Borrows Chester: Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill — In Committee 
Borrows Chester: Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:646;Page:15334] 
CHESTER BORROWS (National—Whanganui) 
: 
 I rise to take a call in respect of this bill because I think it is only fair for people who are listening in to know exactly what is going on here. We have heard some weaselly words coming from the other side of the Chamber endorsing the sterling work of the member of Parliament for Manurewa George Hawkins. And so members should endorse his work. He has taken a local initiative that came out of Manurewa and has brought it to this House in the form of this Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill. 
What really annoys the Government is the fact that it never wanted to back the bill—it never wanted to back it at all. Government members spoke against it and did everything they could to not back it. But what happened? The bill gained some traction so we have a situation tonight where a vast majority of people in this Parliament are supporting this legislation and Mr Hawkins wants it to go through but it will not go through tonight. If it does not complete the process tonight as it had the opportunity to do earlier it will not go through before the report back of the Government’s own graffiti bill which was raised only to try to counter Mr Hawkins’ bill. The Government wants to put its own stamp on the issue. 
So those members are perpetuating this debate—knowing that it is clear-cut knowing where it is going and knowing that it could have been done and dusted tonight—in order to prevent the bill passing through purely so that this Government can shaft Mr Hawkins and create its own piece of legislation to overshadow his. As sure as eggs what will happen is that when that report-back date—which at the moment is at the end of April but with the leave of the Business Committee will be allowed to go through to the Monday before we come back after the next adjournment which is 2 days before the next members’— 
Ron Mark 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. As the chairman of the Law and Order Committee I have to advise that matters before the committee and that are discussed in committee are in committee. They are not for debate in this Chamber and they are not for wider publication. The member needs to be strenuously cautioned as to the boundaries that he is permitted to operate within and the consequences of going outside those boundaries. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: Thank you for raising that Mr Mark. If any of the work in the select committee were open to the public then it could be commented on. I ask the member to be aware of that please. 
CHESTER BORROWS 
: Thank you for the note of caution. In any event it is public knowledge that the report-back day for the Government’s graffiti bill is prior to the next members’ day which is the next day this legislation can be debated. This is the Government’s way of shafting its own honourable member George Hawkins who did not take a fall who did not take a bullet and who is standing again in the next election much to the Government’s chagrin. 
The interesting thing is that the huge endorsement for instance that was given by the member for Waimakariri the Hon Clayton Cosgrove about the movement of a local member to promote a local bill on behalf of his community is exactly what this debate is preventing in respect of the debate around the Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Bill. This bill will also enjoy the support of the House but the Government does not want to pledge that support tonight within the full hearing of the House.