JOSEPH MOONEY (National—Southland): I rise in support of the Remuneration Authority Legislation Bill on behalf of the National Party. Fundamentally, this bill is a simple change which will give an added layer of political neutrality to the setting of fees for judicial officers. The Remuneration Authority is seen as the fair and independent body who should be tasked with determining remuneration for these judicial officers. Judicial independence from the Government is important as it enhances public confidence in the operation of the law. If a Government could negatively influence the salaries of judges, it could potentially use this to influence the decisions of judges in its own favour, so this bill is a good one.