Pettis Jill: Children Young Persons and Their Families  Amendment Bill (No 6) — First Reading 
Pettis Jill: Children Young Persons and Their Families  Amendment Bill (No 6) — First Reading 
[Volume:645;Page:14637] 
JILL PETTIS (Labour) 
: 
 That was a classic case of “that was then and this is now”. I have every newspaper clipping in which Mr Borrows the member speaking previously has ever been quoted. I keep the lot of them. I have newspapers that go right back to 1935 and sometimes that member looks as if he were born in 1935. I remember when that member was acting as a 5-minute lawyer. There he was defending somebody who was found guilty of breaking the law. Now here he is in this environment defending that very slippery behaviour of Mr Key—the very shonky behaviour of Mr Key. There he is up there like a faithful little minion defending him when we are actually here to discuss the Children Young Persons and Their Families Amendment Bill (No 6) which is a far-sighted bill about reducing the incidence of young peoples’ reoffending. 
Anybody who has spent 5 minutes with any young person who may have gone a little bit astray knows that applying punitive punishment measures does not work in the long term. That member Mr Borrows sat with me on the select committee considering Ron Mark’s bill for 2½ years and I have to say in his defence that he said some very sensible things. He said some very sensible things when we were listening to submissions on that bill. He voted against Mr Mark’s bill and so did we in Labour. But Mr Mark has worked with this Government to help bring this present bill about. However because it is election year now and because Mr Key is saying different things to different audiences that junior member of the National Party over there is following on like a little minion saying “Yes Mr Key; no Mr Key; whatever you say Mr Key.” It is very slippery behaviour indeed and very inconsistent. 
It will catch the member out. I have a memory like an elephant and I will remember this speech during the election campaign; I will be sitting in an audience next time and I will be interjecting during the campaign trail. I will be saying “But what about your speech on the Children Young Persons and Their Families Amendment Bill (No 6) Mr Borrows? That is not what you said then when you were speaking to the good people like Presbyterian Support and all of those other agencies that support youth.” When Mr Borrows is being soft and saying “Oh yes I’ve got a very good social conscience.” I will remind him of the speech that he gave today. I will take photocopies of the  
Hansard 
 record and I will remind people of what National members are saying to this audience compared with what they will say to audiences in a few months’ time. I can assure this House today that the message people are hearing today will not be the message they will be hearing from National out on the campaign trail. 
Hon Member 
: Same old story. 
JILL PETTIS 
: That is right. We cannot put money on what they are going to say because it changes. At least when we put a bet on a goori at the trots or the races we put an estimated intelligent dollar down based on what we think that animal might do. 
Chris Tremain 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I refer to Standing Order 107 in respect of relevance. The speaker is not even anywhere near the Children Young Persons and Their Families Amendment Bill (No 6). I ask that she shows some relevance. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member has not been speaking for long. 
JILL PETTIS 
: I am galloping towards it right now I say to Mr Tremain. I have to say that the inconsistencies that National members are showing at the moment about a whole range of matters are actually not in this country’s interests and their inconsistency on this bill is not in the long-term interests of young people in New Zealand. 
I admit that I have had a bit of fun with the speech I have been giving so far— 
Jacqui Dean 
: We haven’t. 
JILL PETTIS 
: I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. I am sorry the member does not have a sense of humour but some of us have. 
This is actually a very serious matter. This is about young people and the best options for their long-term future. I ask members in this House to put up their hands if they have never made a mistake. Yes every person who gets to our age has made a mistake. Young people make mistakes too. They should not have to pay for the rest of their lives when they do something silly foolish unpremeditated and basically just downright stupid. Is it not a far better investment in them and an investment in our society to work with them to make sure they do not repeat those mistakes? That is what this bill is all about. It is about working with young people who may have offended and with their families so that those young people get on to the right track and become worthwhile and productive citizens. Labour has a plan for the future youth of New Zealand. That is why we support this bill; this is about young people not politics. 
A party vote was called for on the question that the Children Young Persons and Their Families Amendment Bill (No 6) be now read a first time. 
Ayes 57 
New Zealand Labour 49; Green Party 6; Progressive 1; Independent: Field. 
Noes 58 
New Zealand National 48; New Zealand First 7; Maori Party 2; Independent: Copeland. 
Motion not agreed to.