SpeechHon ALFRED NGARO (National): Thank you Mr Speaker. I rise to take a call in this third reading of the KiwiSaver (Oranga Tamariki Guardians) Amendment Bill. It's a disappointment that we only had roughly a short period of a speech for this bill when this Government has constantly talked about the importance of tamariki of children and yet in this House where this bill—small in its intent but important in the ideal of wanting to have equity of opportunity. As the Minister spoke and he talked about the equity of opportunity; that's exactly the point of this bill. I would have thought that there would have been at least a little bit more opportunity to talk about the bill what it involved what it entailed and to do due respect to those people who submitted on this bill.This bill is the KiwiSaver (Oranga Tamariki Guardians) Amendment Bill. The intent of this bill was to open up the equity of opportunity for children who often go into a foster care or a kin-caring situation where they are traumatised where many times they're put back from what other normal kids would have in their situation. They're in a new environment; new carers. They're already having to struggle with the fact of a relationship that's been broken with their parents and with their previous guardians. They're really traumatised around the things that they may have seen—whether it be violence and other instances. The whole intent of this bill is to try and normalise as much as possible that situation.I want to commend my colleague Hamish Walker for bringing this bill because it came as a bill from a constituent that had a need. We are in this House because there are times in which we have constituents' organisations who come to us with an issue that needs to be remedied. In other words there's a wrong that needs to be put right and in this case we know the wrong that needed to be put right was the equity of opportunity for foster children—6500 of them—to at least be able to be enrolled in KiwiSaver. The reality is that there are probably a lot of other kids in our communities around our country that aren't enrolled but for this case this specific case this is to allow them that opportunity. While we've gone through the select committee process I want to acknowledge those 90 submissions that were put through. They were put through with the intent of wanting to provide that chance under this current bill—and we will obviously support this bill. Why—because it at least allows the opportunity for another 500 children in foster care who would not have had that opportunity. But here is where there is a missed opportunity. This bill with the Supplementary Order Papers that were put forward in the name of my colleague Hamish Walker were to extend the ability for foster carers and kin carers to enrol. The reports the advice that we got was that we shouldn't do that and that it could set an unhealthy precedent. What I'd like to know is what unhealthy precedent there is from enrolling a child into a KiwiSaver account where that guardian would not have access to pilfer or fraudulently take that money out. It would be locked into an opportunity for that future of that child. So I'd like to know what it is that the Government saw that was unhealthy—that was the word that was used. It was an unhealthy" precedent.Darroch Ball: You asked the officials.Hon ALFRED NGARO: That's right. We asked the officials. We did not get the response that we wanted—that's right Mr Darroch Ball. We did not get the response that we wanted. But you know what? We pressed though. Why—because at least another 500 more children that would not have had the opportunity will do after this bill is passed. It is an interesting point because under Oranga Tamariki as we know it—and I'm happy to be proven wrong; there could be a speech from the Minister over there the Hon Tracey Martin—to date there has been no enrolment by Oranga Tamariki for foster care children. There's been no enrolment. So for all the talk and the fact that the provision is there there has been no enrolment for a foster care child in the custody of Oranga Tamariki. If that's the case then why wasn't there an opportunity to allow this bill with the amendments that were made? It simply would have allowed them the opportunity to enrol. I want to acknowledge the examples that were given where young children had the opportunity to begin to save for their future—children as young as 13. It means that a young child can actually start to dream and can have an opportunity to think about what their future could look like. That's what it was providing. So though the bill is narrow in its focus it's purely about KiwiSaver. It's the principle that we're arguing for here today in this House. We'll take it. Why—because it means another 500 children will have that opportunity. But it's a missed opportunity. This Government has talked about kindness and caring. This Government has often talked about and has challenged even at the moment those words Oranga Tamariki. Up and down the motu up and down the country people have been talking about whether that name is appropriate. Well I think it's appropriate because it talks about the wellbeing of children. The name "Vulnerable Children" was taken away. Why—because it looked like it was putting a negative slant on that. So we've put this intent in: Oranga Tamariki; the wellbeing of all children.The Minister has stood up in this House and said that by removing the word "vulnerable" in the end the intent—and I would agree with her—is to broaden the scope of the oranga the wellbeing the welfare the future intent. In this bill the KiwiSaver bill the intent is that all children would have the same opportunities to realise their potential. So I believe it was a missed opportunity. I believe that we could have gone a bit further but we will support this bill. Why—because it will mean that another 500 children will have that opportunity to be able to be enrolled in KiwiSaver. And we hope that the intent is that in the end as those children grow to become adults they will realise the potential of that for their future not just in homeownership but in other areas as well. I think that's critically important as well.I want to acknowledge other organisations and Mr Hamish Walker talked about Simplicity who actually came along and made an offer. Isn't it the spirit of generosity that we see in New Zealand when an organisation actually offered a fees-free for up to five years for any of the children in foster care to be enrolled into KiwiSaver? I want to acknowledge the spirit of generosity in which they gave in order to ensure that this could be something. They saw the injustice. They saw it as an opportunity so for them it's probably the best fees-free offer that's going on. We know that the last fees-free actually was a failure. It didn't work. Nothing came of it. This on the other hand is something that I believe can make a difference. I want to acknowledge those from Simplicity who made that offer and I hope that offer continues. I hope it's an opportunity that others may take up as well.I want to finish there and I just want to again acknowledge Hamish Walker. Again it is a fine example of a member of Parliament who has heard from his constituents has brought a measure right through the House and has been fortunate—as we all are; we're at the mercy of the biscuit tin—and got his bill drawn and then was out there actively seeking out all the key stakeholders. He made sure that there were submissions. He made sure that the issues were heard by the advisers as well as this Parliament here today. And it may not be what he intended—what we all would have intended—but at least it's a win for another 500 children out of those 6500 in foster care who will at least have an opportunity to better their future. I commend this bill to the House."