Mitchell ClaytonCLAYTON MITCHELL (NZ First): Thank you Mr Speaker. I just want to acknowledge Louise Upston for sharing some private details with this House and those people back home. It is a subject that is a very emotional one for many people and those that have suffered the loss of a child through a miscarriage know that feeling too well. I also want to acknowledge Ginny Andersen and Clare Curran for stewarding this bill through the House and also acknowledge Kathryn van Beek who started with small beginnings had a situation herself and wanted to find a solution. That for me just resonates how important this parliamentary system that we operate under is and how this open democracy that we have enables the voice for people that sometimes don't know how to follow a pathway. When you can actually see that first-hand today it gives me a great sense of pride because not all countries have what we've got here and I think we should all be very pleased that we belong to this system. New Zealand First will very very proudly be supporting this piece of legislation. I guess it's worth noting that with regard to the two stories that Clare Curran shared with the House in relation to a good employer versus a bad employer it's not actually a 50:50 situation. I don't know what the numbers are but I know a lot of employers who wouldn't hesitate for a second to absolutely support their employees in moments of need and who understand the importance of time and giving that certainty and who would be compassionate to the people that help their businesses grow develop sustain and maintain. So I guess it's an opportunity to shame what I believe is a very very very small number of employers that don't have that compassionate side in their thinking and understanding of what people go through. Whether they haven't experienced it themselves or whether they're on a spectrum potentially that doesn't understand the necessity of giving time and space for people I think it's a time for them to have some reflection. This bill I see going all the way through and not only through select committee and we're certainly very keen and interested to hear what submitters will say about how the mechanics will work because I think protecting people's privacy is absolutely key. Telling people intimate parts of their lives—as Louise Upston has already mentioned she was in a situation in employment but she hadn't told her employer that she was pregnant—and then to go and share that intimate information around having a miscarriage could be very very daunting and could actually slow down that process and add more unnecessary stress at a time like that. So I think the select committee process where people have the opportunity to come and air their concerns and talk about some of those solutions is going to be very closely monitored and looked at and I believe that if there are any changes being looked at to be made that is the time and the place. The only point that New Zealand First would like to raise—and again in select committee this would be an opportunity to look at that and in the committee of the whole House potentially put forward a Supplementary Order Paper unless we can resolve it beforehand—is in the amendment to section 69. It's only a very small bill. It's new section 69(2)(d). It says here on the unplanned end of an employee's spouse or partner's confirmed pregnancy by way of a miscarriage or still-birth." and it doesn't specifically mention fathers. It does talk about partners but sometimes you have situations where a relationship breaks up post-pregnancy and this miscarriage takes place and that would potentially preclude a father from actually having that same time to convalesce and grieve in private. So that needs to be considered because I don't believe the intent was ever to miss out fathers in this situation and it would be certainly worthwhile us considering. The removal of any subjectivity from an employer is I think important. As I've already said this is a very small part of the employers out there. I for one have been an employer on a large scale for many many years and I wouldn't have batted an eyelid for a second to ensure that the staff the team the family—the extended family that you have working in your environment—aren't properly and adequately looked after. So New Zealand First very proudly supports this bill through and looks forward to it being fully completed and the measure introduced. Thank you."