Clark DavidMENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING COMMISSION BILLIn CommitteeCHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Members we turn now to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill. I understand that this is being debated as one question.Parts 1 and 2 Schedules 1 to 2 and clauses 1 and 2Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): The Health Committee recommended the bill unanimously with several suggested changes which were supported by the Government. Hon Nathan Guy: Put some passion into it. Come on!Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: This is a happy occasion I tell the honourable member because the bill was supported by all parties at second reading. If the majority of Parliament votes in support of the bill it will go through of course to its third reading either immediately following or on the next sitting day and following that to Royal assent.This is a bill that's making swift progress. It is something whose time has come and I want to thank from the outset the coalition partner New Zealand First that has supported and worked with Labour to progress the mental health commission and also our confidence and supply partners the Green Party. All parties are very keen to see this go through so it's been on the agenda for this term of Government. Of course all of these parties also were supporting the mental health inquiry He Ara Oranga despite the Government of the day the prior Government opposing that work. Now this has come out as one of the recommendations out of He Ara Oranga that we re-establish the Mental Health Commission after the previous National Government disestablished it. But I'm really pleased that now the whole Parliament has united again behind that idea of having a mental health commission. So to respond to Mr Guy's comment it is something worth being passionate about. It is exciting that we have a whole Parliament united to have a mental health commission in place once again. The bill establishes the commission as an independent Crown entity that will hold Government and other decision makers to account for improving mental health and wellbeing and it will contribute to better mental health and wellbeing outcomes for people across New Zealand. I'm convinced of that. It will also contribute to achieving equity for Māori and other groups that experience poor mental health and wellbeing outcomes or poorer than the general population. Establishing the new commission is widely supported beyond this Parliament. The majority of submissions to the select committee supported a new commission and it was pleasing to hear the support for the bill during that second reading debate right here in the Chamber. So I want to acknowledge also before I end this contribution the members of the Health Committee for their work—Hon Michael Woodhouse: You're welcome.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: —and the improvements that have been made to the bill. That does include you Mr Woodhouse. Thank you for your work on this. It was great to see a unanimous recommendation from that select committee back to the House with some changes which we have been happy to adopt. So I move that this be taken as one part.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): That's already been agreed to so you don't need to do that.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Apologies just instructed by the whips—making sure I'm doing the right thing. I look forward to the contributions across the House.