Brown Peter: Births Deaths Marriages and Relationships Registration Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Brown Peter: Births Deaths Marriages and Relationships Registration Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:637;Page:7816] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I listened with interest to the member who has just resumed his seat Mark Blumsky. He raised in a vague sort of way some concerns but said that National would not be supporting the Births Deaths Marriages and Relationships Registration Amendment Bill. I thought if there are concerns it would pay to address the bill tidy the thing up and then possibly support it. 
Mark Blumsky 
: And we may do that. 
PETER BROWN 
: Well the member is going to vote against the bill tonight knowing that there are concerns about it. 
If one is in doubt about what a bill stands for and what it is meant to do one should perhaps always read the purpose clause and I will read it. It states: “The purposes of this Act are—(a) to require the recording and verification of information relating to births deaths marriages civil unions name changes adoptions and sexual assignments and reassignments … ”. 
Now I do not know really what it means by “sexual assignments”. I certainly do not know what “reassignments” are. I could only conclude going back to the customs legislation that when one of the National Party members Mr John Hayes said that from time to time he goes down Cuba Street spying on bike riders that that is a sexual assignment. Is it a sexual assignment if he is sent there by his leader? It would not necessarily be a sexual assignment if he was doing that as a hobby. I know that the member who has just resumed his seat has a sort of inkling to go to Cuba Street from time to time. 
Mark Blumsky 
: I live in Cuba Street. 
PETER BROWN 
: He lives in Cuba Street well there you are! That is the reason. But I am at a loss to understand and I say this very seriously what this bill means by “sexual assignments”. 
Mark Blumsky 
: Are you going to oppose it as well? 
PETER BROWN 
: No I am going to support this bill because I want to find out what this is all about. I think one of those members on the Government side will stand up and tell me. But there are a number of concerns that need to be addressed. 
 I have some notes here and I understand from my reading of this bill that for example both parents will have to sign a birth certificate. That makes sense to New Zealand First for a number of reasons and this bill will provide the law that compels people to do that. 
The bill tells me that a register will be created to record name changes by people born overseas who are New Zealand citizens or who are permanent residents. Those people will be issued with certificates rather than copies of the declaration form as currently occurs and that seems to be a worthwhile step. 
Another point is that individuals will be able to access their own records and those of their immediate family. They will also be able to authorise other people to access these records for genealogy purposes. Currently I am told a person can generally access anyone’s registered information. I find it appalling that people’s records can be accessed by just anybody. That matter needs to be tightened up. 
The bill addresses a number of other issues but there is another worrying concern that I have on behalf of New Zealand First. It is the definition of “immediate family member” in clause 7(3). It reads: “in relation to a person—(a) means the person’s mother father son daughter sister brother grandparent grandchild spouse civil union partner or de facto partner; and (b)”—and I have real concerns with this—“to avoid doubt does not include—(i) a stepparent stepchild stepgrandparent stepgrandchild or stepsibling of the person;”. It then goes on to list former spouse civil union partner or de facto partner of the person. 
I say to the House with some seriousness now that I know of a situation where the father of a young daughter lost his wife. He married again—a young woman—and he and his new wife are looking after the daughter as their own. The daughter is a terrific young girl and the mother and the father are terrific people. To say by law that they are not immediate family members does not sit comfortably with me. That is totally wrong and I want this bill to go to the select committee so that that issue on its own can be addressed because if that is the way this country is going then it is going the wrong way. 
Chris Auchinvole 
: That’s right! 
PETER BROWN 
: Well I’m glad the member over there is awake; I thought he was snoozing. I ask him to help me get this right because although there is some good this bill will do we are not going into this sort of garbage. New Zealand First will support this bill going to the select committee but we will be looking to fine-tune some of the detail. Thank you.