April 2009
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Wed, 29/04/2009 - 10:27pm
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Today I hosted the Wellington Central Greypower's monthly meeting at Parliament. Greypower is an organisation that promotes and represents the wellbeing of those aged 50-plus. I attended this club’s pre-election meeting in October last year at a Karori venue and it was great to be able to return the invitation and host them in my patch today.
Following a warm introduction from President McDonald, I spoke to the members about my path into politics and some of my most memorable experiences in Parliament as well as joining the Territorial Force of the New Zealand Army in 2006 and ACT's partnership with National to form a government after the 2008 election.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Wed, 29/04/2009 - 11:09am
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In the House this week.
Government Bills:
ASEAN Australia - New Zealand Fair Trade Area Bill - First Reading
ACT to Support
Education Amendment Act - First Reading
ACT to Support
Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Bill - First Reading
ACT to Support
Patents Bill - First Reading
ACT to Support
Protected Disclosures Amendment Bill - Committee Stage
ACT to Support
Maori Trustee Amendment Bill - Committee Stage
ACT to Support
Student Loan Scheme (Repayment Bonus) Amendment Bill - First Reading
ACT to Support
Regulatory Improvement Bill - First Reading
ACT to Support
A more detailed rundown of Parliament this week can be viewed by clicking on 'In The House' or at http://www.roy.org.nz/inthehouse.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Mon, 27/04/2009 - 4:25pm
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In 2007 I drafted a members' Bill - the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill - aimed at introducing voluntary membership of tertiary student associations. One of the goals behind the Bill is to end the political misrepresentation that occurs under compulsory membership. Prior to ANZAC day another incident occurred that confirmed yet again the urgent need for voluntary membership at New Zealand's tertiary institutions.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Sun, 26/04/2009 - 8:30pm
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ANZAC Day is pretty special. I have attended dawn or civic services for as long as I can remember in a variety of capacities. In my childhood, I went along in my Brownie or Girl Guide uniform, or in school uniform to lay a wreath. For many years, I attended as a member of the public, joining others to honour and recognise the sacrifices our forebears had made for the freedoms we all enjoy today. In 2006-08, I was in my Army uniform and this year was my first ANZAC day as Associate Defence Minister where I represented the Government. I thought it was appropriate to 'go home' for this first, so accepted an invitation to speak at the service in Palmerston (Otago)- the small South Island town where I was born and brought up in.
I combined this visit home with a number of other ANZAC commemoration visits in and around Dunedin.
NZ Army Promotion - Col John Wilson
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Sat, 25/04/2009 - 10:18pm
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The NZRU organised 3 ANZAC fixtures in conjunction with the Super 14 for ANZAC Day. I was in Dunedin for official duties and watched the Stormers (OK - they weren't on Chunuk Bair but it was a scheduled away-game) beat the Highlanders. However, in the curtain-raiser to the 'Canes thumping of the Brumbies (56-7) in Wellington tonight, the New Zealand Army team beat the Aussies 26-0 to win the inaugural fixture for the Major General Lou Gardiner Cup. Can't really comment further on that except to say that the son of my Senior Ministerial Advisor (and also a fellow 5 WWCT Bn soldier) was playing on the back of the NZ Army scrum so I am claiming some connection with the win! 
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Fri, 24/04/2009 - 12:59pm
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This morning I was pleased to collect for the annual Poppy Day Appeal – a task I undertake with enjoyment each year as it gives me an opportunity to show my support for the Royal New Zealand Returned Servicemen's Association and the New Zealand Defence Force.
My spot this year was at the corner of Wellington Central's Cuba and Manners Streets and – while it was a rather crisp morning to be standing outdoors – it was fantastic to see the public’s support for our war veterans, our Defence Force troops, and their families. The generosity shown by members of the public – of all ages and from all walks of life – is a real testament to our proud military history and those who have fought so bravely for our country.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Thu, 23/04/2009 - 3:36pm
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It is interesting to see the furore that has arisen since the the New Zealand Geographic Board revealed that 'North Island' and 'South Island' are not official place names.
