Ball Darroch: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBall Darroch: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 05 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:670. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DARROCH BALL (NZ First):I rise on behalf of New Zealand First in support of this bill. When looking specifically at clause 4 one needs to look at and understand the intent and purpose of the original bill and in turn see just how important it is. The amendment bill is popular with the public—I think 99.6 percent of all submissions were positive—because the public knows the importance of stable loving nurturing and long-term parental investment in the first 6 months and more of a child’s life. Looking at Supplementary Order Paper 15 and in particular to the first-noted amendment to clause 4 and focusing on clause 4 it is important because it lists the limitations that now need to be placed on the intent of the original bill and shows the focusing of the bill down to specific classifications—those three obviously being that the paid parental leave is extended and that only those giving birth to two or more children to one or more surviving children before 37 weeks and to a child whose impairment would entitle the person to a Government-funded disability support service are eligible.The background note of the original bill also states that the bill particularly promotes the ability of parents to choose to care for newborn babies and that it is an essential part of supporting families to develop nurturing relationships. It also promotes the fact that the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for up to 6 months. The only way that we as a society can listen to this advice and to these facts and to expect our people to do such things is to ensure we give them the opportunity to do so. New Zealand First does support the bill because we support the provision of the most important environment and the essential elements involved in that environment in a child and a parent’s life being time. It is unfortunate that the situation has arisen that the original amendment bill will need to be modified and further focused as is manifested in what clause 4 now states.It seems counter-intuitive for anyone with an ounce of common sense to deny the opportunity for such a common-sense bill to be enacted and at such a comparatively small financial investment. This is a simple bill with a simple change to a few words and numbers but it will change the future for a generation of our children and their families. The positive consequences should not be underestimated. It would create stability for a child; a long-term learning environment; healthy nutritious environments; a bonding and caring environment; and most important an environment that sets our future generations up with positive pathways.We are now looking at the modification of the bill now applying to just parents with two or more children premature births or a child with a disability. Although the bill is now unfortunately limiting this important opportunity New Zealand First supports it because it focuses on the neediest of parents. That is why New Zealand First supports this bill.