Lyndon HūhanaHŪHANA LYNDON (Green):[Authorised reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]On behalf of Te Rōpū Kakariki I stand and I wish to extend my thanks and gratitude that we are all united on the importance of this legislation. I have a speech prepared and it's got all of the main key points but I just want to recognise Auntie Angie and Auntie Debbie for leadership on this matter. Angie Warren-Clark worked with my mum many years ago and my mum is a refuge worker. We have been raised as wāhine Māori picking up the pieces of broken families for far too long. As a young woman my mum would take us to help get mothers and children. It impacts you because you know that woman is stuck.So this legislation is about time. It's probably 20 years late but we're here now and it's awesome that we are united in moving forward on this to allow women—and other spouses; you know tāne mai wāhine mai—the ability to leave according to their own tikanga so that they can escape family violence in the home and that our babies can be raised in loving whānau where they will not fear violence tomorrow.So I recognise Ronnie Albert. Te Whakaruruhau—biggest women's refuge in the country—all the women's refuges across the country who help whānau gather back up the pieces and try to get them to make good decisions. The decision to leave is so hard and when they do make that decision to leave they're stuck because they cannot divorce. So that is used as a tool for power and control over the woman for two years. So this legislation is about time.I think of Waitomo Papakāinga in Kaitāia. Katie Murray she's hard out and she'll tell you a few straight facts. She is on the front line. She is the chair of Te Rarawa and she is committed to the elimination of family violence and sexual violence in Kaitāia. Our whānau need this legislation now and into the future and I'm so grateful that we're here standing together to move this forward at pace.Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri. Another social service in South Auckland but also they have branches in different parts of the country Front-line services who have done so much to awhi whānau; to support wāhine and tāne to escape the clutches of family violence in the hope that they may make the decision to break free. But when they have to go back those services are still there and they don't cut the connection to that whānau. As you know that wrapping around the whānau of this nature is required until such time as we can support the wahine or the tane to make that courageous decision to break the chains of a relationship of power and control.This legislation here was well supported as we've heard from members in the House. Multiple agencies community groups everyone is committed and supports this through the select committee process and many submitters shared how they are front-line and how they are seeing the impact of family violence day after day.The issue with having to wait for two years and the ability for a woman to divorce her husband is a noose. It's a noose around the neck of the woman who tries to break free when you're stuck with Family Court processes; when you're stuck with protection orders; and you're trying to manage and keep your kids stable in school while dealing with a man who could be stalking you. I raise this because this is the reality of many women today and it was in the experience of many yesterday too. This legislation helps them escape and it helps them break those shackles and that noose that ties them to a spouse who exercises power and control over the wahine and the fear of the tamariki.So when we come together in this House—and we are discussing and I'm so grateful for the kōrero that we're hearing and the sincerity of the way that we are putting the whānau in the middle of this decision and thinking about ways with which through this legislation we can empower wāhine mai; tāne mai to make the decision that the legislation will be there ready for them. That they don't need to keep emailing Debbie asking when is this going to happen. That they don't need to have their family lawyer there trying to navigate and move around a system whereby they are still stuck legally in a situation that is not healthy for them or their whānau.This bill is essential and it is great to see we all support. By and large our families will benefit from this legislation now and into the future. Our efforts—our collective efforts—to stand together in unity tonight on the issue of family violence and sexual violence as something let's take a step back and say Can we do this more? Can we do this more and look for a unity on things that are important for our communities?" I ask that because we're having challenges but when we put the whānau at the centre of our thinking and we look at the impact of family violence or whatever the issue might be surely we can find a way that we can awhi and work together to find common ground of our "how?" How do we provide support? How do we provide legislation that can help uplift family and also like this legislation break the shackles of marriage?Timing is important because as we've heard in this House for a woman or a man who is in a family violence situation they may not have a tomorrow. Because when you're a victim of family violence you live in fear all the time. I texted my mother and I said "Oh I'm going to be speaking about our family violence and this new legislation that's coming through." and she was like "Yes awesome. About time." Because for far too long we have seen wāhine stuck and they don't know how to get out.So thinking also about those in the system and those who are the perpetrators with us a couple of weeks ago receiving the report into State abuse and faith-based care abuse. Many who have been impacted in those systems often either become victims in relationships or they become the perpetrators. So we have broken families that are at a point where they go like this [brings two fists together] and I think that that's something that we can—we need to have that wānanga as a House in terms of how do we grow the whānau how do we rebuild the connection so that legislation such as this and others are not required into the future.I stand today on behalf of the Green Party to say we absolutely tautoko. Marama Davidson isn't here but Marama Davidson in her capacity and thinking about the advisory group that she put together as the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence would definitely be saying "Awesome! We're there." I've texted Katie Murray to say "It's happening and it's going through the House." and I'm sure tomorrow she will give me a text and say "About blinging time."On behalf of my whānau—because my whānau have been impacted by family violence for a long time—I say thank you and I say "Let's do this again." Let's look for common ground where we can work together on matters that impact our whānau and our tamariki mokopuna.So on behalf of the Green Party we support this legislation. I give thanks to the select committee who held the hui; listened deeply to those who gave submissions the sincerity of community of whānau and those who are working on the front line who said "Yes please move forward." and then now we're here at this point. It's a wonderful thing. Kia ora tātou."