O'Connor Simon; Dean JacquiSIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki): Look tonight's a debate between if you will principles and pragmatism. And this side of the House—actually alongside the Government—is prepared to move on the pragmatic side. There are Kiwis raising their children under enormous hardships. And we see the need to step in and make things a little bit easier. I say a little bit easier because actually no matter what happens here tonight there's still enormous pressures which those solo parents are going to face—amongst others by the way—Terisa Ngobi: Don't add to it with judgment then.SIMON O'CONNOR: —there's so many different groups and dynamics. There's some heckles coming from the other side. Of course my wife for a number of years was a solo parent. My wife and I do foster care. We try to look after a number of people in our community actually quite quietly—I'm actually now slightly embarrassed to have even said these things in the House because we attempt to do it quietly. What we see though is a positive step amongst an area which requires lots of steps. But why I started by saying this is a tension between the philosophical and the pragmatic is on this side and maybe I'll just speak personally philosophically if you have children you look after—sorry the parents Madam Speaker should look after their own children. That is part of the social contract. The Crown the State whatever you want to call it should stay out of that by and large. This whole community and village to raise a child"—it's just such a trite phrase and I'm not even going to try and elaborate on that in this little speech tonight. It is the responsibility of the mother and the father—and I'm being very deliberate with my language there: the mother and the father—to raise the child. The State of course for pragmatic and right reasons has stepped in to assist. That's why we have the likes of these various benefits. But let's be under no illusions tonight. While this is the right and pragmatic decision we are asking all New Zealand taxpayers to fund what the Government's proposing hundreds of millions of dollars. And again the principle is being offended here the principle that parents look after their children and that the State is not required is being slightly undermined. But I really want to stress from my side the pragmatic element kicks in here which is why I'm actually quite proud and happy to support the bill. We do need to support these families. But there is just that wider dynamic that social contract for want of a better quick phrase where actually the State the Crown or the taxpayer does expect individuals and their families to step up and pay the cost of their choices by the way—their choices their actions. Angela Roberts: Children don't have choices.SIMON O'CONNOR: And so today—and I'm hearing the usual stuff: "Oh the children." Yeah you're right; the children don't make these decisions. I used to work in the Ministry of Social Development. I can tell you the number of times people came in basically using their children as blackmail. I've always found that actually quite disgraceful. You're right. The children do struggle and suffer but the parents have made choices. And fundamentally what's happening here is the choices of parents are being transferred to a whole lot of good hard-working taxpaying Kiwis. Fundamentally and as I say philosophically there's a bit of a problem here—that whole personal responsibility side. But as I say right from the start pragmatically as someone who has a little bit of insight—and I want to stress that; there are others here who have actually had a much wider and greater insight into these things and I'll happily defer—actually this is the right decision to support. But let's be under no illusion: this is going to cost a lot of money on top of a lot of spending by this Government and it's only one step. It's only one step. We are in a cost of living crisis. Expenses are going through the roof. This will not solve the problem. But I am in this instance happy to commend the bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Debbie Ngarewa-Packer—five minutes."