Governor-General Bill

NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) Link to this

I am pleased to speak on the Governor-General Bill. The purpose of this legislation is to provide simpler financial arrangements for the support of the Governor-General and his or her programme. The other major purpose of this legislation is to provide greater transparency and to ensure that we have a simpler regime than the present regime.

As we know, the main provisions within this legislation are about creating a new funding structure for the Governor-General. This is really about ensuring that we have greater transparency in the funding structure of the office of the Governor-General, and this stems from the Law Commission report that was previously tabled in the House. The present exemption for the Governor-General’s salary from income tax will be removed. Members on this side of the House believe that there is no longer a justification for this exemption. Successive Governors-General have also requested that it be discontinued. The bill also removes certain outdated restrictions on the availability of the annuity paid to former Governors-General and their surviving spouses or partners. The annuity recognises the significant role played by a Governor-General’s spouse or partner in supporting the office holder.

During the progress of other speeches on this legislation, what has become very clear is the recognition of the current Governor-General and the huge contribution that he has made to New Zealand. We have been very fortunate in this country to have had a number of very good Governors-General, from a range of backgrounds, but this bill is about bringing the office of the Governor-General into a much more modern arrangement. We know that the office of the Governor-General is a symbolic connection between the community and the State. We know that the Law Commission made a number of other recommendations within the report on the modernisation of the office, as well. In terms of this legislation, it is important that we recognise it is vital to have this transparency, given the importance of the office of Governor-General in New Zealand.

I am very pleased to support this legislation and the modernisation of the arrangements for the office of the Governor-General. I reiterate my support for the huge contribution that the current Governor-General has made during his time in office. I think it is really important that this bill is supported by members across the House, as it will separate the arrangements relating to the Governor-General from those providing for Ministers and MPs, and it will better reflect the constitutional boundaries that are so important for the independence of this office. I am pleased to commend this legislation to the House.

Dr RAJEN PRASAD (Labour) Link to this

I am also pleased to take what must be Labour’s final call on the third reading of the Governor-General Bill. First and foremost, the bill gives proper recognition to this important office. I agree with Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who said that the Governor-General is an important symbol of our nation, and that the position symbolises our sense of national unity and national identity. There is something in this role that is about us, about “New Zealand Inc.”, and about New Zealand society in the modern world. From that perspective, it is right and proper that the provisions that relate to the person who occupies this position are contained in clear and unambiguously stated stand-alone legislation. This is precisely what the Governor-General Bill has done. From that perspective, it is an excellent bill.

As many other speakers in this debate have said, the bill streamlines and makes transparent the provisions we make for future Governors-General. The bill will be simpler to administer. That is very clear, because it is stated in unambiguous language. It modernises the old-fashioned old language of the Civil List Act, brings it into modern form, and places it before anybody who wants to understand what the provisions are. The bill does a number of additional things. There is something in the nature of New Zealanders that prefers a flat society, in the sense that there are no tall poppies. One provision, the exemption from income tax in the present legislation, will be changed by this bill. The Governor-General’s remuneration will be determined by an independent authority, and then the Governor-General is required to pay tax like the rest of us. That indeed has been a very popular provision, and it reflects the nature of New Zealand society without reducing the symbolism of this important role one iota.

I am also particularly pleased to recognise that the bill defines the family in modern-day terms and makes provisions for that family—our first family, if you like. That also recognises the role played by the spouse of the Governor-General. When the time comes for the spouse to be supported, when he or she is without the kind of support that is provided by the Governor-General, then we know that the provisions will be there. This bill makes that very, very clear. In those senses this is a very transparent bill. It makes all of those provisions very transparent, and provides for greater openness and accountability. It is very easy to hold those holding the post, and others around that person, accountable for this office and for the expenditure of the office as well. Those are very, very good, useful, and modern provisions for this important office—symbolically, our first family.

I turn my attention briefly to talk a little more about the office of Governor-General and indeed the current Governor-General, the Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, and Her Excellency Lady Susan Satyanand. I want to talk through their performance and the importance of this office. It has already been stated elsewhere that this is the highest office in the land, and it carries huge symbolism. One of my observations is that the last 4 or 5 weeks have been a period of tremendous celebration in the Indian community, as my colleague Mr Kanwaljit Bakshi will recognise as well. He has been present, along with myself and many other members of Parliament, at these celebrations. The Governor-General himself has been present, along with Lady Susan Satyanand, at these celebrations. There was something different, something additional, something special, and something new about the speeches made during the last 4 weeks of the Diwali celebrations, especially in the speeches made by the Governor-General, and indeed in the reaction from, and behaviour of, those who came to celebrate Diwali with the Governor-General. It seemed as though New Zealanders wanted to acknowledge this first couple in a very special way, as it was most likely to be their last Diwali celebrations. They wanted to demonstrate their respect to the Indian community, to a Governor-General of Indian background, but also to other New Zealanders as well. The audiences were much more diverse this year, and they seemed to be making a point of recognising the tremendous contribution of Sir Anand and Lady Susan Satyanand.