Now the question is being asked about whether the country's two main islands keep their names, or whether it's time for a change - with two possible alternatives being 'Te Ika a Maui' (the fish of Maui) for the North Island and 'Te Wai Pounamu' (the place of greenstone) for the South Island.
Opinions vary: some people believe that a name change would prove more interesting for tourists; some adhere to the princple of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"; others are adamant that the most appropriate option would be to use the Maori names - which appeared in on early official maps and documents.
At this stage it appears that Kiwis are keen to maintain the status quo, with 70 percent of respondents to a New Zealand online poll thinking that the North and South Islands should keep their names.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Wed, 22/04/2009 - 10:04pm
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New Zealand has a proud military heritage – throughout history our contribution to various war efforts has belied our size and it could be said that, as a small nation, we punch well above our weight when it comes time to do our duty.
This is a heritage that knows no bounds. There are no social barriers, nor any barrier to age – honouring those who have served in the past and those serving now is not just something for the older generations, as anyone who has attended an ANZAC Day service in recent years and seen the young people gathered there will attest.
It is not surprising then to see that New Zealand will be the first nation in the world to have a complete record of its war graves and cemeteries compiled by a government or organisation. This record will take the form of an online database to allow families of lost New Zealand soldiers to access virtual war cemeteries and a digital role of honour.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Tue, 21/04/2009 - 4:41pm
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As Associate Minister of Defence, I today joined Defence Minister Wayne Mapp in hosting a press conference to release the Terms of Reference for Defence Review 09.
Both the ACT and National Parties campaigned in the 2008 election on the promise of a Defence Review within a year of taking office. Today's launch was a further affirmation of this Government's intent to honour its commitments.
As a small nation, we have to make smart choices about Defence. However, we must also acknowledge that it is impossible to accurately predict the future and, for far too long, defence decisions have been based on politically expedient and hardware-oriented thinking.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Mon, 20/04/2009 - 9:06pm
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Today I attended the official launch of the 2009 Poppy Day Appeal at the National War Memorial's Hall of Memories and home of the tomb of the unknown warrior. This is a strikingly beautiful building and it provides moving reminders of what our troops have sacrificed for our country.
As well as launching the 2009 Appeal, Veterans' Affairs Minister Judith Collins, as requested by RSA National President Robin Klitscher, announced the establishment of a new RNZRSA initiative - The ANZAC Award. It is designed to recognise each year the efforts and achievements of those who best emulate the ANZAC spirit of courage, comradeship, commitment and compassion. This spirit is perhaps best represented by the story of New Zealand Gallipoli hero Richard Henderson and his donkey. The award itself will be a bronze marquette of the pair at Gallipoli, the first award to be presented on ANZAC Day 2010.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Sat, 18/04/2009 - 7:22pm
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Reading this morning's DominionPost, it was good to find one "good news" story amongst the 7,000 people going missing each year, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Fiji, food prices up by more than inflation and the continuing Tony Veitch saga.
There is of course the Obama family's new dog which I suppose is technically a good news story but we have heard a lot about Bo over the past few days. My pick however was the feel-good article 'Eric takes 104 in his stride'.
Eric King-Turner hit the headlines last year when he immigrated to New Zealand with his 90 year old kiwi born wife, Doris. Yesterday Eric celebrated his 104th birthday at his home near Motueka. The DomPost reported that Eric claims the secret to his longevity was animal fats, butter, sugar, salt and gin. His only real complaint is that he doesn't get enough time to go fishing. Some things, it seems, never change - 'gone fishing' is the thing fishermen of all ages can't get enough of!
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Thu, 16/04/2009 - 4:16pm
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Consumers have a new tool in the battle to save money with Cheapflights Ltd yesterday announcing the launch of its new New Zealand/Austraia website www.cheapflights.com.au.
Cheapflights Ltd describes itself as a pioneer in independent online flight price comparisons and the new website provides users with deals from flight providers, or information on flight/hotel packages.
In the current economic climate, any initiative to help people save money is good news, and services that allow users to compare prices from different providers is very useful for families living on tight budgets.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Tue, 14/04/2009 - 9:33pm
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I don’t envy the TMO’s job at major sports events. However, they fulfill an important role in spotting play that wasn’t seen by the referee. Tonight’s ‘Campbell Live’ on TV3 was a classic example of the need for a media TMO.
