edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
9. Question No. 9—Broadcasting and MediaIBRAHIM OMER (Labour) to the Minister for Broadcasting and MediaQuestion No. 9—Broadcasting and Media9. IBRAHIM OMER (Labour) to the Minister for Broadcasting and Media: What recent announcements has the Government made about supporting sustainable public interest journalism?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister for Broadcasting and Media): On Friday last week I launched a $55 million fund to be administered through New Zealand On Air to support public interest journalism. The fund will ensure local regional Māori Pacific and many other under-served audiences will get to see and hear stories that are important to them. Grassroots journalism has been on the decline in recent years for a number of reasons and that has meant New Zealanders have been missing out on news that is important to their communities. The fund will help New Zealanders stay informed as well as supporting the sector to maintain a healthy democracy and of course create and protect jobs. The funding is time-limited to three years in order to give media support for content and jobs as they transition to new platforms and business models that are necessary to ensure a strong and sustainable media sector in the future. Ibrahim Omer: Why is it important to ensure New Zealanders have access to public interest journalistic content?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Thank you Mr Speaker. COVID-19 and the lockdowns last year highlighted the importance of the role that our media plays in providing up-to-date independent and trusted information to the public. We want to ensure that kind of coverage is supported and developed across all community levels where media operations have often cut back resources to reduce their costs. A viable fourth estate is important for a healthy democracy and this is why support is required to ensure journalistic capacity across local regional and national newsrooms is retained and built.Ibrahim Omer: How will the fund work?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: As I said the $55 million fund is a three-year funding commitment. New Zealand On Air will administer the contestable fund which will be for projects that media outlets are able to show will fill a public interest service that would otherwise be at risk of not being produced without this fund. New Zealand On Air is independent and has a track record of over 30 years of making independent funding decisions. It'll be open to all media entities from large media organisations through to small local entities and Māori Pacific and ethnic media and applications will open at the end of April.
7. Question No. 7—Small BusinessKIERAN McANULTY (Labour—Wairarapa) to the Minister for Small BusinessQuestion No. 7—Small Business7. KIERAN McANULTY (Labour—Wairarapa) to the Minister for Small Business: How many businesses have registered for the Digital Boost skills training and support initiative?Hon STUART NASH (Minister for Small Business): Support for small businesses to adapt recover and grow is a priority for our COVID recovery plan. The $20 million Digital Boost programme was announced in Budget 2020 and got under way in December and so far over 2900 businesses have registered for support with training and to improve their digital skills and use of technology. The initiative also encourages business-to-business support. For example in South Wairarapa the owners of a sheep and beef farm at Palliser Ridge are part of the Digital Boost programme. They are encouraging others in the primary sector to make better use of digital tools such as cloud-based software. The owner says with five staff managing 17000 stock units on a 1500 hectare farm digital solutions mean better communications and getting more work done. Businesses can access the free Digital Boost resources through the digitalboost.co.nz website.Kieran McAnulty: What are the benefits to small businesses especially those in the primary sector?Hon STUART NASH: Small businesses represent over 97 percent of all New Zealand firms. They earn over 25 percent of New Zealand's GDP and generate 41 percent of all new jobs. As the Prime Minister acknowledged at the recent primary industries summit non-food primary sector businesses also have a key role to play during our COVID response. This includes for example those that are processing wool for medical face masks and the wider forestry sector which produces paper and timber products to package and transport food. Increasing digital ways of working will enable more small businesses especially those in the food and primary production sectors to keep operating during future COVID-related events.Kieran McAnulty: Are small businesses well placed to make a greater move to digital operations?Hon STUART NASH: A recent survey by software platform Xero shows small business job numbers and revenue are up on a year-by-year basis. Another survey by MYOB shows 21 percent of small and medium enterprises intended to start or started e-commerce sales ahead of the recent Christmas / New Year break. Recent research by McKinsey & Company suggests that over the course of eight weeks COVID had caused the equivalent of five years' worth of advances in digital transformation. Big businesses like supermarkets banks and manufacturers have made the transformation but we are very keen for small businesses to also have access to this technology. We are investing in the recovery and rebuild to encourage businesses to get people into work to fill skills gaps and to take advantage of new opportunities in an economy that is in better shape than the vast majority of our trading partners.
