PARLIAMENTARY REPORT
NEW ZEALAND THIRD READING: NEW ZEALAND
Animal Welfare Amendment Bill The Animal Welfare Amendment Bill passed its third reading with unanimous support on 5 May 2015. It makes changes to the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to improve the clarity, enforceability, and transparency of New Zealand’s animal welfare system.
The Bill explicitly recognizes the sentience of animals, places restrictions on the performance of surgical procedures, creates offences relating to wild animals, and enables regulations to be made regarding animal testing, offences, fees, surgical or painful procedures, and matters relating to the exportation of live animals. The Bill also bans cosmetic testing on animals. Speaking at the third reading, Mr Stuart Smith
MP (National) said that the Bill “has a much greater enforceability … I think that is really important because we too often see well-meaning Acts of Parliament with little enforceability or inappropriate penalties.” Ms Mojo Mathers MP (Green) said: “We can be proud of the fact that New Zealand is now the first country in Australasia to ban cosmetic animal testing.” However, Ms Mathers also said: “this Bill still represents a missed opportunity to get it right for the millions of animals suffering on factory farms.” Hon. Trevor Mallard MP (Labour) also voiced concerns about factory farming: “… we need to be aware that there is more and more focus on the way we treat our animals in a way that is similar to the way that we treat our environment.” Richard Prosser MP (New Zealand First), while commending the Bill, noted also: “The issue of live exports for slaughter has not gone away … New Zealand First is very much concerned that such exports may be resumed and that the provision for their resumption still exists under the Bill.” The Minister for Primary Industries, Hon. Nathan
Guy MP (National) acknowledged the contribution of Ms Mojo Mathers, who worked to secure cross-party support for the ban on cosmetic testing on animals. Mr Guy said: “… although New Zealand is now ranked first equal by the global charity World Animal Protection, the Bill … is evidence that we will never be complacent. Our world- leading animal welfare laws are being made even stronger.”
Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau) Bill
On 18 June 2015 the Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau) Bill passed it third reading with unanimous support, allowing people from the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau to receive New Zealand superannuation in those countries once they turn 65. Previously, people had to be resident
218 | The Parliamentarian | 2015: Issue Three
and present in New Zealand at 65 in order to receive superannuation.
The Minister for Social Development, Hon. Anne Tolley MP (National) said: “This Bill will provide greater flexibility for people who wish to live in the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. This government wants to recognize the great contribution that people from those Islands have made to New Zealand.” She noted: “New Zealand superannuation is paid at a minimum of 50% after 10 years’ residence in New Zealand, rising to 100% after 20 years’ residence.” New Zealand superannuation regulations were already more generous for Pacific countries because of the Special Portability Arrangement. Ms Tolley explained that this “is designed to recognize that contribution that Pacific peoples have made to New Zealand and the inability of Pacific countries and territories to fulfil the reciprocal obligations necessary to conclude social security agreements with New Zealand.”
Changes in the Bill are restricted to the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau because of New Zealand’s unique constitutional arrangements with those States. Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand, and the Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing, although citizens still have New Zealand citizenship. Several Opposition parties called for provisions in the Bill to go further. Ms Carmel Sepuloni MP (Labour) said “Countries like Australia, the UK and the Netherlands … can access their pension without having to spend 5 years in New Zealand between the ages of 50 and 65 … If any citizens were going to be exempt from that 5 year rule, it should be the three countries that are actually part of the Realm of New Zealand.” An amendment in the name of Rt. Hon. Winston Peters MP (Leader, New Zealand First) would have removed the stipulation that people spend 5 years in New Zealand after turning 50 in order to be eligible for New Zealand superannuation, but it did not gain sufficient support. In support of the amendment, Mr Su’a William Sio MP (Labour) said: “the land of Aotearoa New Zealand should also include the Cook Islands … Niue and Tokelau.” MPs also noted the contributions of people from these nations to New Zealand’s efforts in World War I and World War II. Mr Stuart Smith MP (National) disagreed with the amendment, saying: “In those countries we have agreements with … there is a provision known as totalization. That provision allows for reciprocal payments of superannuation within those nations. That does not apply in the Islands, because they are not able to pay their superannuation at the same rate.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104