Campbell’s guest was veteran journalist and current Fairfax employee, Michael Field. I have a lot of respect for his coverage of events in the Pacific Islands, including Fiji. I draw the line, though, at his statement that ‘mercenary work in the UN had, at times, brought in more dollars to Fiji than tourism and it should be stopped.’
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Tue, 14/04/2009 - 3:25pm
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The issues of the day will be discussed and debated when I join Green Co-Leader Russel Norman, Labour MP Phil Twyford and National's Hekia Parata at Back Benches tomorrow night -Wednesday 15 April at 9pm.
Topics for the evening will be:
Super Cities - the decision has been made, but the controversy remains. How will the changes be made? Transitioning woes? Ill will between the mayors and Hon Rodney Hide, and Maoris losing their seats.
Mt Albert by election - who will stand for the seat? The Greens won’t sit this one out, and neither will ACT. Who will National and Labour put forward? Is the seat safe? If Labour wins, what else does that mean for the Party?
Fiji - What’s happening in Fiji is atrocious; what role should NZ play in helping stabilize the country?
Saunders Unsworth Guide to the Parliament - written by lobbyist Mark Unsworth, the guide is $900 dossier sold to a select few, but gives an inside look to the MPs.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Tue, 14/04/2009 - 1:29pm
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This morning I joined the Chief of Army, Maj General Gardiner, in farewelling the 14th rotation of New Zealand troops deploying to Afghanistan at Burnham Military Camp.
Many were joined by family members and friends saying their last goodbyes before the troops departed for a six-month tour of duty as part of the multi-national Provincial Re-building Team (PRT) in Afghanistan's Bamyan Province.
ARIKI 14 is probably the best prepared and trained deployment, having attended EXERCISE COOPERATIVE SPIRIT last year in Germany. This was a multi-national exercise where troops honed their skills and tactics, and soldiers and commanders were provided with scenario-based training opportunities.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Tue, 14/04/2009 - 1:22pm
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Once again retailers have been penalised for opening on Easter Sunday, with 16 storeowners now facing prosecution from the Labour Department.
The 16 retailers 'caught out' - three of which are in Wellington - include garden centres, a music store, a bookstore, and a hardware and home improvement store. They now face fines of up to $1,000 - for simply catering to the demand of people who want to do a bit of shopping on Good Friday.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Fri, 10/04/2009 - 4:12pm
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If you ask an economist when is the best time to carry out reform, they will tell you, quite unambiguously, that it is when times are good. If you ask a politician, they will tell you that it is when times are bad. This seeming contradiction is easily explained by the concept of public opinion. When the economy is collapsing the need for change is self evident.
The concept was taken one step forward recently at the G20 meeting in London where a group of 20 countries (Group 20) are meeting to plan a co-ordinated response to the global recession.
President Obama's new Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, recently said "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste". He has clearly grasped the concept to its full extent.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Tue, 07/04/2009 - 1:54pm
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In the House this week.
Government Bills:
Appropriation (2007/08 Financial Review) Bill - Committee Stage and Third Reading
ACT support (Tues)
Trade Marks (International Treaties and Enforcement) Amendment Bill - First Reading
ACT support (Tues)
Protected Disclosures Amendment Bill - Committee stage
ACT support (Tues)
The Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill - Third Reading
ACT support (Thurs)
*Note: this Bill has been split into the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill, the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Amendment Bill, and the Sentencing Amendment Bill.
Private and Local Bills:
Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Bill - Committee stage
ACT support at Committee stage (Wed)
Eden Park Trust Amendment Bill - First Reading
ACT support (Wed)
Members’ Bills:
Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill - Committee Stage
ACT opposed (Wed)
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Tue, 07/04/2009 - 9:59am
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Choice is a powerful thing - without it, people would not have the opportunity to try new things and achieve their full potential. This fact is highlighted by a story in yesterday's Dominion Post, about two boys with Downs Syndrome who are currently undergoing their first round of karate grading.
According to the article (www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/2316012/Down-syndrome-boys-get-kick-o...), both boys are excelling in the sport and are enjoying themselves immensely.
