Prime Willow-JeanWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour—Northland): E te Māngai o te Whare tēnā koe otirā tēnā tātou katoa i roto i tēnei Whare i tēnei pō. Koutou e whakarongo mai ana ki konei ki te kāinga hoki tēnei te mihi nui ki a koutou. E te Māngai o te Whare e tautoko ana ahau i tēnei pire pau te kaha nā te mea ki ahau mōku ake he aha te mea nui o tēnei ao? He tangata he tangata he tangata.E hiahia ana ahau ki te rongo i ngā kōrero a ngā tāngata mō rātou tēnei pire mehemea ka tutuki ō rātou wawata me ngā raruraru e pā ana ki tēnei take nunui mō rātou. E te Māngai o te Whare e tautoko hoki ana ahau i ngā kōrero a te kaikōrero a Tāmati Coffey kātahi anō ka mutu tana kōrero e pā ana ki tētahi tono ā nā Tina Ngata. E tino hiahia ana ahau ki te rongo i ngā kōrero o te Ao Māori e pā ana ki tēnei take nui. Ka huri atu ahau ki tērā atu o ngā reo. [Madam Speaker my greetings to you to everyone in this House this evening and to those listening here or at home. I resolutely support this bill because to me personally what is the most important thing in this world? It is people it is people it is people.I would like to hear the opinions of the people whom this bill is designed to serve whether it meets their aspirations and whether there are any problems for them relating to this major issue. I also support the words of Tāmati Coffey who has just spoken regarding a submission on this important issue made by Tina Ngata. I very much want to hear the voice of the Māori world regarding this important issue. I will now turn to the English language.]Madam Speaker thank you for the opportunity to take a short call on the bill this evening. I firstly wanted to mihi to all of those who are here tonight debating this also in the gallery and those watching at home. It is a very important take [subject] to many people and I wanted to remind everybody of a whakataukī that is very famous up North: what is the most important thing in this world? It is people. It is people. It is people. I hope that during this debate we remember that whakataukī.I want to acknowledge the Minister the Hon Jan Tinetti. Her and I are walking friends and so we go for a walk during the dinner break. We have talked about this issue and how challenging it can be at times from the type of correspondence that she receives on this issue but I am really proud of the principled approach that she has taken to doing what is right and what is fair to a group in our community. So I'm pleased that it has made it to this stage in the process.I did want to highlight a couple of things from her speech that really struck me. I think the real issue that I agree with is that people are being caused pain and discrimination because of a Government-issued birth certificate. You know I think back in our history and this hasn't always existed but since it has existed it has created a problem for some people. Under this bill transgender non-binary and intersex New Zealanders will no longer require proof of medical treatment or to show a court that they physically conform to the deeply held and lived knowledge of who they are and who they know themselves to be.The Minister gave in her opening speech some evidence which I think is really compelling. When a survey was undertaken in 2019 83 percent of the community surveyed did not have the correct gender represented on their birth certificate and it's those people in that percentage who responded to the survey that I think we really need to concentrate on and focus on. So I'm pleased that the Minister is recommending that this be referred back to the select committee that there be an inquiry process and I really hope that for those who are impacted by this legislation for those who this legislation is intended to serve they submit and tell us whether it meets their needs or not. I'm not a member of that select committee but I really do hope that they feel safe and able to participate in that process.Also for those that might be listening a point was made that while New Zealand does lead in many areas in the world this is actually one area where we aren't. There are at least 15 other countries in the world who in fact already do this and so I think that it is time for us to get on with it to refer it to the select committee. I encourage everybody to participate in that process particularly those who this legislation is intended to serve. Tēnā koe.