SpeechHUMAN RIGHTS (DISABILITY ASSIST DOGS NON-DISCRIMINATION) AMENDMENT BILLSecond ReadingDebate resumed.GLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth): Kia ora Madam Speaker. Thank you for letting me see us into dinner time and speak on the Human Rights (Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination) Amendment Bill. I just want to commend my National Party colleague who just resumed her seat Penny Simmonds. Yes we do have a lot more work to do and we will continue to do that work to ensure that discrimination is just done away with in all parts of our society. This is a small step in that process and I'm grateful as a member of the Social Services and Community Committee to have been part of this process to ensure that our disability community are yet again more normalised. But as I said we have a long way to go.In terms of this piece of legislation I won't go over what's already been said because pretty much the essence of the simplicity but effectiveness of this piece of legislation has been talked about. It's around non-discrimination but it's obviously around ableism around disability assist dogs. It's about changing some wording but more than that giving greater access for people in terms of their everyday lives getting around and about. I just want to really briefly touch on this—and Penny Simmonds did mention that and we're happy to keep talking in terms of what we do. At the moment under section 2 of the Dog Control Act there are certified organisations that look after it—for example Assistance Dogs New Zealand Hearing Dogs for Deaf People New Zealand K9 Medical Detection New Zealand K9 SEARCH Medical Detection Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dogs Trust Perfect Partners Assistance Dogs Trust and of course the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Incorporated which is Blind Low Vision New Zealand. Again in terms of my learning in this process it seemed really simplistic to me what a disability assist dog does. But as I listened to the submissions—as I listened to submissions from some of these organisations and from individuals—it was everything from support for people with autism cerebral palsy or diabetes through to the detection of cancer and other diseases as well as performing tasks such as picking up and retrieving items alerting the owner to an upcoming medical episode finding help opening doors and interrupting behaviour—and the list goes on. It's incredible to know that our canine friends are so intelligent and that we can hopefully join them in that intelligence because dogs just love people and we need to ensure that we love people and we need to ensure that people aren't discriminated against.This piece of legislation does all of that. I want to thank Ricardo Menéndez March for making sure it was in the ballot and again thank Mojo Mathers. Sadly she wasn't able to draw it when she was in this House but at least her legacy continues in this place.Hon Member: For ever.GLEN BENNETT: For ever exactly.In closing I just want to thank all those—for example the Ministry of Justice the clerks of the committee the Office for Disability Issues our submitters and our select committee. But I also want to thank those who go out of their way to train disability assist dogs. There are many volunteers that have these dogs in their homes to prepare them for their life of work and service. I want to thank them. Finally I want to thank the disability community for yet again being patient with us coming along with us and ensuring that we can continue to build a more inclusive society. I commend this bill to the House.Sitting suspended from 6.02 p.m. to 7 p.m.