They might never had had the chance to try karate - let alone excel - had they not been able to attend karate classes offered for those with special needs. By setting up such a class, their karate instructor provided them with the opportunity to try a new activity. And that choice is paying dividends.
People cannot excel unless they are given the option of doing so; that is the power of choice.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Mon, 06/04/2009 - 5:14pm
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While the Australian Government has announced a new approach of assisting mortgage borrowers in financial difficulty, New Zealanders should be aware that similar relief is already available under the Credit Contract and Consumer Finance Act.
Consumers who find themselves in situations of unforeseen hardship - such as loss of employment - and facing difficulty meeting their mortgage repayments can apply to their lender to vary the terms of contract.
Variation of these terms can include extending the contract term and reducing the amount of each payment due under the contract; postponing the dates on which payments are due, or postponing payments.
This provision applies to all types of consumer credit contracts, and all lenders - including banks - are free to operate over and above these minimum requirements.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Sat, 04/04/2009 - 4:45pm
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You have probably seen the Kiwibank advertisements that ask you to "Join the Movement" - to move away from the big Australian owned banks. Well it seems that not everything at Kiwibank is run by New Zealanders, as revealed by NZPA this week. The state-owned bank is using an Australian based call-centre for it's thousands of KiwiSaver members. A spokesman for the bank has confirmed that Kiwibank is using KiwiSaver provider Mercer to supply call centre services from a facility in Melbourne.
Now, I've no objection to using Australian companies but this is all just a bit hypocritical after the claims that have been made. As Minister of Consumer Affairs I expect advertising to be accurate. This looks like a classic case of "do as we say, not do as we do"!
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Fri, 03/04/2009 - 7:27am
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One of the really pleasurable parts of being an MP is being invited to special events. Last night I was invited to attend the opening of 'Our Stories: New Zealand Army Art', an exhibition of Matt Gauldie's work. Matt is the official New Zealand Army artist and the exhibition shows a glimpse into the work and life of kiwi soldiers.
I had previously met Matt on several occasions, always when we were both in uniform at training exercises. He has completed a Basic All-Arms Recruit Course and had intensive pre-deployment training before being posted to Afghanistan and the Solomon Islands where he joined our serving troops.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Thu, 02/04/2009 - 10:06am
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Ministerial delegations - the outline of what areas of responsibility Associate Ministers have in their respective portfolios - were tabled in Parliament yesterday.
As Associate Minister of Education, I have been delegated responsibility for all matters relating to Special Education and the Independent Schools sector. I have initiated a review of Special Education which will identify current difficulties and possible solutions. It will also consider funding issues and ways of allocating the extra resources promised by the National Party before the 2008 election.
Independent Schools provide additional choice in the Education sector and I am very pleased to have been given delegated authority in this area.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Wed, 01/04/2009 - 10:49pm
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People often ask about the Debating Chamber at Parliament. How do things work there? and How do I know which bills or laws are being debated? are common questions I'm asked. It isn't always easy to know as the agenda of the House changes frequently and it's often difficult to know how long debates on individual bills will go on for.
The Order Paper lists all of the bills in the order they will be debated and it can be found on the Beehive website. Previously I've listed the bills that will be heard in the current week on this website and after a few requests I've added the 'In the House' page to the website again. There you will find the laws being made this week - the name of the bill (this isn't always the best indication of what a bill is about!), which stage the bill is at, a brief description of the provisions of the bill and whether ACT supports or opposes the bill.
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Submitted by Heather Roy on Wed, 01/04/2009 - 3:13pm
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The last surviving company commander of the 28th Maori Battalion, Major Hone Hikitia Te Rangi Waititi, was recognised at an investiture ceremony at Government House yesterday.
The investiture ceremony was held to bestow medals upon those New Zealanders who had been named as recipients of the New Years Honours. Major Waititi was made a member of the Queen's Service Order for his services to the community - which include being a founding trustee of a number of land trusts, such as the Te Arawhata Trust and the Te Haha Station Trust.
According to media reports, Major Waititi found the event a little "over the top", saying he expected a little badge rather than to be recognised in such a "flash" way.
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