Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill

I will take just a brief call on clause 3 of the Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill, which amends the principal Act. It is worth noting the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1997 and its predecessor, the 1965 Act.

I will use this opportunity to tell colleagues in the Chamber that I have been able to identify the exact day in 1867 upon which the Royal Society, as seen within the 1997 and 1965 legislation, was created. I did this using modern technology, of course. That date was 10 October 1867. That information comes via an appendix to the New Zealand Institute Act of 1867. It is also backed up, I am told by my advisers, by the German version of Wikipedia. I tell no lie—that is what I have been told. It is unusual for me to do this, but I credit a researcher by the name of Michael Naylor for that excellent piece of work.

💬 Chris Hipkins: Is he a scientist?

I do not know that he is, actually.

I note that the Act amended is the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1997, an Act passed under the previous National Government. I understand that the Hon Simon Upton was heavily involved in that legislation. That Act largely raised the status of social science within the Royal Society, so I think it is important to note, now that it is being amended to bring the humanities into it, that there has been a logical flow in the way the legislation covering the Royal Society has developed. I think it is important to note that the 1965 Act codified what had been happening for nearly 100 years in the Royal Society. The 1997 Act updated it to bring in social sciences, and today we will amend the Act, as clause 3 states, with this new 2011 legislation. I wanted to make that brief comment.

Thank you very much, Mr Chair, for allowing me to speak on clause 4 of the Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill. Clause 4 is the purpose clause.

The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy): I am sorry to interrupt the member, but we are on clause 3, “Principal Act amended”.

I apologise; I was on the wrong page. I was ahead of myself. We were enjoying the debate so much.

The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy): If the member is not going to take a call on clause 3, I will put the question.

Clause 3 agreed to.

Clause 4 Purpose