3. Question No. 3—Research Science and InnovationGINNY ANDERSEN (Labour—Hutt South) to the Minister of Research Science and InnovationQuestion No. 3—Research Science and Innovation3. GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour—Hutt South) to the Minister of Research Science and Innovation: What uptake from businesses has she seen from the R&D Loan Scheme since it was announced as part of the Government's response to COVID-19 last year?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Research Science and Innovation): I am pleased to report that the research and development loan scheme has been almost fully subscribed. Nearly 450 applications from businesses engaging in R & D in New Zealand have been approved. The $150 million scheme was established to support those innovative and R & D intensive companies that were likely to reduce or withdraw altogether their R & D spending in the face of the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19. Applications to date indicate R & D spend of $369 million will be supported through this scheme. As a Government we are committed to supporting our best and brightest minds particularly as we rebuild the economy in response to COVID-19 and the success of this scheme to date has shown that New Zealand remains a great place to do R & D. Ginny Andersen: Why is it important that the Government supports research and development in New Zealand? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: We have learnt from mistakes made in the past where R & D was not supported and the spend tailed off during times of economic uncertainty. We recognise that R & D is critical to increasing productivity the provision of high-value goods and jobs and our overall economic wellbeing. The loan scheme has provided certainty to R & D intensive firms at a time when they would otherwise have difficulties raising capital which in turn would have flow-on benefits for the wider economy. Ginny Andersen: What feedback has she heard from companies that have been supported by the R&D Loan Scheme? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: We've had great feedback from companies like Humble Bee a business developing natural plastic alternatives from bee products who said they were considering shifting their R & D offshore and that this loan will help them bridge the gap between now and their next capital raise. Another example: SnapIT in Nelson who received a loan that meant that they could preserve R & D critical jobs through the COVID recovery and enabled opportunities to proceed with core R & D activity that will be used for the benefit of fisheries management in New Zealand. Feedback has been extremely positive and I look forward to hearing more success stories in the weeks and months to come.
1. Question No. 1—FinanceBARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. BARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on household incomes?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I've seen a report released yesterday by Statistics New Zealand showing strong growth in median household incomes in the year to June 2020. Statistics New Zealand found the median annual household income rose 6.9 percent to $75024 in the year to June 2020 compared with a year earlier. While obviously these figures don't take into account COVID-19 they do show that the Government's focus on raising incomes—particularly for those on low to middle incomes—through a strong economy the Families Package increases in the minimum wage and supporting more people into work have been having some effect.Barbara Edmonds: What does the Statistics New Zealand report say about disposable incomes?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Annual average household equalised disposable income—that being after tax and transfer payments—increased from $46016 to $48196; that's an increase of 4.7 percent.Barbara Edmonds: What does the Statistics New Zealand report show about poverty rates?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The figures include poverty rates for the overall population and show a significant reduction in material hardship. Three of the poverty measures related to material hardship declined from 2018/19 to 2019/20. The measures that the Government uses to judge itself on for example child poverty are relative measures so when we do see increasing median incomes this puts pressure on those indicators for poverty. While the figures overall in this report are encouraging they do show that more work is required particularly in the area of housing and to support our lowest income New Zealanders. The Government is committed to this work and to building on initiatives that we have already undertaken to support our most vulnerable including raising main benefits by $25 per week indexing main benefits to the growth in the average wage lifting the minimum wage and expanding schemes such as the Flexi-wage scheme.
Hipkins Chris; Mallard TrevorSITTINGS OF THE HOUSEHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Point of order. I seek leave for the House to now adjourn until 2 p.m. tomorrow.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that? There appears to be none. So the House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Thursday 18 February 2021.The House adjourned at 4.07 p.m.
Mallard TrevorWEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2021The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Prayers.PETITIONS PAPERS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: No petitions or select committee reports have been presented no bills have been introduced but Ministers have delivered papers.CLERK: Annual reports for 2020 for:New Zealand Growth Capital Partners LtdTe Taura Whiri i te Reo MāoriNetwork for LearningCommission for Financial Capability statement of performance expectations for 2021 of Network for Learning report of the Attorney-General under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 on the Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Bill.SPEAKER: Those papers are published under the authority of the House.
