Moroney Sue: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
Moroney Sue: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:3686] 
SUE MORONEY (Labour) 
: 
 Thank you Mr Chair for giving me the right to speak in this debate. Over the course of the last 3 days I have not had the opportunity to participate. The Government has been so keen to close down debate on this bill that—never mind the people of Auckland getting a say—as a member of Parliament I have not been able to take a call yet. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: We need longer. 
SUE MORONEY 
: We need significantly longer on all these parts. I have wanted to comment on many of them and to date I have not been able to. 
In regard to this new part in particular I am pleased to rise and take a call to stop the Government from taking away the ability of employees of local body authorities in Auckland to have paid parental leave in the transitional period. If Mr Brownlee had read the legislation he might realise this. Mr Brownlee’s speech was very important because it reminded us of exactly why this bill should be going to a select committee. The Minister does not realise what occurred yesterday during this very debate on this very legislation. His own Government moved to withdraw a provision before the Committee and in doing that it actually put at risk paid parental leave for women employees of councils. He has not even worked out that that clause—and if my colleague would be good enough to pass me his copy of the bill— 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: Clause 36. 
I read that clause out because that is what the Government removed from the legislation yesterday. That is why we are putting forward an amendment in the name of the Hon Steve Chadwick to add New Part 12. We want to guarantee that women—and men actually—who are about to have children can take paid parental leave. 
It is no surprise that National is trying this on because every single time the issue of paid parental leave has been put before Parliament it has voted against it. National has voted against paid parental leave on every single occasion. That is why it is the job of the Opposition to watch out for this and to make sure that the Government does not slip in something like this. That is exactly why the people of Auckland—and in fact the people of New Zealand—should have the right to see this bill referred to a select committee. These are the very questions that need to be addressed. They are complex situations and we do need to ensure that all the rights of these employees are protected. 
As I said it is no surprise that National is doing this. Just last week National also canned the Pay and Employment Equity Taskforce. So it is no wonder National members are trying to make sure that there are no rights for these employees going forward. National members have removed that provision from the bill. 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: That is utter rubbish. 
SUE MORONEY 
: No it is absolutely true. They did it to ensure that the employment terms and conditions did not automatically transfer through to the transitional authority. 
This is a serious issue because 6300 employees are involved in these eight councils. They need to know—and they should have the right to ask this question—why the Government has taken out of this bill those workers’ right to have the same terms and conditions that they have worked many years to acquire. Why did National move to take that right away from them as it moves towards this sham of a transitional body? It is an important question because the very act of creating that transitional body changes the employer and therefore the employment circumstances of 6300 workers. This is an issue that will be important to the families of Auckland. If National members do not think that paid parental leave is important then they are wrong.