Since their inauguration, over 4 years ago, they have set very high expectations of themselves and they have indeed set a very high standard and a very exacting standard of their own performance, the performance of their own staff, and indeed their own outputs everywhere they have been. They have also pursued a particular agenda for the last 4½ years. They decided, it seems a long time ago, that Sir Anand Satyanand’s time as Governor-General would focus on inclusiveness—the inclusive nature of our society. Their intention was to respond to as many cultures in New Zealand as possible, and to as many of the ethnic groups of New Zealand as possible. That is the importance of this office, for whom this bill makes these modern provisions, so much so that much of the customary greeting of the present Governor-General has become almost legendary. The Governor-General does not leave anybody out; he recognises everybody. Indeed, he also acknowledges everybody in the language of their land, as well as recognising sign language.

Those kinds of things have been particularly appreciated by New Zealanders up and down this country. I have had, like many other members of this House, many, many opportunities to observe our first family performing and going about their work. They have focused on the importance of the family—Lady Susan Satyanand has, in particular—and they have taken every opportunity with audiences to ensure that the importance of the family is underscored. They have stopped to speak to many, many New Zealanders from every walk of life. People are surprised at how much time they make for New Zealanders who want to get close to them, understand who they might be, and spend a few minutes with them. They have hosted many functions. They have travelled widely overseas and represented us well. Sir Anand is probably one of the most widely travelled Governors-General, and Lady Susan Satyanand is well travelled, as well. Everywhere they go their message is the same: they are proud New Zealanders, putting the country’s best foot forward. Indeed, they have not given anybody cause to say anything other than “What great New Zealanders.”

So it has been surprising that in recent times, somebody began to question them as New Zealanders. But that gave New Zealanders the opportunity to recognise Sir Anand and Lady Susan Satyanand, and I record my thanks to them for the way they have conducted themselves. So this bill makes modern provisions for the office of the Governor-General, for people like the present Governor-General and Lady Susan Satyanand, and for people in the future and their families. Labour supports this bill very, very strongly. Thank you.

KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National) Link to this

I would like to add my contribution, which is in agreement with what my parliamentary colleague Dr Rajen Prasad just said about the Rt Hon Anand Satyanand. The day he was appointed as Governor-General we were really quite proud that someone from our own community had been appointed to the country’s highest office. Not only that, but in the last 4 years I have met him on a number of occasions, and I have visited the Governor-General’s house in Auckland. Both the Governor-General and his wife have been great hosts. They have welcomed everyone with open arms. The Governor-General represented us very well at the Commonwealth Games, and he received a lot of appreciation from the press in India. I met him for the first time at a function where an Indian judge, Dr Ajit Singh, was appointed to the Manukau District Court. The Governor-General spoke there. I have a lot of respect for him as someone from our own society, our own ethnic community, representing us in different areas.

We are debating the Governor-General Bill because the Law Commission made a number of recommendations in the area of transparency that the Government Administration Committee endorsed. One of the recommendations of the Law Commission was that the provisions in the Civil List Act were very old-fashioned, unnecessarily complicated, and no longer supported what we need, which is a more modern office of Governor-General. The legislation is timely and important.

The Governor-General plays an important role in our constitution. As the Queen’s representative in New Zealand, the Governor-General maintains the legitimacy and stability of government. The office of Governor-General is symbolic; it is a link between the community and the State, and the Governor-General also represents the New Zealand public in a non-partisan way on important public occasions, as was just mentioned by Dr Rajen Prasad. We have both met him on a number of occasions at Diwali celebrations. New Zealand’s Governor-General has always supported many community organisations. It is vital that the office of Governor-General is properly supported in carrying out its roles.

As a modern, stand-alone statute, the bill will separate the arrangements relating to Governors-General from those providing for Ministers and MPs, and will therefore better reflect existing constitutional boundaries as well as the mana and independence of the office. The bill will further improve transparency by requiring the Government to present to the House, on an annual basis, the details of the expenses incurred to provide such benefits.

Apart from one or two exceptions, the new legislation will not apply to the current Governor-General, but will apply when the next Governor-General is appointed. I thank the officials for their help during the select committee process, and I thank the members of the select committee for their work on the bill.