Thursday 11 February 2021 - Volume 749
VoteDEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is That the Films Videos and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill be considered by the Governance and Administration Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Governance and Administration Committee.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Films Videos and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 65New Zealand Labour 65.Noes 55New Zealand National 33; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.
11. Question No. 11—Research Science and InnovationDr LIZ CRAIG (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Research Science and InnovationQuestion No. 11—Research Science and Innovation11. Dr LIZ CRAIG (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Research Science and Innovation: What recent announcements has she made about supporting early-career researchers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Associate Minister of Research Science and Innovation): New Zealand's education system turns out world-class scientists and researchers. After completing their PhD researchers—or post-docs as they're called—often travel overseas to gain experience but in the past year many have been unable to due to travel restrictions. In recognition of this last month I announced the MBIE Science Whitinga Fellowship which will fund 30 of our best and brightest early career researchers with a one-off fellowship worth $320000 each over two years.Dr Liz Craig: So what will the fellowship funding be used for?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: This initiative is about attracting and retaining talented researchers and giving them the opportunity to develop their skills here in Aotearoa New Zealand. The fellowship is open to researchers at an eligible New Zealand research institution in all fields including science the humanities mātauranga and social science.Dr Liz Craig: So what reaction has she had to the announcement of the fellowship?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: The response from the research community has been very positive which I believe reflects the real need to support our up-and-coming researchers. The deputy director of the Robinson Research Institute at Victoria University of Wellington praised the initiative saying that We have been training these PhDs and this was one of the missing links in order for these young researchers to develop their careers." He added that "With this we can retain significant talent here in New Zealand.""
9. Question No. 9—TransportSHANAN HALBERT (Labour—Northcote) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 9—Transport9. SHANAN HALBERT (Labour—Northcote) to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made about helping reduce emissions across the transport sector?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): Along with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Climate Change I recently announced three initiatives to reduce transport emissions. Firstly we've agreed in principle to mandate a lower-emitting biofuel blend across the transport sector; secondly we're going to work to help councils to fully decarbonise the public transport bus fleet by 2035; and thirdly we are moving quickly to introduce a clean car import standard to reduce emissions and Kiwis' fuel costs noting that currently New Zealand is one of only three countries in the world alongside Russia and Australia to lack such a standard. Action is overdue and we are taking action.Shanan Halbert: How much could these reduce our emissions by?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Given that transport makes up 47 percent of carbon dioxide emissions it's important that the sector does its bit to get us to net zero by 2050. The import standard will result in average fuel savings for families of nearly $7000 over the lifetime of their vehicles and stop over 3 million tonnes of climate pollution going into our atmosphere. The impact of decarbonising the bus fleet by 2035 is estimated to prevent up to 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050 and biofuels over time will prevent millions of tonnes of emissions from cars trucks trains ships and planes. On this note I note that an estimated 6.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions would have been avoided had the Clark Government's biofuel mandate not been abolished by the incoming National Government in 2008.Shanan Halbert: What reactions has he seen to these announcements?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The reaction from a range of stakeholders has been extremely positive. The AA Air New Zealand Neste and Z Energy have all welcomed the Government working on the biofuels mandate. Local Government New Zealand Auckland Transport Mayor Goff Environment Canterbury Greater Wellington and many others have all welcomed our work on supporting local government to decarbonise public buses. While there is some discussion about the target date I note that Drive Electric Toyota and the AA have all recognised and welcomed the need for a fuel efficiency standard on imported cars.
