Doocey Matt: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDoocey Matt: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 25 February 2015. Volume:703;Page:1974. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri): Well we have heard it all tonight—party at Tracey Martin’s house 1 July 2018. I am rising to support the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill in its second reading and I would like to acknowledge Tracey Martin. This bill is common sense. I know her party stood on that platform. I would not agree that all their policies were common sense but this one has made it and I think it is very much common sense.I did take the time to read some of the notes around this bill and I would like to acknowledge Tracey for sharing some of her personal stories and her personal connections to this bill as well. And it is very much—from someone who comes from a mental health background—our stories our personal stories our shared experiences that bind us all together and it is something that we can work towards in improving the well-being of this country. It is very much focused on improving the well-being of not only the young people but the kin carers in this situation.As we have heard from previous speakers there are around 12000 New Zealand children being looked after by kin carers and this is a great opportunity to acknowledge their work and everything they do. I know for myself that I have had a kin carer come into my office seeking help and her story was amazing. Making no real thought about her own situation she swiftly moved in to take over guardianship of a niece and a nephew. It is right that we look to support these kin carers and give them all the resources that we can.I would like to support the words of the previous speaker Jacinda Ardern around that transitional age of young people going into adult services. I have worked a lot with adolescents in my mental health work and we do know that that transition for young people is very difficult and it is where a lot of problems can happen. I would say after spending a lot of time doing one-to-one counselling with young people—and many young people who were in foster care or in kin care—you can tell the difference when they have those people in their lives who are steering them in the right direction. No amount of money will ever support a young person to stay on the right track but having adults in their lives who teach them the right way to live is the way that that will happen. This is why we should support this bill. This bill is seeking parity between the financial entitlements for orphans and unsupported children and financial entitlements for foster carers. It is only right that foster carers and kin carers have this parity.There was some acknowledgment of the Hon Paula Bennett and I would like to reinforce that. I have had the Minister in my electorate and we have taken her around social services. It is very clear that people relate to the Minister. They know that she knows what they know and they get that. I think that it is very clear in this situation that it is about common understanding of what people need and what people need to improve their well-being.I would also like to take this time—because this is my first time speaking to this bill and I am also new to the Social Services Committee—to just acknowledge the work of our hard-working Social Services Committee chair Alfred Ngaro who is very much guiding us in a collegial approach which this bill is taking as well. It is right that the whole of this House will support this bill.I have become a new parent over the last year and it has given me some understanding of the commitment patience determination and resources needed to bring up a young one in the world. I think it is only right that we look to support kin carers in any way they can be supported as they provide this vital role. I do know we need to focus on young people of all ages. From years zero to 3 a lot of our personality our characteristics and our traits are formed. Working in the mental health field for a number of years—we do know when we talk about early intervention that it very much is as early as possible that we can make sure all young people have the resources they need to do well in life. Just for the many listeners and viewers at home—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Order! You have got to address the Chamber not anyone out there.MATT DOOCEY: Oh OK.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): It is against the Standing Orders.MATT DOOCEY: I just want to talk a bit about the technical aspects of this bill. Under the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 Work and Income weekly benefits are paid for the unsupported child and orphan the same as for a foster child. However unsupported children or orphans are not eligible for a clothing allowance. This is very much the nub of the argument for this bill. Although children under 13 years do get a quarterly allowance which covers some secondary school uniforms this very much aims to increase that support.The bill proposes that unsupported children and orphans get this clothing allowance in parity with foster children. It amends the Social Security Act of 1964 and I must say I am very proud to be part of a country that has a social security Act has strong social welfare provision and has a strong economy that pays for that welfare provision and we must always remind ourselves of that. We can have all the best intentions in the world for social policy but at the end of the day if you do not have the money to pay for it it is all just talk. So it is great that we are able to support this bill and back it financially.The amendments made by the select committee were around amending clause 2 to delay the commencement of this new legislation—which Tracey Martin has talked about tonight and is supporting—until 1 July 2018. The amendments are also about amending clause 4 to clarify that an orphan or unsupported child will be entitled to a clothing allowance only if the chief executive under their discretion has set a rate of payment for a clothing allowance for foster children under section 363 of the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act.I must say I am very very happy to say that this is really only the start of this type of work. We can do more and the Government is committed to doing more. As part of the White Paper for Vulnerable Children we committed an extra $10 million to provide further support to kin carers. We believe as a Government that we can provide further assistance to kin carers in a better and more targeted way and we have agreed with Tracey Martin to look at further options as to how that $10 million can be capped. We have also agreed to explore further financial assistance options in supporting this bill at its first and second readings and in thinking about how we are going to spend that $10 million.The Government does recognise the incredible work done by family members raising children who have lost their parents or who are unable to live with them. We know that there are more than 12000 New Zealand children who are being cared for by their wider family members because of a death of a parent or a family breakdown. I am very happy to report that a ministerial reference group has been formed which includes a representative from Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust and is currently working through options for how this extra funding will be applied and Ms Martin will be part of that. I am very happy to report that I support this bill and commend it to the House.