Stewart Barbara: New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeStewart Barbara: New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third Reading[Sitting date: 16 May 2013. Volume:690;Page:10126. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]BARBARA STEWART (NZ First): I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to speak to the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2). Unfortunately on this occasion we are going to oppose this bill. This bill is a real contradiction in terms. There were some positive aspects. When we looked at the $92 million we thought that at last some money was going to be made available for these families. But when we read further the negative connotations overwhelm the positive aspects. When we have a look at the amount $92 million for 4 years it is only a drop in the bucket. It is $92 million over 4 years to pay carers to look after their own disabled family members and it cannot be a family member or a spouse if they are going to get paid.We all know that this is a response to the family carers case that was ruled upon by the Human Rights Review Tribunal the High Court and then the Court of Appeal. Today’sDominion Postsaid that this was a half-baked scheme particularly when you cannot employ a family member or a spouse to look after the disabled person. When we look at it the facts are that there are approximately 1600 disabled people with high and very high needs who will be funded by this proposal.So we have $92 million over 4 years which works out to $23 million a year. If we divide that $23 million a year by the number of people requiring a carer the amount that they will be paid works out to be a real pittance—$14000 per person per year. It is really a pitiful amount of money to provide for these people who are protecting our country’s most vulnerable people. I know of many families who will not allow another family member to provide for or care for their family member. They are happy to do it themselves but they would not be happy for someone else to care so intimately for these people. Of course this is not even recognised in this legislation. Family carers provide a great service to New Zealand. Their love their compassion their tireless caring their sweat and their tears nurture these people our fellow New Zealanders. They are very compassionate they are caring and they are working in an extremely demanding role one that most of us could not do day after day after day.If the National members do not value and appreciate that work basically they should say so. We know that disabled New Zealanders do not receive enough support in our country. There is not nearly enough financial emotional and professional encouragement for disabled people to integrate into a normal more independent life. There have been reports of disabled people not receiving sufficient support even in the area of speech therapy which would really help their integration into society and help their self-esteem as well. What many people fail to realise is that carers need time out too. It is really tiring caring for a disabled person yet if a parental carer needs time out in many cases they need to apply for a domestic purposes allowance. We are making these people—our people—jump over all sorts of hurdles just to make ends meet while expecting them to support our most vulnerable.Carers are a great group of people. I know of one family where the father works at home during the day so the mother can sleep because she works at night to bring in theextra money to try to make ends meet. These people are really struggling to try to keep their loved ones at home. On behalf of New Zealand First I have to acknowledge Mr Atkinson and the others who have fought long and hard to receive any funding and recognise their efforts their endeavours and the sacrifices they have made for their families. We know that this measure proposed by the Government is totally inadequate. It is definitely not enough. We cannot understand either—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): Order! Members there is too much background noise. It is discourteous to the member speaking.BARBARA STEWART: —why this bill is going through under urgency. There will be no public submissions and no other opportunities for the public to have any input into this particular bill. It is disappointing. Again we see the focus of this Government on cost and not on care. We know it is a complex issue. It should never be pushed through by the House under urgency. That is how New Zealand First is viewing this bill. We will oppose this bill. Thank you.