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PAUL QUINN (National) to the Attorney-General: What are the key aspects of the Government’s preferred approach in the foreshore and seabed consultation document released yesterday?
 
 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Local Government: I move, That the Regulatory Improvement Bill be now read a second time. In so doing I thank the Commerce Committee for its consideration of the bill, and I also acknowledge those who made oral and written submissions. The committee’s report includes some useful recommendations that I believe will improve processes and, importantly, reduce compliance costs. The bill provides an opportunity to improve the quality of regulation in New Zealand by recommending small but none the less very important amendments to nine Acts. As was indicated in the Minister’s first reading speech, the provisions in the bill came out of the Quality Regulation Review undertaken by the previous Government in 2006 and 2007. I thank the member for Christchurch East for initiating and championing the work that has resulted in this bill.
 
 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Immigration: I move, That the Immigration Act 2009 Amendment Bill be now read a first time. The Minister, the Hon Jonathan Coleman, is not here tonight because he and his wife have just had a child, and that is a cause of great celebration. But I will not talk about squawking children too much, because I certainly do not want to upset Mr Chauvel.
 
 
RAHUI KATENE (Māori Party—Te Tai Tonga) to the Attorney-General: Does he agree with the reported statement of the Hon Phil Goff that “any outcome needs to maintain public access to beaches and protect the customary title or rights of iwi to the seabed and foreshore” and that “this is already the situation”; if not, why not?
 
 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Immigration: I move, That the Immigration Act 2009 Amendment Bill be now read a third time. Once again, I thank honourable members for their generosity of spirit in facilitating the expeditious passage of this bill.
 
 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) : I would not want honourable members to think I have an unhealthy obsession with the machinery provisions of bills, but I thought Mr Cosgrove made a very helpful contribution. He identified exactly what the problem was in the legislation, which is what happens, perhaps, when we have overly prescriptive provisions in transitional arrangements or commencement clauses.
 
 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Immigration: I move, That the Immigration Act 2009 Amendment Bill be now read a second time. In the first reading speeches I thought there were a number of helpful contributions. Perhaps I can be indulged to say I heard what Mr Cosgrove said about the omission. It is a matter that I myself have raised, and it could well be that this kind of drafting of commencement clauses needs to be revisited. As I have said, I heard what Mr Cosgrove said, but at the end of the day, as Alan Martin said—and Mr Cosgrove is a Cantabrian, so he may not know about L V Martin—it is the putting right that counts. I think that is important to acknowledge.
 
 
Dr RUSSEL NORMAN (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Justice: Has he received advice on the benefits of having campaign spending caps in the MMP referendum?
 
 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) : I seek the leave of the House to correct an answer given to a question for oral answer on 18 March 2010.
 
 
DAVID GARRETT (ACT) to the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: How much has Tukoroirangi Morgan been paid by the Office of Treaty Settlements as a Crown Facilitator since 16 November 2008, and has he been paid on a hourly rate, or as a fixed charge?