Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill

On behalf of New Zealand First, I rise to support the request of the member Dianne Yates that we vote down the Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill. New Zealand First congratulates Dianne Yates on putting this bill forward and on ensuring that there will be action taken in this area. She has done an incredible amount of work and research in the area of drug rape, and this must be acknowledged. This is one issue that could have easily been put into the too-hard basket and forgotten about, and fortunately it was not.

Drug rape is a despicable crime that is happening right throughout New Zealand in many different environments. It is despicable because the victims cannot physically resist or consent in any way as they are already immobilised and silenced. The perpetrator of this type of crime needs to be dealt with in the most severe way possible. It is a totally premeditated crime and the criminals have to very carefully plan their moves. It is no less criminal—

💬 Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sorry to interrupt. If members are going to talk, will they please do it quietly.

The criminals have to very carefully plan their moves in this type of crime. It is no less criminal than any other type of crime, and it is far worse than many.

It is disappointing, I must say, that the Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill did not have any opportunity to become law earlier, as we all recognise that drug rape is a modern crime, and, of course, it affects both men and women in many different environments—not just in bars. We recognise that this legislation has been overtaken by the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2), which we hope will have its second reading in this House very promptly. That is one bill we cannot afford to let languish on the Order Paper for a very, very long time like some bills do. That bill needs to become law sooner rather than later. Drug rape is a crime for which the offenders deserve to have the full force of the law thrown at them. They need to be prosecuted by the justice system, so we need legislation that will enable prosecutors to perform their jobs to the best of their ability, and to work against the crime of drug rape. We will be looking for progress on the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2). It is time that we were very proactive about this type of legislation.

To date, I must say, the police have done a very good job on the drug rape issue. This is a crime that really needs some prompt action if there is to be any successful prosecution. It is a very unfortunate fact that many of these cases go unreported because the victim does not seek help or even report the incident. So really we can say that nobody knows just how common drug-facilitated rape is, because there is no way of measuring the incidents that occur. This is a difficult crime that desperately needs the type of legislation that this bill outlines, and that has been included in the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2). It is to be hoped that that bill addresses the concerns that Dianne Yates has raised. She is nodding to say that it does.

💬 Dianne Yates: It’s actually better.

She says it is better. It has been really pleasing, too, to see that awareness of this issue has been considerably raised. The recent publicity campaign raised awareness of the necessity for people to keep an eye on their drinks in all situations when they are out and about. It was great to see that advertising on the TV channels that young people usually watch. Hopefully, it has saved some young people from being the victims of this particular crime.

I was pleased to read recently, too, that a small kit to test drinks for date-rape drugs is to be sold in New Zealand very soon. It tests for the three most commonly used drugs, and will be useful when one is out and about—both men and women. It is really a sad fact of life that such a test kit is needed, but it definitely is.

So New Zealand First would like to indicate to the House that we support Dianne Yates and her request that we vote against her very good member’s bill.

I want to take just a brief call to summarise National’s position on this legislation. Earlier, when we last debated it, Tony Ryall spoke, and I will reiterate the points made during that time. We support the recommendation by Dianne Yates that this bill be discharged. It will not be passed, because it has been superseded and overtaken by the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2), which I note is set down for second reading as Government order of the day No. 15 on the Order Paper.

💬 Barbara Stewart: It is and it’s far too low.

Barbara Stewart from New Zealand First said that, because of the importance that she, or New Zealand First, places on this bill, it should be expedited, and it should be much higher on the list than that. National would concur with that. We believe that anything to do with drug-assisted rapes, which is covered by the Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill, is important for society. It is important that we have legislation that will cover these points. National’s position is that we are happy to support the recommendation that the bill be discharged, or that it not be passed.

I will take just a brief call. Having sat on the Law and Order Committee with Dianne Yates and the rest of the team, I just take the opportunity to endorse the comments of my colleague Barbara Stewart, the future Minister of Health in the next Government.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): I am sorry. I wrongly called you, Mr Mark.

But you have.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): The call is invalid and I am sorry.

I was just going to compliment the honourable Dianne Yates.

💬 Lindsay Tisch: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. You said that Mr Mark’s call was invalid. National would have had three calls, and we actually—

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): No, sorry; it is because his party is entitled to speak only once in this debate, and a member had already spoken.

💬 Lindsay Tisch: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I want just to confirm that National is entitled to three speeches, and we have had two. We are offering our third spot to New Zealand First so that it can have an extra call.

💬 Hon Mark Burton: I seek leave for the member’s party to have a second call.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): Leave has been sought for that course to be taken. Is there any objection? There appears to be none.

May I once again congratulate the House. Is it not amazing that in moments like this, when such generosity is shown across the House, there are so very few reporters around to report on the generosity of the Minister of Defence, and the generosity of the deputy leader of the National Party, as well, and the other members in the House—from ACT, United Future, and the Greens?

💬 Hon Ken Shirley: I almost said no.

But he did not. I guess that is the unfortunate thing—that every now and then, when we have members’ day, it is possible sometimes to lose track of where we are.

I just want to say to Dianne Yates that she must be the luckiest member in this House—I think I have said this before. In terms of the number of bills that this lady has had introduced in the House, all of us are envious of her. But the quality of the work that goes in behind those bills has to be recognised, and the fact is her work on this bill has been recognised by the Government, and it has been incorporated into the other bill. Although this bill will be discharged from the House, the subsequent law changes that will come eventually, we hope, when this Government brings that bill to the floor of the House, will be for the betterment of all. I wish to conclude by saying to Ms Dianne Yates: “Congratulations and well done.”

Motion not agreed to.