Delahunty Catherine: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (6 Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — In CommitteeText is subject to correctionDelahunty Catherine: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (6 Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 08 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11833. Text is subject to correction.]CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green): Kia ora Mr Chair. I almost feel like allowing the previous speaker another call because she was making such great arguments—fantastic arguments for extending paid parental leave from 22 to 26 weeks because it makes so much sense. It is a pity that people in this House do not really have the choice to vote for what they believe in sometimes because I think that member Sarah Dowie was expressing a real belief in the importance of relationships with babies and the importance of parents having strong relationships with babies. Good on her for standing up for that because one thing we know about our kids and relationships is that the thing we can give them that is of most importance—which is why Part 2 is so critical—is our time.Our kids need our time and if we have to go to work we cannot give them that time. After the initial insanity of becoming a parent particularly for mothers—because really you have no idea what is happening the first time—we need a lot of time to recover. I would argue that 6 months is a minimum—6 months when one’s life has completely changed and has been completely turned upside down by physical emotional economic and social status changes—because we do not actually value parenting in our society and every decision that I see made by the Government does not value parenting. We need to support this bill because it is going to give people time.I will tell you why going from 22 weeks to 26 weeks is such a brilliant idea. As we have heard tonight it is because it is good for employers it is good for employees it is good for babies it is good for mothers it is good for fathers it is good for communities it is good for the future health of the child it is good for the future education of the child it is good to break the isolation of parents it is good for relationships it is good for bonding at all levels and it is good for sanity. There is nothing more insane as I am sure the Government Administration Committee heard than being torn in 1200 different directions because after 22 weeks you were the person—the mother or the father—who was still feeling that they were just adjusting to this new little person or people in their life plus to all the other people whom they are responsible for. But no they had to go back to work.The Green Party is incredibly proud to support this bill. We think that Sue Moroney has shown—in all the parts but particularly in Part 2 because that is what we are talking about—incredible tenacity in holding on to every opportunity and in keeping the community of parents with her. Every step of the way parents are with Sue Moroney and they are with all of us who support the bill because putting aside all the financial fiscal discipline and weirdo arguments that I have heard tonight—which are really just about meanness and refusing to prioritise children—this is a positive step. As Jan Logie so rightly said we live in a country that can do this. The only reason we cannot do it is that the Government is too mean to do it. Other than that the arguments have been made the evidence has been presented the support has been demonstrated in the community the logic has been shown and the need is there.When our children are babies—whether they are breastfed or bottle-fed—they need us. I think that 13 months which is the Green Party policy is a fantastic idea and that Sue Moroney has done amazingly well to get from 22 to 26 weeks as a step towards what I know she really believes in. What she really believes in is that people should have as much time as they want—not just people who are wealthy but everybody who has a job and a child should have these options. The Government whose mantra of “choice”—it is constantly using the mantra of “choice” until honestly I feel like if I hear the word “choice” again then I am going to strangle myself with my own “choices”. Honestly if I hear that once again because if there is one thing I know—The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Chester Borrows): Back to the bill.CATHERINE DELAHUNTY: —it is that in Part 2 this bill acknowledges that parents should have the choice. That is what I am standing up here tonight to say. If we are serious about anyone having any choice about anything and that actually matters then put babies and children first for once. Stop being so mean and mean-spirited and put babies and children first and allow parents to stay at home for 6 miserable months—well hopefully glorious celebratory participatory amazing months but they are quite often quite intense months. Allow parents that choice. If this bill is not to succeed never fear. The women of New Zealand will never give up. Kia ora.