Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is a pleasure to speak on this lawyers and conveyancers amendment bill. It is an important point that Mr Bishop picks up here, and that is the ability of lawyers to offer their services to the community for free. Some would think it's not but in fact, whilst lawyers, when paid, get paid well, many lawyers do a large amount of work for free. In so far as this bill supports that, it's a good thing. I'm pleased to say that on this side of the House we'll be supporting this bill to select committee, where I hope it will be improved in a number of respects. I do, however, want to say that on this side of the House we also recognise the really important place that the provision of legal services and effective dispute resolution services play and the role that the State has to play in that. I find it somewhat ironic that Mr Bishop is bringing to this House a bill which is essentially about access to justice when between 2010 and 2014 a third—$50 million—was cut from the legal aid budget. 