Ngarewa-Packer Debbie; Salesa JennyDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori): Kia ora. I would like to acknowledge and stand in support of every sexual violence survivor. I'd like to pay mention to those who have engaged with us during this process like Gladys Hutton who as a little girl was sexually violated by someone she should have trusted and spent 20 years trying to fight for justice; for a 16-year-old who spoke to us who had her first sexual experience in a way that she'll never recover; from a young tāne who's creating self-harm because his boyhood was taken in a place where he should have felt safe. I'd like to make mention to all those and remember the trauma that later in life when comparing stories with loved ones they realise what they experienced. I'd like to stand and say I see you. We see you." I said when we were elected that we would bring your voices and your faces into this place and I want you to know that you are being seen and you are being heard. As we debate this bill I see and pay acknowledgment to all those who have been here in this place before I was and have been pono and tika to their appointments to fight the good fights and to be good lawmakers. We must reduce the trauma. We must reduce what is actually happening to those who are sexual violence survivors. Evidence and data has shown everything that our failed State justice system is doing. We must do all we can to reduce the stigmatisation. We must help reduce the shame. This bill is some of the way to help that healing and to minimise the trauma.An offence like rape in Te Ao Māori is seen as a transgression of mana. The status and the dignity is then passed on to our survivors. At Parihaka we experienced sexual violence. It was used as a tool to oppress. And as much as I don't want to focus on the past all the time it's important that we understand the trauma and the intergenerational trauma that the violence of sexual rape has on us—on us as tangata whenua on us in Aotearoa and on us as whānau.Rape was never spoken of and yet we know that the impact of syphilis on us was around for generations—three-year-olds experienced syphilis. The invisibility of rape is an old tool and it's an old tool that passes through generations. Records show not only the impact of syphilis but that this had happened by Government officials by the military. So we must learn from the past and do all we can to bring visibility to sexual violence.It is a privilege to be here today to stand amongst the other fighters for a kaupapa that we should all be doing together across parties. It is only by changing the justice system that we can truly transform and help the healing and help those of our victims and those of our survivors to truly transform and become who they need to be. So we stand here and we commend this bill and we hope that the other parties will join us and make this a better Aotearoa. Kia ora koutou.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): This debate is interrupted and is set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday 16 February 2021.Debate interrupted.The House adjourned at 4.56 p.m."
Waititi RawiriRAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori): Thank you very much. Unfortunately Willie Jackson had taken most of my time and I missed the call and I was supposed to go before Simon Bridges and he's taken my thunder. But I've been in a storm over the last couple of days so I can allow him to have that. It's nice to make a contribution to this particular kōrero the Films Videos and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill. We too have problems with this particular bill. There's a lot missing in regards to the liberties of the public and the freedoms of the public to be able to post different things. It's not that we support the very videos that you were just talking about and in no way do we support the atrocious videos shown in the mosque shootings. But I too agree with the member Simon Bridges around the ability for the public to bring to the fore issues like the George Floyd killing by the police in America and the Black Lives Matter movement that came out of that. Also the uplift of tamariki mokopuna by Oranga Tamariki in Hastings also would be affected by this particular bill if we do not look at tightening these particular issues. Also the ability to show discrimination and all those types of issues that on every day people who are of marginalised communities those who are discriminated against—and quite often the indigenous peoples of this country do not have the ability to capture any of that type of information. So we are not very supportive of the bill as it lies and we would like an opportunity to get to the point where we can tighten up what is in this bill to allow us to have these particular issues addressed in this particular bill. So in saying that the Māori Party votes against this particular bill and obviously looks forward to the discussions where we're able to implement public freedoms and also give the voice to the marginalised and disenfranchised and that they are not lost on this bill.
Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Mr Speaker it appears Te Paati Māori does not seek the call and so I would like to have that call to speak briefly on this bill. Clearly Mr Muller hasn't been following what's been going on because this is a very important piece of legislation and is desperately needed to cover events that tragically I saw unfold in my own electorate. The fact of the matter is that it is not at all clear that the tools that the chief censor currently has are adequate and speedy enough to respond to the kind of live streaming that we saw. We need absolute clarity. Free speech is very important—I absolutely endorse that sentiment—but we need clarity to ensure that the officials that the Government can respond with speed. Now it is true that the ability for internet service providers to examine and filter content is a significant step. It already exists in respect of child pornography for very very good reason. But we need to enable providers to be able to respond and cut off any of this kind of content with the utmost speed because we know the real contagion effect that this can have—that in moments people all around the world can be watching that content. If it's coming from New Zealand we want to be able to stop it: stop it because it's objectionable and it's horrific and stop it because we really want to make sure that we protect people from the consequences of perhaps sometimes unwittingly seeing that content. So this is an excellent piece of legislation. It's timely and it's one that is well drafted with an excellent Minister behind it. I commend it to the House.
