Loheni AgnesAGNES LOHENI (National): Thank you Mr Chair. I am happy to make a contribution in support of this bill the KiwiSaver (Oranga Tamariki Guardians) Amendment Bill. And I'd also like my colleagues before me like to commend the member Hamish Walker for bringing to the attention of this House the plight of a very vulnerable group of young people in New Zealand our foster children.I'm pleased to be able to say that I sit on the Social Services and Community Committee and it's been an eye-opener for me in terms of understanding that this challenge was there. I didn't know that this challenge was there for these children in our country—a vulnerable group of children. I'd also like to acknowledge my committee members as we discussed this bill in our committee. There was a genuine desire to really find a solution to the challenges that I think Hamish has really illustrated very well in his opening statement. So there was collaboration and a genuine desire to work through this. Prior to this bill being presented I had no idea about the challenges that these parents faced in trying to do something good for these children. And it is something good. I don't think anyone has ever said that it was a bad idea to open a KiwiSaver account for a child. And I think and Mr Walker has stated as well—I don't think there have been actually any concerns raised either through a public submission or through a member in this House as to why it is a bad idea to give this option to these children. What is the risk? What are the unintended consequences in allowing this pathway and giving this option to these foster parents? So as we've presented in the report from the committee members on this side of the House did present a minority view which is essentially that this bill doesn't go far enough in terms of the intent that was presented by Mr Walker which is that yes we are going to reach some children and those children will be lucky. I think you've indicated 700. That still leaves another 5000-plus who will not have the opportunity. So I guess at the end of the day the law is the impediment to providing that access that process for these children for those foster parents who want to give that opportunity to the foster children. So I'm fully in support of the member Hamish Walker's Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 258 because it will address the inequity that exists for these foster kids—and this bill was actually about inequity of access. So this is what Hamish Walker's SOP is about. So I am fully in support of that. Again I would like to hear from any other members of the committee around what the unintended consequences would be in terms of alleviating and providing this channel that process for those families. As a mother of five children I have to say KiwiSaver is not something that is front of mind when I'm thinking of my children: in the day-to-day care of my children food clothing a roof over their head love and support. But this is something that these foster parents are giving these children and yet we cannot give them the opportunity to support these kids to give them financial security into the future by giving this access to them. So I really commend the member on highlighting this issue in this House and I support this bill and the SOP.