Lee Melissa: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLee Melissa: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 25 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18935. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MELISSA LEE (National):Ahn nyung ha se yo Mr Chair. I would like to apologise to my learned colleague Alfred Ngaro to my right who very passionately called out so that he could have a say. It is a great pleasure to rise to speak on the Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill. Although I am opposed to it it is very interesting to listen to the members opposite. I know that they speak with passion but sometimes it is really difficult to take in especially when they start talking about the arrogance of the Government or the fact that we on this side are filibustering when in the past members opposite have filibustered to the point that it has gone on for days and days and days so that some member’s bill would not come to pass. I have a vague memory of something to do with a heritage bill or a student union movement bill not actually coming before members’ day. So that is very rich coming from them talking about filibustering and I will not take that as a salient point of objection for members on this side of the Chamber to talk on something we believe in.I would also like to take a moment to talk about what Jan Logie said. She talked about the economics of it all. I take objection to taking a lesson in Economics 101 from a party that wants to print money for the economic well-being of this country. The Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill—Tracey Martin: Tell New Zealand why you oppose this bill.MELISSA LEE: Tracey Martin can say whatever she likes but when she talks about arrogance she should look in the mirror because her party opposes Asian migration to New Zealand every election time. This Government has always said that it was prepared to extend parental leave—The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson): Order! There is a significant number of Standing Orders that grant us good grace and good order and an opportunity for all members to make a commanding contribution. I urge all honourable members to play the ball and not the member. Remember that and we will preserve an excellent field for the full play of ideas.MELISSA LEE: I would like to start by saying that this Government has always—and I repeat always—said that it was prepared to extend parental leave but in a way that was affordable. Affordability is something that is very important to us obviously. When we could afford more we would do more. When this country is in a financial crisis like the rest of the world our focus is to get our country back in the black—get back in the black not in the red—so that we can afford to pay for things for our New Zealand families. That is exactly what we did in Budget 2014.Labour’s 26-week paid parental leave goes too far costs too much and is definitely poorly targeted. I would like to reflect back on what Mr Sabin has said: why do we just stop at 26 weeks? If the country can afford it we would all love to be at home. As a mother I would have loved to stay at home with my son when he was born. My son is now 15 and sometimes as a working parent I feel very guilty that I did not stay at home longer. Most mothers—most fathers also probably—would want to stay at home looking after their children but for them their desire cannot be fulfilled. I think all parents would want to do that but they have responsibilities. Just like a good Government has a responsibility to its citizens parents also have a responsibility to their children.Only around 40 percent of families with newborns get paid parental leave and Labour’s policy is not targeted on need. I would like to emphasise the word “need” because we want to do what is needed. When the people of New Zealand need something we want to supply it for them but the thing is that this Government is fiscally responsible. We want to be managing our books carefully so that when we can afford to do it we will do it. That is what we promised and that is what we have delivered in Budget 2014. Twenty-six weeks’ paid parental leave—