Luxton JoJO LUXTON (Labour): I'm actually really really proud to be able to stand and take a call on this the third reading of the Minors (Court Consent to Relationships) Legislation Bill. I was not part of the Justice Committee which heard from submitters around this but I have spoken to this on a few occasions now and the one thing when I look back on the times that I have spoken on this bill—and it's something that the Hon Maggie Barry said when she referred to this situation as often being the untold story. Actually at the time that made me feel quite emotional when she said that. I had to think why on earth does that really tug at my heartstrings and make me feel quite emotional when she said that and I think it's probably the fact—as has been said in the House tonight—that those who are mothers might look at their daughters or sons potentially of that age group. I think to myself how I might feel in that situation as a 16- or 17-year-old girl being pressured by parents or whomever to enter into a marriage or a potentially lifelong commitment that I might actually not want—as an individual and a person who has a mind of my own having to be told how the rest of my life is potentially going to be playing out. I also want to acknowledge Dr Jackie Blue who originally brought this to our attention and I really want to acknowledge and congratulate Joanne Hayes on shepherding this bill through the House and getting it to this third reading. I think it's something that's really really worth celebrating. Given the collegiality across the House and through the select committee and everything I think that actually in fact everyone will be celebrating this this evening. I just want to talk a little bit about the legislation but also a bit about why this is so important to not only us as members of the Government but everyone as members of this House. Forced marriage we know has no place here in New Zealand Aotearoa—no place at all—and this bill is going to protect our young people who are sometimes our most vulnerable people: 16- and 17 year-olds. They are at an extremely vulnerable age and time in their life. I think back to something that Dr Deborah Russell said when she talked to this bill the last time she spoke on it. She spoke about what influence we have as parents over our children. As a young person if your parents really put the pressure on you you want to please you don't want to be in trouble you don't want to be punished and in some situations you just do it just to keep the peace. Being put into the situation of a forced marriage—I agree with all the sentiment and all the words that have been spoken tonight in that it actually is a form of abuse. As a country our abuse is far too high and absolutely unacceptable. I think this bill goes some way to making some steps towards helping to really erase that and it's something that we really need to do in our society. This is a life-changing bill for some of our young people. It's going to give them a voice—a voice that they didn't have necessarily before—and it's really important that we give them that voice. People's parents will no longer be the ones who decide or insist on marriages and the fact that it must go through the Family Court—through a neutral body shall we say that has no vested interest in the outcomes of this potential marriage—is hugely important. I think that it's also really important that de facto relationships have been included in this legislation as well because often that's what a lot of people are entering into these days. Just again congratulations to Jo Hayes. I really commend this bill to the House.