Sio William: Domestic Violence Amendment Bill (No 2) Care of Children Amendment Bill Adoption Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Sio William: Domestic Violence Amendment Bill (No 2) Care of Children Amendment Bill Adoption Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
[Sitting date: 11 August 2011. Volume:674;Page:20587. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
 I am happy to rise to make a contribution on behalf of the Labour Opposition and to support the legislation arising from the Child and Family Protection Bill. Labour agrees with the intent of the legislation. We agree with the intent of providing more protection for children who are victims of domestic violence and of ensuring that the Family Court can manage proceedings involving children appropriately. 
I am one of the fortunate members of the Social Services Committee which has over the past 3 years had the opportunity to listen to the various experiences that have been shared with us by members of our community working on the ground in this field. I myself and members of that committee have been involved in a process whereby we have looked at what is happening with our young people. We have had the opportunity to visit some of the homes facilities and community groups who are engaged in that activity. We cannot simply deny that we have a problem. We do have a problem but I hope this Government will not simply hold out bills such as the ones we are now passing and say “There’s the answer. These are going to be the solution to our problems.” I have to say that although these bills are a step in the right direction more needs to be done on the ground. 
Members may recall that when this Government first arrived in office and took over power in this country it shouted from the rooftops that it would put every bad kid in jail. In fact there was a debate about the validity of boot camps and whether they would achieve what we were wanting to achieve—that is not only to protect children from domestic violence but to ensure that they had every opportunity to succeed in the future in this country. 
Of late the Social Services Committee has had the opportunity to travel to Australia and look at the experience of the Australian Parliament as well as at groups and various courts systems. I came away heartened that rehabilitation programmes work when the community is being engaged with on a regular basis. I came away heartened that one of the fundamental lessons that the Australian public and the Australian Government have learnt is that prison is a last resort. We should not be so gung-ho so to speak that every time some young person does something wrong we simply throw them in jail and throw away the key. That is not the way forward. 
In terms of our experiences with community groups working on the ground throughout the length and breadth of this country we have heard some awful stories. I have to say that I have now gained an understanding about why some young men and young women are on the streets prostituting themselves. It is because of the kind of abuse sexual and physical that they have often received at the hands of people who are supposedly loved ones—members of their families. We also have to remember that that is not the case for every household in this country. I think that often we become so focused on the bad that we forget there is also good in the wider community in Aotearoa New Zealand. 
I also offer a word of caution if the Government is willing to listen. There is a problem that when we become so fixated on fixing a serious problem such as the problem of violence on our young people we often then demean every other parent who is struggling to try to discipline instruct and counsel young people who often get themselves into trouble. The fact remains that it is invariably human nature that in the teenage years sooner or later young men or young girls will get themselves into trouble. It happens; it is a fact of life. I am sure my colleagues on the other side of the House would agree. I have got myself into trouble but probably not into the kind of trouble that members opposite may have got themselves into. The point I am making is that young people push the boundaries young people challenge young people want to learn and from time to time one or two of them will get themselves into trouble. Parents who are struggling at that end need to be supported not to have the finger pointed at them and to be told: “You do this and you’ll go to jail.” “You do this and you’ll get yourself fined in court.” and “You do that and the courts will come down hard on you.” 
I am saying that this legislation is not the sole answer. We have to ensure that every young person and every young parent gets the education they need. We have some really important programmes out in Manukau where young women or young men who find themselves to be young parents are able to receive the support they need not only to cope with parenthood at such a young age but also to continue with the educational opportunities that are available to them. 
When we visited the Salvation Army last week it was very heartening and very sad on another level because the staff had an air of concern about the work they are engaged with. Their concern is that they are now having to deal more and more with a whole range of social problems that have emanated because of high unemployment and the high cost of living. They suggested that when families are faced with those kinds of struggles we will often see problems occurring in the home. 
I was saddened to hear from a colleague of mine who works for Child Youth and Family. My colleague said that every time the Warriors team loses on the field there are problems in some homes. I was aghast to hear that when the Warriors lose Child Youth and Family and the police have to try to deal with the strain in some homes. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: Ignored the impact of alcohol too. 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO 
: Exactly. We also know that in some families people under the influence of alcohol will do the wrong thing: they will bash the people they love. Although the rest of the nation is crying out to our Government to please forge forward with alcohol reform we do not know whether that bill will ever get passed by this Government this side of the election period.  
Again I come back to the fact that although Labour will support this bill and although we think yes it is a step in the right direction—and Labour will always support any initiative aimed at protecting our children from domestic violence and abuse whether sexual or physical—I do not want this Government to think that simply passing a piece of legislation will solve the problems. We need to ensure that we look upon families and children as an investment for the future. We need to ensure that young people are given every opportunity for their learning. We need to ensure that families are able to sustain themselves through this period of high cost of living through this period of low income and through this period of high unemployment. I have to say that if the Government does not take heed of what I am saying when I am reflecting to it the experiences of our communities then communities will have every right to point the finger at the Government and to say: “We’re going backwards. They have no plan. We’re not going forward.” Thank you.