Jones Dail: Relationships (Statutory References) Bill — First Reading 
Jones Dail: Relationships (Statutory References) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:618;Page:13956] 
DAIL JONES (NZ First) 
: 
 The Relationships (Statutory References) Bill is interesting legislation. I saw the bill for the first time only on Tuesday. That is the amount of time one gets in Parliament to look at legislation. I was asked how I would vote on it. Not having seen it obviously I could not say but now I have had a chance to look at it. It is called the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill but it amends over 100 Acts of Parliament. I do not think people getting in to this debate realise just how wide-reaching this legislation will be. A hundred Acts will be affected by the two bills that are before us today. 
In the light of my past legal experience I have looked at some of the Acts that will be amended. For example one of the most contentious Acts to do with families the Family Protection Act of 1955 will be amended by schedule 13. Schedule 13 is a very secret schedule because if one did not look at it closely one would not realise that 86 statutes are being amended in that schedule alone. 
The amendment to the Family Protection Act which is the Act that comes into effect when people die and there is an argument about their estate also changes the definition of “child of a marriage”. There are enough arguments in family protection situations today without the type of amendment here which repeals the definition of “stepchild”. That definition can be awkward enough but the new definition states: “stepchild in relation to any deceased person means any person—(a) who is not a child of the deceased but is a child of—(i) the deceased’s husband wife or civil union partner; or (ii) a de facto partner who was living in a de facto relationship with the deceased at the date of his or her death”. 
I mention the de facto issue because there are people who live in de facto relationships intentionally. They do not want to get married. That is why they entered into the de facto relationship. There are about 100 amendments in the bill that affect de facto status. This bill should not be called the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill but the “Labour Party Wanting to Change the Way of Life of New Zealanders Whether They Like It or Not Bill”. People who have entered into a de facto relationship willingly and who do not want to get married or be in a civil union will be told by this legislation: “You’re going to have it brother and sister whether you like it or not.” The old socialist machine will tell people in New Zealand what to do whether they like it or not. This bill rams civil union down the throats of de facto couples whether they like it or not. 
Every amendment brings in the de facto couple. I could not believe it! As I say I have had the bill only since Tuesday but if members read schedule 13 they will see that time and time again as in the “stepchild” definition I have just read out de facto couples in New Zealand are being told by the Labour Party that they are caught by this legislation. They are caught by it even though they intentionally went out to live in a de facto relationship and decided to have that freedom in their lifestyles by not being married or being in an unhappy homosexual or lesbian relationship as I call them. Whether we like it or not this bill will make sure that all those hundred-plus amendments will apply to them. Boy do we lawyers not make a lot of money from the Family Protection Act! Those lawyers will be saying thank you to the Labour Party and the members who support this legislation because they will make a whole lot more. 
That is one example. There are other examples that will interest lawyers who I am sure will want to have a close look at this legislation. Personal property legislation concerning protection of personal property and property rights when mum and dad get older and want to give enduring power of attorney to others is just another that is affected. 
I mentioned the Immigration Act in my speech on the Civil Union Bill. Naturally enough the Labour Party wants to encourage immigrants to New Zealand who are homosexual and lesbian. That is their way of doing it. We have a declining birth rate but they want lesbians and homosexuals to come here. Lawyers should have a close look at the bill. I doubt that it will ever come out of the Justice and Electoral Committee it is so complicated.