Lees-Galloway IainHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): Thank you very much Mr Assistant Speaker. It's a pleasant surprise on a Thursday afternoon to be participating in the debate on the Families Commission Act Repeal Bill. It is a pleasure to join with members around the House in the debate on a bill of which we are of one mind.This bill aims to improve the effectiveness and the efficiency of social science research and advocacy for families by repealing the Families Commission Act of 2003 and disestablishing what we once knew as the Families Commission—something which I think we all kind of understood what it did—which is currently known as the social policy evaluation and research unit or SuPERU. I think most New Zealanders would have absolutely no idea what that meant except that it might be a four-by-four.The commission is an autonomous Crown entity within the meanings of the Crown Entities Act 2004. In fact some of the commission's functions have already been transferred to a variety of other departments and ministries and so winding it up at this point seems like an appropriate thing to do. I am informed that there were very few submissions on this legislation and that the Social Services and Community Committee in fact reported it back with the unanimous view that it did not need amendment. I'm not sure that in the almost 10 years I've been in the House I've seen a bill come back from select committee with no amendments recommended. So congratulations to the officials who were involved in drafting the bill in the first place. They obviously got it right. However submitters did have some views that are worth sharing with the House.They generally expressed support for some continuation within Government of the commission's role of advocating for families and they were concerned that by winding up the Families Commission or SuPERU that that advocacy function would disappear from Government. However the select committee took the view that there are adequate ways to ensure that the needs and interests of families and whānau are addressed across a number of agencies NGOs and of course within the Government as well.They also noted that since 2004 when the commission first came into being there has been significant change in New Zealand's social sector and acknowledged the commission's work in recognising the diversity of New Zealand families. In fact even this Parliament's recognition of the diversity of New Zealand's families has changed significantly since 2004 and it is a wonderful thing that we acknowledge a much greater diversity of relationships and of families than we did even just those few 14 years ago.There was a submitter who was concerned that the independent policy advice and evaluation that the commission provides would be lost when it was disestablished and submitters had mixed views on whether the Social Investment Agency is the best place for this work to carry on. Submitters also commented on the need for collaboration between Government agencies and NGOs. I think there's a point that the member Nicola Willis who made the previous contribution made that it is important that we get the various bits of Government working together as much is possible. I think this is something that virtually every person who is elected to this House seeks to achieve—a greater connection between the various arms of Government. I think that is something for which there is cross-party support—that we need to continuously work to make sure that we are getting the very best out of our Government agencies and ensure that they work together on projects and strategies and don't get stuck in their individualised silos. There is absolutely an expectation that Government agencies do work together and the State Services Commission obviously has an important role in supporting agencies to get that joined-up thinking and that joined-up action happening.Most submitters agreed that the commission produces useful valuable and meaningful information and they stressed the importance of ensuring that that continues to be created and most importantly that it is accessible. Of course there's no need for that function to disappear. The Ministry of Social Development is responsible for managing the functions of the commission and will ensure that in the future the various arms of Government play their part in ensuring that information is not only created but available and accessible for people as well.As I said—surprising though it is—it is a great pleasure to participate in a debate like this on a Thursday afternoon where this House gets to demonstrate that more often than not we do agree. It's something that the media and the public often don't appreciate—that there are many bills like this one that pass through the House where there is general agreement around the House. It is certainly true: the time has come for the Families Commission to end but not for its work to end and I am confident that the work of the Families Commission will continue under the very excellent Government that New Zealand is currently very lucky to have.