MICHAEL WOOD (Labour—Mt Roskill): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm very pleased to be able to speak on the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Amendment Bill. It is an important bill. As someone who's a constituency MP in Auckland, and he's had a little bit to do with the local government scene in Auckland over a number of years, I have an awareness of just how important these institutions are and the governance and legislative arrangements within which they work as well.