Little AndrewHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): Thank you Madam Chair. It's a pleasure to take a call on this the Minors (Court Consent to Relationships) Legislation Bill. I congratulate the member Jo Hayes for shepherding the bill through this far. I know there were a few hiccups this morning when we thought maybe the House might have to wait another couple of weeks. I can reassure her that every effort was made to assuage the anxiety of certain genuinely concerned officials but it didn't take much more than that.I want to say too given the bill we passed in its third reading earlier today the Domestic Violence—Victims' Protection Bill how important this bill is as another kind of plank in that platform that is there to prevent abuse in a situation where you've got vulnerable young people and particularly where there is an element of compulsion by elders and others to force them into an arrangement that they may not be willing—genuinely willing—to participate in. I think this House has been aware that this does happen that this practice does happen and I think it is a bold initiative that the member Jo Hayes has taken on this legislation and got it through this House and what a good reflection on this House that it has so far had unanimous support across the House. This ought to give us hope for the future that on these sorts of issues there is a new understanding a new maturity across the House about the need to protect the vulnerable in these sorts of arrangements. So that is good.Look I don't think when we go through the specific provisions of this bill the requirement for an intended party to a marriage to go before the court—that will be a big step for some young people given the family pressure on them the community pressure that will be on them. That will take a big step and if this legislation does anything else apart from affording that protection—the opportunity for protection—let us hope that it is also a spur to the rest of the community to reach out and be part of that protection to vulnerable young people.There will be others who will willingly wish to enter into relationships in the nature of marriage who will not want not wish and not need to avail themselves of this legislation. Perhaps if I had one question for the member who is sponsoring this bill it would be: what does she understand the extent of the application of this bill will be? What sort of numbers are we talking about? And conversely given the age bracket that we're talking about here does she have a sense of the numbers who will not need to or will not wish to avail themselves of this bill?I raise that because that actually was the issue that was of concern to some officials in some departments. It wasn't one department; it was a number of departments of Government this morning who suddenly kind of woke up to the idea that this might have implications whether it was for the Ministry of Social Development whether it was for IRD whether it was for other departments. I think we were able to satisfy ourselves that actually this was a small group this was about protection and to the extent there is an additional cost—and if there is it will be minuscule. But actually if there is then that is the price of affording protection to vulnerable people.The House should not shy away from taking the step that this legislation encompasses because it is the right thing to do even if there is some small additional cost. I put it to officials that actually there may not be any cost at all. Perhaps what they were concerned about is that there might have been the possibility of some savings that may not be realised but that is not a reason to stand in the way of a piece of legislation that is about affording protection—and that's what this bill does.So I think it is important that at this stage the committee note—and I cannot see anything in the legislation as it has come back from the Justice Committee that looks like it needs changing tidying up or amending. I congratulate the members of the select committee who considered the bill for bringing it back in a good and tidy form—very clearly directed very clearly focused. That is what we need in legislation and for this sort of legislation that is about safety and cultural safety and personal safety in a difficult situation. This is a good piece of legislation and I would certainly hope that the House will continue to support it unanimously.