Brown Peter: Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill — In Committee 
Brown Peter: Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:637;Page:8082] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 For those who might be listening to this debate we are debating the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill—and specifically debating Part 2 “Repeal of Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Act 1960”. 
Without exception everybody I have spoken to in the industry—that is administrators and management—has said that the 1960 Act has to go and that it has to go as quickly as possible. My goodness me! Many of them really put the pressure on to say that the sooner we get rid of it and replace it with proper legislation the better. 
New Zealand First supported this bill at its first reading. But after what we were told at the select committee and after we saw what came back from the select committee we had reservations and decided to oppose the bill. We liked the look of Dr Hutchison’s 2-year transitional period. But it is too long. We have to get rid of the current 1960 Act soon and replace it with a new Act. This bill will do the job. We needed to be convinced that it could come into place on 30 June and we were not convinced of that. We spoke to the Minister Ruth Dyson we laid our cards on the table she gave us a very good hearing and an alternative date was put up that was not acceptable. Finally we agreed on a date that is 5 months later—30 November—and that is some 8 or 9 months from now. We think this legislation can be put in place by that time. 
There are two remaining issues. The first issue concerns the guidelines. I understand that the department is working on guidelines now. We have asked the Minister to use the influence she has to prevail on the department to get the guidelines completed albeit in draft form and out to the sector in rapid order. I am hopeful that the sector will get those guidelines in the not too distant future—as in a few weeks away. 
The third—and probably the most important—issue is funding. There has to be adequate funding. I am not privy to the Budget but I have spoken with the Minister on this subject. I believe her when she assures me that there will be funding for this area. So New Zealand First in discussions with the Government has achieved three things: the guidelines will come out the funding will be there and there will be ample time to address the concerns that have been raised during the select committee process and indeed in this Chamber. 
I repeat that the current legislation has to go. Everybody I have spoken to in the sector in a management or administrative role tells me that. Those people have also told me that some of the statements made by some National members indicate that people will be kicked out of sheltered workshops. Those sorts of statements are alarmist they are causing concern in the community and in families and they are doing no good at all for the people who are depending on the workshops. I prevail on National members to keep their comments more credible and more fair. When we last debated this legislation I heard a National member make really sweeping statements about closing workshops and kicking people out on to the street. 
That is not going to happen. I give members the assurance that the Government whatever National members think of it knows far better than to do that. It is not unaware of the problems that this sector is facing and I know for a fact that it will not let that occur. I have absolute confidence that the Government is well aware of the problems that this sector is facing and will ensure that people are not kicked out on the street. 
A more pressing problem is whether these workshops will let people come in at the right level of intake. I am hopeful that this bill if we can get it in place by 30 November—or earlier if possible—will address those problems and there will be no restrictions placed on those who need to come into these workshops coming in at the right time and at the right level. 
I do not want to say much more because New Zealand First has looked into this bill pretty thoroughly. We have had some very positive dialogue with the Minister. The fate of this bill is in the Government’s hands and we will be supporting it.