Clendon David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Clendon David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 14 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8557. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
8. 
DAVID CLENDON (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: Why is she proposing changes that may deny people legal representation in the Family Court? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 The member’s question is unfortunately misconceived. Where people need legal representation in the Family Court they will get it. This is not changing. 
David Clendon 
: Given research shows 88 percent of New Zealanders in the Family Court—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I am sorry to interrupt. I cannot hear the supplementary question. Could we have a bit of decorum particularly on this side of the House. 
David Clendon 
: Given research showing that 88 percent of New Zealanders in the Family Court elected to be represented by a lawyer why is she denying them that chance when the Family Court’s own website says self-litigation in the court “requires a substantial understanding of the legal process.”? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Again unfortunately the member’s question is misconceived. Most of the cases that will come into the Family Court relating to care of children matters will be able to move through to mediation in the family dispute resolution process which was in fact suggested by the expert reference group set up to look at the Family Court system. In fact what we are looking at is up to six different sessions of mediation to help people resolve their issues. Unfortunately that— 
Andrew Little 
: The Minister’s misleading the House. 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would ask that the member be asked to withdraw and apologise for that comment. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If the Minister has taken offence then the member who made the comment should stand and withdraw and apologise. 
Andrew Little 
: I would like to know what the comment is that the Minister has taken offence at. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not need to repeat the comment but I heard it. The Minister has taken offence. The member will stand withdraw and apologise. 
Andrew Little 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: After six sessions of mediation a judge will then be able to actually triage the matter. So if it were a simple matter about where for instance Johnny is going to spend this weekend— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister began by saying for a second time that the question was misconceived. The question regards the issue of legal representation at the Family Court. At no point—even now after that long answer—has she got anywhere near traversing the issue of the absence of legal representation. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I think the Minister is certainly attempting to address the question. It is difficult because of the interjections but it certainly is absolutely appropriate for the Minister to stand and start her answer by saying that she does not accept the arguments that have been put forward. I call the Hon Judith Collins if she wishes to finish. 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Yes I would like to say to the member that if he would like to have a full briefing—and I understand that he is on the select committee and he is working really hard on it—I can provide that to him with more detail that he might not already have. 
David Clendon 
: Although I am sure that the Justice and Electoral Committee and others would appreciate information that is clearly not in the Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill what is her response to the six Christchurch Family Court judges who warn that explosive violent incidents will be more likely to occur leading to an increase in domestic violence and an increasing risk to the safety of court staff and judges? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: That was an opinion expressed by a judge but there was no evidence to support it and it seemed to be that he was speaking about lawyers apparently stopping their clients from becoming violent in court. Well I have never seen that happen yet. 
David Clendon 
: Why does the Minister dismiss the concerns of Whangarei lawyer Dr Christopher Perry and the 4740 other concerned New Zealanders who signed a petition asking for her reforms to be scrapped? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Because the petition included completely incorrect statements and actually I thought that the comments by that particular person were in fact not only misconceived but actually all about self-interest. 
David Clendon 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I am dealing with a point of order from David Clendon. Does the member want to table some documents? 
David Clendon 
: I seek leave to table a document. The document is titled “2013 Family Court Reform: The impact on NZ families’ access to justice in an age of austerity-driven reform”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The source of the document please. 
David Clendon 
: The author is Maria Kazmierow a family law barrister and mediator and the document is dated 11 March of this year. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. It can be tabled. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.