Jones Dail: Care of Children Bill — Instruction to Committee Procedure In Committee 
Jones Dail: Care of Children Bill — Instruction to Committee Procedure In Committee 
[Volume:621;Page:16646] 
DAIL JONES (NZ First) 
: 
 When I listen to the constant interjections from the other side which almost form speeches—those members have the opportunity to take a call but are refusing to do so—it is almost as if they believe that these amendments are aimed at preventing abortions from taking place. I would like that to be the case but unfortunately from my point of view that is not so. All these amendments are doing is trying to make sure that there is some parental knowledge of what is going on. The abortions will still take place sad though that might be. I think there were about 400-odd abortions involving people under the age of 16. 
I think some members do not realise what these amendments are actually about. The role of the parent in this country has been negated so much by this Labour Party Government already that one or two members of this Committee want it to get back some degree of notice and want to put back some degree of parental responsibility and that is effectively what these amendments are doing—getting parents more involved. 
I have had suggestions made to me that these amendments should not be supported because there are brutal parents who will make the life of their child even worse if they are notified. Well we do not decide not to pass laws in this House just because a tiny minority will misbehave if those laws are passed. We in New Zealand First and I am sure some members of other parties in this House believe that the responsible majority of parents out there can react positively and will react positively when they are given the opportunity to discuss the predicament that their daughter has found herself in and will want to give her help and assistance after the situation has been dealt with in one way or the other. 
What we in New Zealand First are hoping to achieve in supporting these amendments—those of us who do support them; perhaps Mr Brown will confirm the exact number if he wishes to take a call; I know that the vast majority of us support them—is to reinforce parental responsibility because we believe in parental responsibility and without knowledge how can one have responsibility? We believe that New Zealand parents have the strength and the ability to help their daughters when they are in a moment of strife. We also believe that the daughters need help when they are in a moment of strife and the best persons to give them that assistance are surely their parents. This bill is called the Care of Children Bill yet members—I suspect mainly Labour members judging from the heckling we have had—do not care about the care of children. Well I care about the care of children and when a girl of 11 12 13 14 or 15 as is biologically possible today gets into trouble as a parent one should care for that child and hence the name of the bill—the Care of Children Bill. I just remind Steve Chadwick who was interjecting vigorously and Darren Hughes—who may become a parent—that this bill is meant to be a Care of Children Bill and some parents accept their responsibility to make sure that their children are cared for. 
As far as the other amendments are concerned I am interested in the Green amendment that Ms Bradford will put. I believe that is an area that needs some sympathy and some concern—problems with sterilisation and suchlike. I remember that when I was in the House in 1977 we debated many aspects of contraception sterilisation and abortion. I look forward to the Green member perhaps getting more than one call to explain that issue to us. The problems experienced by young women who have mental problems—which is often the case—and what can be done to protect them are issues of considerable importance. 
Essentially I appreciate Mr English’s speech. If one is a child under 16 parental consent is always necessary unless one is going to have an abortion and that just does not seem to make sense. 
Judith Collins 
: Even for dental work. 
DAIL JONES 
: Even dental work needs parental consent. We have seen the 
 New Zealand Herald  
report and the survey saying that 71.1 percent of New Zealanders effectively support the amendments.