Mahuta Nanaia; Mallard Trevor; Woodhouse MichaelQuestion No. 3 to MinisterHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): Point of order Mr Speaker. I seek leave to table a selection of letters from territorial authorities and regional councils dated the period between February 2018 and December 2020 supporting the change to legislation removing a discriminatory provision to enable Māori wards and constituencies to be established. SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that occurring? There appears to be none. Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): Point of order Mr Speaker. I seek leave to table a statement from the Public Service Association representing approximately 72000 members 9000 of which work in councils across the country in support of legislative change to establish Māori wards to make our councils more genuinely representative."SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that letter being tabled? It appears no.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National): Point of order. When the first leave was being sought you looked rather disparagingly at some grumblings about the length of the leave request. The Standing Orders are very clear that when somebody seeks leave to table a document the date and source of the document and the title of it is sufficient. It should not be then described in the level of detail it is and what we're seeing is a creeping of that and I just want to draw that to your attention.SPEAKER: The member is absolutely right. There was on this occasion as there was earlier in the day some creep as far as the—well the lack of description of documents and extra material occurred and that will not. But what occurred on this particular occasion was a clear interjection which was out of order while a point of order was being taken. All right?"
Mallard TrevorPETITIONS PAPERS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: No petitions or papers have been presented. No bills have been introduced. A select committee report has been delivered for presentation.CLERK: Report of the Governance and Administration Committee on the petition of Andrew Cameron.
Wood Michael; Bishop ChrisTHURSDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2021The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Prayers.BUSINESS STATEMENTHon MICHAEL WOOD (Deputy Leader of the House): The legislation that the House will consider next week will include the second readings of the Secondary Legislation Bill the Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill the Financial Market Infrastructures Bill and the Fair Trading Amendment Bill; the committee stage of the Food (Continuation of Dietary Supplements Regulations) Amendment Bill; and the remaining stages of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill. Five National Party members will make their maiden statements. Wednesday 17 February will be the first members' day of 2021 and will feature the first general debate of the 53rd Parliament.CHRIS BISHOP (National): Thank you to the Deputy Leader of the House for that update. Can I ask him whether or not the Government has any intention of introducing bills under urgency for first reading that have not lain on the Order Paper for three days and referring them to a committee for a very shortened report-back time in the upcoming sitting period.Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Deputy Leader of the House): I note that we're not considering those things and that in respect of the report-back period it's considerably more—in fact five days more than when that party took away voting rights in local government in Canterbury.
Tuesday 8 December 2020 (continued on Wednesday 9 December 2020) - Volume 749
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 86New Zealand Labour 64; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Noes 33New Zealand National 33.Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The question is That the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill be considered by the Justice Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Justice Committee.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. today.The House adjourned at 12.06 p.m. (Wednesday)
Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill — First Reading
Chen NaisiNAISI CHEN (Labour): It's great to see you in the Chair today and congratulations on your election Assistant Speaker Salesa. Look I think this debate in this House this morning has actually given some lawyers some very bad rap and I just wanted to acknowledge all the awesome work that family lawyers across Aotearoa are doing. I started my legal career actually in a family law firm and I just wanted to say that my boss the lady that I was working for had extreme care for the clients that she was serving. And I just wanted to acknowledge in particular Dr Emily Henderson in our caucus who is an expert at family law. I remember her saying to me on our first day in Parliament that she chose definitely a career following her heart rather than for any other personal gains.I just want to recognise that this profession especially within the remit of family law is a really extremely difficult one and this bill that we have before us in the House here today just recognises the importance of protecting children in that process. I think it's really really important to give children the voice in the proceedings to make sure that the focus is on their wellbeing within the whole entire process. I just think giving them the voice really empowers them to have and to be feeling in control in a very difficult situation and I just want to commend this bill to the House.
Williams ArenaARENA WILLIAMS (Labour—Manurewa): Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare. This bill is intended to enhance child wellbeing and that is the effect of this bill that I want to comment on today. But first I'll just say this: family justice services and the people who engage with them represent a microcosm of New Zealand. The services involve children and young people parents and whānau at a time of distress and of crisis and conflict. For many the barriers to accessing justice reflect the barriers encountered throughout the justice sector and the New Zealand society more generally.As my colleague the MP for Upper Harbour Vanushi Walters has said children's participation in decisions that affect them is a fundamental right in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and this bill advances those rights significantly. That is why I'm proud to stand in support of this bill and I commend it very warmly to the House.
Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Kia ora Mr Speaker and thank you for giving me this call. It would have been taken by the Māori Party but they have chosen not to speak on this bill and I must say I'm a little surprised that it falls to me a Pākehā man to take this call. But nevertheless I know that the Labour Party has a strong Māori caucus and a number of Māori will speak on this bill and give the voice it needs. But I did want to just note with my background as a lawyer and in particular in respect of professional ethics the duties that are imposed on lawyers in clause 9 of this bill setting out new section 7B(2) of the Act stating in section 7B(2)(b) [to enable] issues in dispute to be resolved as fairly inexpensively simply and speedily as is consistent with justice." Now this is a big shift and I think it's important to note that this is a real directive that there is a substantive legal duty. Whilst it's ameliorated somewhat by saying in new section 7B(2) "in the opinion of the lawyer" that has to be an opinion that is reasonably and sensibly held. And I hope that judges in the court and the Law Society through its regulatory framework will hold lawyers who play games who stretch out proceedings and who take an overly combative approach—I hope they will hold them to account to ensure that the interests of the child are absolutely upheld. If there's one thing that we clearly agree on in this House is that those interests must be paramount. I commend this bill to the House."
Lewis StephSTEPH LEWIS (Labour—Whanganui): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. I'm very pleased to rise and take a brief call in support of this bill and before I begin I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on being appointed as Deputy Speaker.I'm very pleased to support this bill because it gives a greater voice to our tamariki and our rangatahi and it enables or enhances their participation when decisions are being made about their care and welfare. The role of the lawyer for the child is a tricky but very important one. It's one where we've seen it go from having to navigate the tensions between being an advocate for the child or representing what's in their best interests and also acting as a mediator. The changes proposed in this bill validate the importance of the role of the lawyer for the child. Also including children in an appropriate way where possible in the family mediation process allows a mechanism for somebody independent to put forward the views of children involved in these difficult processes. Many times in dispute resolution I've seen parties get stuck in their positions unable to see the other's side or hear what they're saying and having somebody—and this is also more challenging when we've got children involved who might be worried about upsetting one or other of their parents. So having somebody there independent to put those views forward can help often break that impasse and help whānau to move forward without delay or causing further harm.As has been pointed out already today when children aren't included in the process or involved in making decisions about them that can often lead to detrimental impacts on their wellbeing such as increased anxiety stress or feeling lonely even. Therefore it is important to give children the opportunity to participate in our Family Court processes and express their views whenever it concerns their care and wellbeing. Children want to be involved in decision making rather than be the decision makers.I'm also very pleased that this bill will require lawyers appointed to represent a child to explain the nature of the proceeding to a child in a way that they are likely to understand. This is going to further enhance their ability to participate in what's an often complex process and it also recognises that in actual fact children understand a lot more than what we give them credit for even those under primary school age. This is important to truly support their participation in that decision-making process and helps to reduce the stress and anxiety on them at an already difficult time and as has been mentioned is consistent with our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The amendments proposed in this bill will lead to better less harmful outcomes for our tamariki and rangatahi and I commend it to the House.
McKee NicoleNICOLE McKEE (ACT): Thank you Mr Speaker. ACT will be supporting the first reading of the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill. The reason why we're doing that is that this bill seeks to improve the care of children who are caught up in proceedings before the Family Court by making modest changes to the way that the Family Court regime currently works. The emphasis is going to be on the lawyers and on the children and it will give the children the right to have input into the decisions that are made about their care. It's recognising that a child has a viewpoint.What is noted is that children are often forgotten through the process and they can become a victim of forgetfulness as their families are continuing a battle through the justice system and the Family Court system. This bill is introducing obligations on lawyers to ensure that a clear and timely process is undertaken not to extend it and the obligations are also put on the lawyers to explain proceedings to those children that are caught up in this process and often are scared vulnerable and have no idea exactly what is going on. It encourages the counsel for the child to assist the families and promote a conciliation without having to go through that court process. That can be helped when a child has an understanding of what's going on.ACT did support the initial reforms in 2014 and for the most part these reforms provided some sound architecture for the management of the Family Court. It encouraged more personal responsibility and a flexible approach to disputes and it encouraged parents to reach agreement through an out-of-court process. That flexibility empowered the parents and it encouraged a less-oppositional and lawyer-led system. But off the back of that piece of legislation there was an independent panel that examined the 2014 reforms and that panel found that our tamariki's voices are actually not being heard. As I said earlier it's so important that we don't forget the children because they are the most important stakeholder through a Family Court process. We need to ensure that the system is actually responsive to the needs of our tamariki and that must remain vital.The bill makes relatively minor changes in the context of the 2014 reforms and ACT does believe that there is merit in examining the proposals at a select committee and we do not believe that they pose a threat to fair proceedings in the court. We do expect that it will improve the way in which the Family Court approaches the needs of the children through elevating the role of an advocate for the child and giving that child a voice of their own. In the interests of our tamariki the ACT Party supports this bill.
