues. If the members to the right are so concerned about keeping people safe they may as well be supporting issues like increasing benefits public housing and preventative approaches to our justice system. The Green Party won't stand by dog-whistle politics that will not keep people safe and we will not be recommending this bill to the select committee. Kia ora."
Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Bill — First Reading
Urgent Debates — COVID-19 — Trans-Tasman Bubble
Mallard TrevorURGENT DEBATESCOVID-19—Trans-Tasman Travel BubbleSPEAKER: I have received a letter from the Hon Judith Collins seeking to debate under Standing Order 399 the Prime Minister's announcement yesterday that the Government will be opening the trans-Tasman travel bubble from 19 April 2021. This is a particular case for which there is ministerial responsibility. The response to COVID-19 and in particular the opening of New Zealand's borders to international travellers is a matter that requires the immediate attention of the House. Therefore I call on the Hon Judith Collins to move that the House take note of a matter of urgent public importance.
Mallard TrevorPETITIONS PAPERS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: No petitions have been presented. No bills have been introduced.A select committee report has been delivered for presentation.CLERK: Report of the Officers of Parliament Committee on alterations to the 2020/21 appropriations for Vote Audit Vote Ombudsmen and Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and 2021/22 draft budgets for the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General the Office of the Ombudsman and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.SPEAKER: That report is set down for consideration.
Dean JacquiWEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Almighty God we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests we acknowledge the Queen 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.
Thursday 25 March 2021 - Volume 751
12. Question No. 12—PoliceNICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 12—Police12. NICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister of Police: What actions if any have been taken to speed up the process for the approximately 10000 people caught in a firearm licence application backlog?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Justice) on behalf of the Minister of Police: Police issue online reminders to people to apply for their licence well ahead of time. Police currently have a number of licence applications to process due to both COVID-19 delays and new licensing reforms and processes. Police have brought on board more staff to help with the backlog and they have been prioritising applications for those who need their licence for work and for renewals first. Duck season begins in May and police are working hard to clear as many renewal applications as possible before this time. Those who do not have their licence before the season starts can still take part if they are supervised by a current licence holder.Nicole McKee: Is she concerned that current Government processes are stopping firearm owners who are trying to become legally licensed from actually being legally licensed?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: On behalf of the Minister as I said there are COVID-19-related delays. Also with a new regime that was introduced with the new legislation a more rigorous test is taken by police to make sure that people are fit and proper people to have a firearms licence. As I said more staff are being brought on to try and process the applications that are currently on hand and we hope that we are able to clear that as fast as possible. As I say if people are concerned about the upcoming duck-shooting season they are able to continue to undertake that practice if they are supervised by a current licence holder.Nicole McKee: Will the Minister consider providing temporary extensions for delayed licence applications similar to what was done in response to COVID-19 to assist processing licences and participation of law-abiding owners in the roar; if not why not?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: On behalf of the Minister I believe that question may be based on some legal advice that the Council of Licenced Firearms Owners have had recently. I would say to the member though that that type of measure is not possible because the types of action taken as a response to COVID were narrow and are not available to the Minister at this stage.Simeon Brown: When the Minister says that licence holders should apply well in advance does the Minister mean that those licence holders whose licences expire next year should reapply now so they can take part in next year's roar or duck-shooting season?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I understand that those people who have to have their licence renewed get about four months' warning that their licence is coming up and needs to be renewed in that time frame. I understand there are some delays which are a little beyond that but if they do want to take part as I said in the upcoming shooting season they're most welcome to continue to do that if they do that with friends with a licence.