Ngaro Alfred: Vulnerable Children Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNgaro Alfred: Vulnerable Children Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 17 September 2013. Volume:693;Page:13400. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ALFRED NGARO (National): The member who has just taken his seat Andrew Little has raised some issues of concern and we would agree that when we look at the Vulnerable Children Bill we need to be mindful of that. But I rise to take a call and I want to actually state that this is more than just legislation. The reason I say that is that in 2011 when the Minister for Social Development undertook to consult with the New Zealand public this is what she said in her ministerial foreword: “Welcome to the single most important debate this country can have. It’s about New Zealand’s most vulnerable children; about how we care for and protect them the trade-offs and sacrifices we’re prepared to make and the opportunities we want them to have. It’s about how we ensure every child thrives belongs and achieves.” I want to state that because we can look at this as just one part of the legislation in which we are participating and wanting to pass through into the select committee work that we will have but I think we could miss the point. Those New Zealanders who are out there need to hear that this is a vision statement that has been set by this Government in particular by the Minister. Hence the reason it has the support of the majority of the parties that are here—because all of us would agree that this is an important issue.I think it is important that that vision statement in the consultation document that went out set out four key planks that I think are really important. What is important is that the process is equal to the end result. The integrity of a process is equal to its process in ensuring that what has been heard by the public is followed through with the recommendations. So here are the four key planks of the consultation document from July 2011 to 2012. It stated that in addressing the issues of vulnerable children it is about shared responsibilities. In other words it is not just about Government; it is about parents and caregivers. It is about the services that are in our communities and ensuring that they deliver the best possible services. It is about showing leadership. As a Government we show leadership by having a Children’s Action Plan. So from the consultation document which is a green paper to the white paper here is the leadership that this Government is making. It is about legislation changes. So we are here today in the first reading of the Vulnerable Children Bill to discuss the legislation changes but I do not want people to miss the overall vision under which we are trying to address the issues that are affecting our children who are vulnerable. It is also about working withwhānau withhapū with iwi and with our Māori leaders as well.There are two other things that are important. The plan talks about child-centred policy—in other words it is about reviewing the Government’s spend and allocation. And lastly it is talking about child-centred practice—in other words what are the best practices that are delivered to improve the conditions of children. Here is where it becomes really important. What the Government is saying and what the Minister is saying in particular is this: we cannot expect changes in our communities in the services we deliver to them and also to our families and our vulnerable children unless we as a Government department are willing to change ourselves. In other words the changes also need to come from the inside out. It is a whole-of-system approach.I finally want to respond to and just acknowledge Jacinda Ardern and Mr Prasad when they talked about needing to take a broader perspective. I look forward to our Social Services Committee where we can talk about a number of the measures in which we as a Government are addressing that. I want to just finish off by saying this. It is one thing to talk about the outputs. We can talk about the investment and the spend that we are making. We can talk about some of the shifts and changes we are making. We can tick them off as outputs. But what will really be telling—what truly will make the difference—are the transformational outcomes and I think we are going to see those.What we are going to see and we look forward to the debate is where we sit down we see the investment that we have made we see the whole-of-system change that is taking place but most important we ask whether we can track it according to the narrative of change—transformational change—that is happening in the whole system all the way down to our vulnerable children as well. That is what I look forward to. I know that New Zealanders are looking forward to the debate. We look forward to the submissions and also to the opportunity in the select committee. I really look forward to more than just this legislation; I look forward to the ongoing vision that this Minister has for our vulnerable children and our families in Aotearoa. Thank you.