Ghahraman GolrizGOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to rise in support of this bill in particular to speak after my friend and comrade in the fight for children's rights Vanushi Walters new Labour MP. I'd like to congratulate her and yourself for your reappointment to the role.This is a good bill. It's a necessary bill and it doesn't quite go far enough but it does do a lot to restore us as a nation to a place where we do abide by our obligations pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to which we are not only signatories; we've ratified. So that convention and all of the rights that we've signed on to are technically enforceable in our law and should be. We did move away from that by some length under the previous National Party Government when we essentially gutted the Family Court—counsel for child—jurisdiction funding support as well as the way that we gutted funding for courts and legal aid in every area of our justice system.Others have said this Justice delayed is justice denied." and this bill does a lot to further the expediency of Family Court proceedings but I'd like to focus on the rights of the child just for a moment because that is what the substance of this bill is about and what should be celebrated. We have the reinstatement of a legislative commitment to the Family Court having independent representation for children that's appropriate for them to communicate their needs and their wellbeing to the court. We know that as a nation we suffer enormously from mental health issues and youth suicide. So that sits alongside what we're dealing with today. This is some of the most intimate important aspects of children and young people's lives their familial relationships and the way that they're able to access justice in that forum to express themselves and to have their rights and needs expressed to a court so it is to be celebrated.What we would like to see as the Green Party is some more resource and some more commitment to furthering the expertise of counsel for child. Whether that means funding and supporting child developmental experts to assist counsel to ensure that children's needs are in fact being communicated well and that there's time for those needs and those relationships to develop before the perspective of children and young people is communicated to the court is something that we'd like to continue to work on with the Government. But this is a good moment for access to justice. It is timely as it comes a day before world Human Rights Day and I do commend the bill to the House."
Walters VanushiVANUSHI WALTERS (Labour—Upper Harbour): It's special to stand and take a call on this the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill for two reasons: first as a practitioner of children's rights law myself but also because tomorrow is International Human Rights Day. It's a day when we recognise the UN adoption of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and this is very much a bill that talks about the rights of tamariki and rangatahi.I just want to reflect very quickly on the contributions made from across the floor. While there were some very very lengthy contributions including commentary on the title of the bill itself what was noticeably a minimal contribution was commentary on children's voices and the importance of placing a high emphasis on children's voices. So that's what I'll briefly speak to. It is such an incredibly important part of ensuring the mental wellbeing of children and young people. It is a value and a right that's included in article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as well. In the 1980s Sir Mason Durie talked about Te Whare Tapa Whā the four walls of the wellbeing one of which was family connection. One of them was mental health and being heard. Not just speaking but being heard is so important for mental health. As was once said being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable. This is especially true when it's about being heard in matters to do with your familial relationships.The second point that I wanted to mention was the inclusion in the bill of the explicit addition of an obligation on lawyers to communicate in a digestible way to the particular young person the information they need and as a former practitioner at YouthLaw Aotearoa I learnt very quickly that legalese is very unhelpful to young people—actually probably to a lot more than young people. I know there are many lawyers who already have this skill and this bill really affirms the work that they're doing but I hope what this bill will also encourage is our training institutions to look at how they can help lawyers—young lawyers new lawyers—to develop the skills they need to work with young people.I commend this bill to the House. I personally look forward to reviewing the submissions including I hope from young people themselves. Kia ora tātou.
