Little AndrewHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. Can I begin by congratulating that member Jo Hayes for being the lucky holder of the bill at the time that it was drawn from the ballot and for shepherding the bill through to this stage of the House and to say that Labour will support the bill. The bill addresses a very important issue that won't affect people in huge numbers but we know that with the changing make-up of New Zealand society there are some cultural practices whereby certainly older members of families wish to see younger members married at an early age. It is incumbent on this House as the Parliament of a liberal democracy such as ours to make sure that those in the community and the more vulnerable in the community—and that includes younger people—have appropriate protections so that where there is a possibility that young people may be vulnerable to forced marriages because of family and other cultural expectations in this country they are afforded some protection and this bill takes the right steps to provide that protection. So for young people who are 16 or 17 years of age and who are under the pressure of family expectation to marry at that age or to enter a civil union they cannot be compelled to do that. There will be a requirement for the Family Court to provide some supervision and for a Family Court judge to go through a process to ascertain the genuine wishes of a partner to such a marriage or civil union and if necessary to call on a cultural report or take whatever other appropriate steps and for a Family Court judge to give their blessing so that we can be sure and the community can be sure there is appropriate consent. That I think and the measures contained in the bill provide an appropriate protection that will apply to the small number of people who will be under this sort of pressure. I think the honourable member Joanne Hayes adverted to this herself and that is concern about the application of these processes to potential de facto marriages. The reality is unlike with a marriage and unlike with a civil union where the partners to those arrangements have to apply for a licence or go through a formal process you don't have to for a de facto marriage; it's just a question of living together in a relationship that looks like marriage. That's what a de facto marriage is. That can happen without the intervention of the State or any agency or organ of the State and so I suppose I am just left wondering what the mechanics would be of a process that would bring a party or parties to such an arrangement before a court to seek consent for a de facto arrangement. It may well be that those arrangements will simply happen by dint of happenstance and no one will get to exercise an appropriate consent. It doesn't mean to say that at least one of the parties to such an arrangement might not be under some sort of coercion might not be under some sort of force. Unless that person has the means to bring themselves before the court I think that would pose some difficulties. Nevertheless let the committee of the whole House tease that out a little further and explore it and examine it. It may well be that there's an opportunity for some appropriate change by way of a Supplementary Order Paper but I simply raise that point.The principle of the bill the objective of it is absolutely correct and we want to see these measures taken because that is important. A bit in the way we did when the legislation we've just passed before the House in relation to domestic violence a coerced marriage or a coerced relationship is simply another form of domestic violence and if this provides protection to young vulnerable people to prevent them from being the victim of this form of domestic violence then it is another entirely appropriate and sensible bill for this House to promulgate.Like the previous member I acknowledge that this is a very focused piece of legislation and it does not require I think me to pontificate much further. So I will bring my contribution to an end and confirm once again that the Labour Party supports the bill. It will do good things for that small number of members of our community who might otherwise be vulnerable to this and it is yet again another plank that you would expect from a Parliament taking its responsibility seriously to reduce or eliminate the prospects of domestic violence.