Lole-Taylor Asenati: Child Support Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLole-Taylor Asenati: Child Support Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 09 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9164. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR (NZ First): I often wondered what Pope John XXIII was thinking when he said: “It is easier for a father to have childrenthan children to have a real father.” One can only assume that perhaps he would have heard a lot of confessions by that time.Tim Macindoe: Ha!Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR: I am glad you enjoyed that Tim Macindoe. The Child Support Amendment Bill has reached its third and final reading. New Zealand First is happy to support the bill in its final reading. It is evidence that our current and outdated scheme for child support payments needs to be revamped and it paves the way for a new system—a system that is more reflective and representative of how families live in today’s world. Family life is changing and so too are our circumstances. More and more mothers are attaining paid work and there is more emphasis on shared care.Getting jobs in recent years has been extremely difficult under the National Government mind you. It has made too many promises and never delivered on any of them I should say.Melissa Lee: Oh goodness me!Tim Macindoe: Oh come on. You know that’s not true.Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR: Well we are still waiting for the 170000 jobs Tim Macindoe and Melissa Lee. More businesses continue to close down due to National’s poor economic performance. Consistently poor performance is not just primarily a matter of weakness stupidity or ignorance but also a matter of miscasting. In other words National has failed to lead New Zealand in the last 4½ years and more important in terms of 2014 and beyond. We get to wonder what is going to happen.Child support payments symbolise each parent’s moral obligation to their child or children. I am somewhat disappointed. I was hoping that the 28 percent shared-care threshold was going to be amended to reflect the recommendation I put forward for it to be increased to 35 percent. New Zealand First is disappointed that that was not followed through. Shared care of a child or children is even more important because it enables the child or children to maintain a close relationship with both parents. This will ensure that children grow up with more stability and consistency in their homes. Nothing that we do for children is ever wasted—nothing. It also allows families to try to make things work despite their circumstances.The new formula is sensitive to a variety of circumstances but there are also issues over its complexity which may cause further confusion. It is our view that these complexities are outweighed by its ability to recognise different living arrangements and also the formula emphasises shared care. This not only makes it fair but also is justice for parents who do look after their children and make do with whatever they have. It is about bridging loopholes that have fostered more problems than solutions. This bill will hopefully remedy some of those problems—only time will tell. Given Minister Dunne’s flip-flop track record it gives no assurance to the people of New Zealand.As I mentioned in my second reading speech on this bill children who are in the care of their grandparents should also be given a fair go—should be given a fair go. Grandparents ought to be recognised as they provide care while parents are away for certain periods of time or because they have to work two jobs just to make ends meet. The grandparents’ role in situations like this provides added value to the stability and security of New Zealand children or parents whose circumstances force them to seek grandparent support. After all—after all—children are made readers on the laps of their parents and grandparents. If there are situations like this—and undoubtedly there will be—grandparents and other family members who are the primary caregivers for children ought to be seriously considered and compensated for the care they provide. Ialso mentioned that this bill will close up some of the loopholes that have been problematic since the implementation of our current child support system. Over the years family life has had to endure many social changes that have affected the way we live and work. In some ways these changes have dictated to us what we can and cannot do.It is our hope that because this bill aims to improve the treatment of families making it more fair it will lessen the burden of chasing child support payments or worrying about payments being made. Our outdated scheme and formula have not been able to keep up and it should come as no surprise that they are futile in fulfilling their purpose. We are however concerned that the Minister responsible for the bill the Minister of Revenue did not do his homework in making sure that the current Inland Revenue Department computer system would cope with these changes. Whatever happened to proper preparation preventing poor performance? We are now confronted with a situation where this bill will be delayed in its implementation in order to allow for the computer system to be brought up to basic standards. Minister Dunne’s lack of planning does not constitute just inconvenience on fathers and mothers out there who deserve better. The cost of living is rising and so too are the costs of raising children—[Interruption] I cannot hear you properly Mike Sabin. If you want to say something speak up—perhaps say it properly.Mike Sabin: I can certainly hear that member. I can hear that member loud and clear thank you.Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR: I can hear you now. Something I can say to you Mike is that you used to be about doing something; now it is about being someone is it not? It is only fair that child support payments reflect the amount of shared care each parent or caregiver has for the child or children so that they are receiving financial assistance that will ensure the child or children are well looked after. The priority in this bill should be for the welfare of the child or children involved—[Interruption] I say to Catherine Delahunty seeing that I am the one who is actually speaking at the moment that the fact that this bill stands before us today in its third and final reading should open the eyes of National MPs to the fact that it is the children who lose out at the end of the day. It is the children who will be affected regardless of the decisions this National Government makes. These are the same children whom we will be protecting from any harm or associated risks that might affect their education well-being and upbringing.Nelson Mandela said: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” Our children will one day be decision makers. It is therefore our duty to ensure that our children have the best possible start in life. It is our duty as parliamentarians to ensure that New Zealand tamariki or whānau or children are not confronted with issues or problems that come through no fault of their own—especially those people from the electorate of Mike Sabin. If implementing the Child Support Amendment Bill improves people’s circumstances and is perceived to be fairer and just then we as parliamentarians are doing right by the future generations of children. New Zealand First supports this bill. Thank you.