Sepuloni CarmelFAMILIES COMMISSION ACT REPEAL BILLFirst ReadingHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): I move That the Families Commission Act Repeal Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the bill. At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by Monday 30 April 2018 and that the committee has authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting except during oral questions during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 191 and 194(1)(b) and (c).This bill repeals the Families Commission Act 2003 in order to disestablish the Families Commission which since 2013 has operated as the social policy evaluation and research unit or SuPERU. The bill also provides for the other such arrangements required as a consequence of the disestablishment of SuPERU such as the management of residual assets and liabilities and employment-related matters.The Families Commission SuPERU is an autonomous Crown entity attached to the social development portfolio. Its functions are set out in the Families Commission Act 2003 and centre around acting as an advocate for the interests of New Zealand families in general and providing independent monitoring and evaluation of and research into key issues programmes and interventions across the social sector.The decision to disestablish SuPERU was originally made by the previous Government as part of a number of changes to social sector leadership arrangements. This decision has now been considered and endorsed by this Government. As a result of this bill all remaining functions and activities currently undertaken by SuPERU will cease on legal disestablishment and have been proactively managed down in the interim. Action has already been taken to transfer all of SuPERU's key functions to other agencies in the social sector along with their associated funding and in some cases staff. Functions that have already been transferred include management of the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse contract—this is transferred to the Ministry of Justice. The annual family and whānau status report and supporting research—this has been transferred to the Ministry of Social Development. Oversight of the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study is also transferred to the Ministry of Social Development.It is also expected that the Social Investment Agency will pick up some of the work previously undertaken by SuPERU—this includes the operation of the social sector research database known as the Hub" which the Social Investment Agency will assume responsibility for in April. Particular care will be taken to ensure that all research publications online guidance materials and tools will continue to be available to those who wish to use them. This will ensure that any disruption arising from the disestablishment of SuPERU is kept to a minimum.It's important to note that the disestablishment of SuPERU does not lessen our commitment to research and evaluation excellence in social science. However this is seen as a necessary step towards achieving greater efficiencies in the provision of social science research within the public sector and is an opportunity to reflect on lessons with regards to what has and hasn't worked in the past and how we can improve things moving forward.I would like at this stage to acknowledge the professionalism of Mr Len Cook the outgoing SuPERU board chair and other members of the SuPERU board. They've taken an active role overseeing the disestablishment process especially over the process for transferring functions to other agencies. At the same time they have ensured that SuPERU has continued to deliver on its 2017-18 work programme and that all legislative commitments are met. They have also acted as a good employer ensuring that disruption to SuPERU staff is kept to a minimum.I am confident that the changes associated with this bill will provide for the more effective and efficient use of social science research into better decision-making. I am pleased to be able to present this bill here today. I commend this bill to the House."