Brown SimeonSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity to take a call on the District Court (Protection of Judgment Debtors with Disabilities) Amendment Bill third reading. May I start by congratulating the member in charge of the bill Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki.Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: Oh mālō Simeon Brown.SIMEON BROWN: Thank you. But congratulations. It is impressive that you have brought this bill all the way to its third reading and I think that deserves acknowledgment for the way that you have brought it to the House brought a very important issue to the House taken it through the select committee engaged all the parties of this Parliament and are now bringing it to a third reading and bringing it into law. And that is something that I think is very important. I think it recognises the importance of the member's bill process in bringing issues which are important to New Zealanders and which make a real difference in their lives. This piece of legislation is important because it does make a meaningful change to protect some of our most vulnerable New Zealanders and that is something which I think the member should be commended for doing.This bill will protect disabled New Zealanders by prohibiting the seizure of goods of a judgment debtor with a disability where the item proposed to be seized is required for the judgment debtor's care support or independence. This is critical to ensure that those New Zealanders who do have items which they rely on for their independence their care cannot have those items seized by a judgment by a debt collector in these instances. The previous legislation—or the current legislation which will soon be changed—gives bailiffs the opportunity to exercise their own discretion and requires them to act fairly and reasonably. And whilst that is something which I think is helpful having it specifically laid out in legislation that they must not take certain items I think makes the law much clearer. And this piece of legislation goes a long way to improving that situation.This bill also ensures that if the item is held by somebody else for the assistance of that person that person cannot have that item taken off them if that is going to stop the other person from being able to be included in society. And again that is important because we must ensure that these people are able to continue to contribute to partake in society without those items being part of what can be taken by a bailiff.This legislation also includes the definition of disability that aligns with the Human Rights Act and also inserts a definition of mobility device" that aligns with the Land Transport Act. So I do just want to say that this piece of legislation has gone through the select committee and we've heard the submissions of submitters. Whilst we have raised some concerns—my colleague Simon Bridges has raised a number of questions—the new code hopefully will be able to address some of these issues. But most importantly this sends a very clear message to our disabled community that we will be standing alongside them and making sure that the legislation protects them from being penalised in these instances and I think that is a very worthy and important goal and I commend this bill to the House."