Andersen GinnyGINNY ANDERSEN (Labour—Hutt South): Thank you very much Mr Speaker. It's with disappointment I hear the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill being described as a backwards step by the Opposition because the real backwards step occurred in 2014 under the National Government's Family Court reforms. Those reforms in 2014 are exactly what this piece of legislation is now rectifying. In 2014 those changes resulted in lengthy delays for children and for families. That is why indeed I agree with the view that justice delayed is justice denied because that is exactly what has happened in the past.These reforms that we saw in 2014 saw a massive increase of without notice applications. Those rose from just 30 percent in 2014 right up to 70 percent as late as 2018. That is why in 2018 Labour had to appoint an independent panel to examine the changes made to the family justice system in 2014 and make recommendations on how to improve that system. I would like to briefly quote from that report that made those recommendations on the changes back in 2014. The authors of that report have noted: What we have heard seen read and researched has convinced us that the elements of the 2014 reforms must be changed." That is exactly what we stand to do here today.In terms of what comes first it is the rights of the child and putting children—tamariki—in the middle of what is being discussed. That for too long has not been the case. We see children at the periphery of decisions that immediately affect them and their lives. We know from the research that has been undertaken that children's participation in the justice process is critical. At times when family violence when custody when quite traumatic issues are being traversed in a courtroom setting it is really important that children understand what is going on. That's what this process enables particularly in areas where there is family violence when dealing with a difficult time it's important that children not only understand what is happening to their lives but are supported through that process. Continuing to strengthen the Family Court process continuing to support access to justice and continuing to focus on putting tamariki first at a time when it is incredibly challenging is what this Government will continue to do. I commend this bill to the House."
Walters Vanushi; Rurawhe AdrianVANUSHI WALTERS (Labour—Upper Harbour): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. My congratulations on your appointment. I'm going to take a very brief call on this bill. I think a lot has been said so far. This is of course a very important bill that has broad support from iwi to improve the allocation and transfer process of aquaculture settlement assets. The potential scale of iwi involvement in the future of the aquaculture industry is such that the sector as a whole will not reach its full potential until iwi realise their aquaculture settlement assets and this bill progresses that important work. There's been much debate today and so I won't add anything further other than to say that I commend this bill to the House.Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is That the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill be considered by the Māori Affairs Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.
Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill — First Reading
McLellan TraceyDr TRACEY McLELLAN (Labour—Banks Peninsula): Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker. It's a pleasure to take this call and also congratulations to you. I don't believe I've passed that on to you so far. The debate has already covered most points I think—some more eloquently than others—but I think the most salient point is that Māori do have a significant presence in this aquaculture industry. That's something that needs to increase and this bill provides that. So it's my pleasure to commend this bill to the House. Thank you.
Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): In the absence of the Māori Party wanting to speak on this bill I will take the call and thank you for that.This really is just about moving assets appropriately into iwi. In that sense there's been a few sticking points. And we know that sometimes iwi have a lot to resolve before those kinds of decisions can be made. Really this is just saying that whilst iwi work through those matters we want to make sure those assets are transferred where they most likely will go. But as Mr Muller in his ramblings said there is a lot of safeguards in there. So this is really just a bill to move that along to make sure the assets don't remain with the Crown—they're utilised and grown where they should be. It's a good bill it's not a contentious bill and really no more need be said. I absolutely recommend this bill.
Luxton JoJO LUXTON (Labour—Rangitata): Thank you Madam Speaker. Congratulations to you on your role as well. It's with pleasure that I rise to take a call on this Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill. I think plenty of it has been traversed through the House already but I think of note is that currently the main commercial aquaculture claims settlement Act is seen as working reasonably well but what this amendment does is it gives us the opportunity to improve the allocation and transfer process for aquaculture settlement assets in a more timely manner for those iwi that are ready to move on with this or allow those that are not ready to to leave it until perhaps they may be further on. It ensures that iwi have timely access to their aquaculture settlement assets and allows them just to get on with the job and gives them the ability to get on and develop their assets. I think this is particularly important going forward and thinking about this—for the aquaculture industry when we think about the fact that this industry has huge potential to support our economic recovery after COVID-19 and more importantly having Māori at the forefront of this.We've heard that there was public consultation on this and there's been broad support for this piece of legislation. Our aquaculture industry offers huge potential for sustainable growth and I think early action. Giving iwi the ability to have access in a timely manner and get on with it develop their industry is certainly going to deliver growth in this sector. We've got the ability here in New Zealand to be world leaders in this industry. So I commend this bill to the House.