Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bill

This part—Part 3 of the bill—deals with the insurance levy payment system to fund the new Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). My comments will go to the concerns that were expressed around this part of the bill, particularly by museums. The concerns were raised at the Government Administration Committee by museums from right around the country. We believe that museums have a strong and compelling case, in terms of the financial challenges that they would face if they were required to pay the levy based on the value of their collections.

I just want to refer in particular to the Otago Museum Trust Board’s submission, which of course was a very good submission. Its concern was that if the bill went ahead as was planned before the Government Administration Committee, it would have resulted in a 300 percent increase on the levy that it currently pays, which I think was around $37,000 a year. Given that its sources of funding are not likely to increase to cover that, that was going to create a significant imposition. I think the select committee dealt with the issue sensibly, and clearly had—I did not sit on the select committee, although I did sit in to listen to those submissions. They dealt with the—

Order! The time has come for me to leave the Chair and report progress.

House resumed.

The Chairperson reported the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill with amendment, progress on the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bill, and no progress on the Māori Purposes Bill.

Report adopted.

The House adjourned at 9.56 p.m.