Walker HamishHAMISH WALKER (National—Clutha-Southland): I want to start by thanking members of this House for this debate. I've appreciated the genuine desire to help the most vulnerable young people in our communities. When I embarked on this process at the urging of foster parents who want the best for their children I hoped that every member of this House would be supportive of such a logical move. This afternoon Parliament has shown the best of its credentials as a Parliament of and a Parliament for the people by supporting this initiative. For that reason I'd like to thank all members of this House for putting aside politics in the interests of New Zealand's most vulnerable children: those who have to live separate from or without their parents and who depend on the love and the support of whānau and in some cases total strangers to be parental substitutes.I also want to thank a few people for bringing this to my attention: first foster parent Megan Barclay who met with me to explain the struggles she had experienced trying to open a KiwiSaver account and provide some financial security for her child. This afternoon I hope you're listening Megan as it's great to see that every member of this House has listened to your advocacy and is supporting this bill.Secondly I want us to thank Sam Stubbs and his team at not-for-profit provider Simplicity KiwiSaver who have spent almost a year trying to crack the bureaucratic barriers to allowing any foster child to have a KiwiSaver account opened for them. I also saw in the news that he donated $72000 yesterday to Youthline. This issue is solely about KiwiSaver and anyone who thinks it is about opening a bank account simply does not understand.During the many discussions I have had with those in the industry I've had some suggest that our money-laundering legislation is the problem. This is a red herring. Those who think that there is no need for this legislation have not spent the years that Megan Barclay has spent trying to open a KiwiSaver account for her foster child. This bill simply gives New Zealand foster children the same rights to set up a KiwiSaver account as any other New Zealand child.I personally know of at least five families who have tried through their social worker to get a KiwiSaver account for their foster child and who have been frustrated by the barriers and the processes involved. Of course not all foster children will be in a position where their foster parents want to or are able to apply for a KiwiSaver account but if this legislation gives just one child a more secure future it is worth it. If this legislation gives five children a more secure future it is worth it.No child should be prevented from having the opportunity to have a KiwiSaver account to help them build towards a more secure future. That's all I'm trying to do here today. Every one of my parliamentary colleagues on this side of the House supports this initiative. I want to again thank all my parliamentary colleagues for their support of this bill to give every foster child in New Zealand the same rights to open a KiwiSaver account as any other New Zealand child. Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker.Bill read a first time. Bill referred to the Social Services and Community Committee.