Sepuloni CarmelHARETE HIPANGO (National): Thank you Mr Chair. Before I address the Minister I want to congratulate you on the ascension the elevation to the Speaker's Chair but in the capacity this evening at the moment the committee of the whole House as the Chair.Minister tēnā koe and thank you for the opening address to the committee this evening. And also I thank you Minister although somewhat belatedly for the receipt of the numerous proposed amendments under your Supplementary Order Paper 209 received on Thursday evening. Minister this is an opportunity for us to canvass and seek clarity but the first question that I do put to you Minister is to query why—why—it has taken so long. At the eleventh hour seemingly although your letter was welcome and received with due regard. The fact that there were up to an additional 49 to 50—and that was just by way of the letter and Supplementary Order Paper 209 and there are additional ones to come.Further in addition to the Supplementary Order Papers proposed amendments from my colleagues from the Green Party from ACT and also from the National Party why Minister did your members of Parliament for the Labour Party at the Social Services and Community Committee not heed and listen to the views that were expressed importantly by the public who submitted on these very issues now being addressed before the committee. A number of these amendments that are being proposed have been picked up and advanced by my colleagues in the Chamber this evening from the Office of the Children's Commissioner. I note also Minister that you too have picked up on some of those by way of Supplementary Order Paper proposed amendments. Why Minister has it been left so belatedly?I acknowledge that you have addressed in the letter that was sent to myself—and I'm anticipating to my colleagues Jan Logie in the Green Party and Karen Chhour from ACT—indicating that there has been a continued engagement with stakeholders since select committee submissions were heard. But could you Minister in your capacity as leader and Minister for this portfolio explain why your members sitting on the select committee dismissed and dispensed with the advice that was given some of which has now been picked up by way of Supplementary Order Papers?Then Minister we will come to the detail. I'm anticipating that you will address the committee in terms of the respective clauses that you're seeking support on by way of each amendment being spoken to addressed and hopefully passed in the committee this evening.But Minister in closing before moving into the specifics of those clauses and the amendments why has it been left to the eleventh hour? We know full well that this bill is going to advance because Minister with your members you have the numbers. It's hoped and indeed it's implored that you heed the proposed amendments that we make in Opposition because those amendments that we make noting that you've picked up on some of those as well by saying that you've listened to and engaged with the stakeholders—why that was not done sooner rather than later to save a lot of the anguish and dismay that's been expressed by the public and the public maintaining the view which is supported in the Opposition that this bill is going to advance and proceed through because the numbers are there. But also why?Too stand before this committee and explain to the public—when the royal commission of inquiry into those children experienced in care and subjected to State abuse—why the Government is still proceeding with this when you say that the Minister has engaged with the public heeding and listening to the views of the stakeholders. One of those key significant views is that the royal commission of inquiry will have substantive recommendations and this Government is still proceeding to advance with this bill dispensing with those recommendations and it's unknown what they will be—so for the Government to consider that the Government is clairvoyant to be able to predict and anticipate what those are. The big question Minister is: why?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): I will just start by saying that as Minister I don't have responsibility for the Social Services and Community Committee. However despite the fact that that's out of scope with respect to the bill I do acknowledge that there were a number of submissions made that resulted in changes to the bill changes to the bill that have impacted what we see in front of us. I've continued to engage with stakeholders and through that engagement I have had it stressed to me that they would like to see further reassurance in the bill. So that has resulted in strengthening of language. It's not any substantive change from what was being proposed. It was to further enhance and emphasise the protections the focus on children with respect to the Government Supplementary Order Papers.I'm making the following amendments particularly talking about this part: updating the overview clause 3 to articulate what is included in the bill—for example including the new independence clause for the monitor; amending the definition of the Oranga Tamariki system to better ensure important clauses in the bill capture youth justice; clarifying references to the Ombudsman; adding new provisions to the principles clause 5 to explicitly require that the best interests and perspectives of children and young people are considered by any person operating under this Act; updating the common duties clause 7 which sets out common duties of the monitor and Ombudsman to also refer to the Children and Young Persons Commission to remove duplication of the same provision in the Children and Young People's Commission Bill Part 5—having all the common duties in one place makes the legislation simpler to navigate; also amending the definition of approved provider" to ensure that all care and custody providers are included and that's in clause 8; removing the definition of "tikanga Māori" as this is already defined in the Oranga Tamariki Act which is in clause 8; and inserting a new definition for "non-personal information" to improve clarity for the disclosure of information.So because of that ongoing stakeholder engagement we continued to look at ways that we could further provide assurance that the protections would be in place for the children and the rangatahi so that the clarity that was being asked for was actually provided for in the bill. It's not unusual to have a Government Supplementary Order Paper. We did share it as soon as it was available with other political parties and so now we consider those things in the committee of the whole House."