Prime Willow-Jean; Brownlee GerryHon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. I am deeply deeply concerned for the children of Aotearoa. In the six months of this coalition Government we have seen this Government introduce policies that will put more children in poverty that will cut school lunches that will repeal world-leading smoke-free legislation which would have seen a smoke-free generation for our tamariki. We are seeing them repealing legislation that the Waitangi Tribunal says will do harm—in repealing section 7AA. We see them going backwards to failed experiments of boot camps and military-style academies to deal with youth justice issues experimenting on our tamariki. And we have just recently heard of significant deep cuts to organisations like Oranga Tamariki the Department of Internal Affairs and Customs who are all doing important work in protecting our children.I want to start by talking about how this Government is taking us backwards in terms of the repeal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. This was a piece of policy introduced by the National Government because they recognised that for generations there have been disproportionate numbers of tamariki Māori taken into care and that there are huge disparities within the child protection organisation and system. It was their legislation that they introduced and now they are repealing it. And they are repealing it on the basis of what has been described as anecdote hearsay and political ideology. It was been said in the Waitangi Tribunal's interim report that there is no—no—empirical evidence to support that there is any conflict between section 7AA and the best interests of the child and in fact the evidence presented says it is to the contrary.I implore the Prime Minister who the report was addressed to to take pause to listen to what the Waitangi Tribunal has said to stop the repeal of section 7AA—and that there are other options to look at these areas where they may have concerns. They have said that they will be introducing this legislation potentially next week. I am asking this Government to stop to take pause and to seriously consider the interim report from the Waitangi Tribunal which says the action of repealing section 7AA will cause harm.I want to move on to the cuts within Oranga Tamariki because these cuts are about choices. This organisation is being told to find 6.5 percent savings. Why is that? It's so that they can pay for tax cuts for landlords. That's what this is about. They are making a choice here and so in looking for savings within the department Oranga Tamariki has identified over 600 roles and 447 of those are going to be cut. Almost 9 percent of the organisation is being cut at the direction of this Government. And when we look at what some of those things are that they're cutting—Tim Costley: Back office—back office.Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME: —to the backbencher over there—it's appalling and it's unbelievable that they are looking at cutting the International Child Protection Unit that focuses on child labour exploitation and slavery sexual exploitation child trafficking. The cuts are going too far. This risks us taking our eyes off these highly sensitive issues and children's wellbeing is at grave risk here.I don't think this is what New Zealanders voted for. I don't think they voted for rushed repeals that are taking us backwards that have been said by the Waitangi Tribunal to actually cause harm. I don't think they support cutting services like the International Child Protection Unit or including the child exploitation team at Internal Affairs which has been looking into child pornography. I do not think that is what New Zealand has voted for. I think that this Government has got its priorities wrong and their cuts are going too far and I'm deeply concerned for the children of Aotearoa who are being put at risk and harm by this Government.SPEAKER: The time for this debate has expired.The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.SPEAKER: I declare the House in committee for further consideration of the Appropriation (2022/23 Confirmation and Validation) Bill.