Brown SimeonSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. Thank you for the opportunity to take a call on the Oranga Tamariki Legislation Bill which is at its third reading here in the House. I would like to rise with my National Party colleagues in support of this piece of legislation which continues the great work that the Hon Anne Tolley was doing as the Minister in the previous National Government. I would also like to acknowledge the Hon Tracey Martin for the work that she is continuing to do in this area of Oranga Tamariki and the reforms that are being progressed here—in particular in the Youth Courts.This is an issue which is very challenging—it's about how we turn the lives of our young people around—and I would like to commend the provisions in this legislation which do ensure that our young people have a consistent approach when there is youth offending and ensure that if a young person does offend there is a consistent approach as to how the courts and the Youth Court will approach that offending.I'd like to in particular point out the provisions in this legislation which will ensure that if a young person does commit an offence which is of a substantive nature in Schedule 1A they will face the adult court system which could be through the High Court or the District Court. But if the offending is of a less serious nature then the provisions in the Youth Court will prevail and they will go through a consistent process. I think that's an important distinction to be made because I think it's important that when there is serious offending committed by young people—17-year-olds—they are going through the appropriate court which can deal with those serious offences. I'd like to acknowledge that as a key part to this piece of legislation.I'd also like to just point out some of the provisions here which deal with suspending family group conferences. When police have sufficient evidence to charge an intention to charge a family group conference is required. The Act specifies that family group conferences are required when a young person is arrested and brought before the Youth Court and the young person does not deny the charge. The requirements of family group conferences will not apply in respect of Schedule 1A charges.There are provisions here which deal with joint charges with another person and it has provisions which ensure the process where children and young people are dealt with in the Youth Court wherever possible. I think that an important point which is made throughout this is to ensure that wherever possible the Youth Court is the court where young people are tried and where they are charged and where they face all parts of the process through the Youth Court process wherever possible. That is about ensuring that we do everything we can to turn the lives of these young offenders around.We know that if some of these young people were to go through the adult court they would be treated differently and the likelihood of being able to actually turn those lives around would be substantially reduced. The Youth Court is the appropriate place in many of these instances so that the lives of these young people can be turned around so that an appropriate course of action can be applied to those young people's lives so that they are given a future and an ability to turn their lives around and make a difference and so that they aren't facing further court appearances in the future.The last thing we here in Parliament want is for young people to continue a life of crime. We want young people to be turning their lives around. We want young people to be leading ambitious lives where they are positively contributing to New Zealand society. This piece of legislation is part of that process. I commend it to the House.