11. Children Young Persons and Their Families (Advocacy Workforce and Age Settings) Amendment Bill—Māori ChildrenJAN LOGIE (Green) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentChildren Young Persons and Their Families (Advocacy Workforce and Age Settings) Amendment Bill—Māori Children11. JAN LOGIE (Green) to the Minister for Social Development: Is she still intending to introduce the second amendment to the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 this year now that the Māori Women's Welfare League has filed a claim in the Waitangi Tribunal challenging the proposed changes?Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister for Social Development): Yes I am committed to ensuring that children and young people and their safety and well-being is at the heart of the new Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki. The second stage of the changes tabled today will do this by allowing young people to remain in care or return to care up to the age of 21 with transition support and advice available up until 25; establishing an information-sharing framework to keep vulnerable children safe from harm; and as I announced yesterday with Minister Adams including low-risk 17-year-olds in the youth justice system. The proposals would also amend the purposes and principles of the Act to give explicit recognition to key Māori concepts of mana tamariki whakapapa and whanaungatanga when working with tamariki Māori. Jan Logie: Does the bill include any of the changes to the whānau hapū and iwi provisions that prompted the Waitangi Tribunal claim?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Well my first answer would be that the member should read the bill; it is on the table. But as I have said from the very beginning and will continue to say the Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki will put the safety and well-being of children and young people first above everything else. The very best outcome for all tamariki is to be with their family their wider whānau or hapū in a safe stable environment.Jan Logie: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think it is probably pretty obvious—I asked whether it included any of the changes to those provisions that were outlined in the Cabinet papers and prompted the claim.Mr SPEAKER: No but it then went on to add whether those potential changes might have prompted a claim to Waitangi Tribunal. I am not sure how you could expect the Minister to know what prompted the claim to the Waitangi Tribunal. It has been addressed. Jan Logie: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Mr SPEAKER: I have made a ruling but I will listen to the member.Jan Logie: Thank you. I am seeking—because it was clear in their claim that they were prompted by the Cabinet papers that spoke explicitly about changing those provisions. So that is not up for debate so I really was asking for an answer about those—Mr SPEAKER: What I will do to move the matter forward—being generous on a Thursday—is I will give the member the opportunity to ask an additional supplementary question. She may be advised to rephrase the one that she just tried.Jan Logie: Does the bill include any of the changes to the whānau hapū and iwi provisions as outlined in the Cabinet papers that prompted the Waitangi Tribunal claim?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Not knowing what prompted the claim in the eyes of the Māori Women's Welfare League what I would suggest to the member is that those were three papers of about eight that were taken to Cabinet to propose the wide raft of changes to the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act. I refer the member to bill No. 2 section 13 parts 2A to 2L which goes through consistently all the issues that need to be taken into account when any intervention with whānau is considered. But I repeat the bill makes it very clear—and I am very clear in my mind as the Minister promoting the bill—that the very best place for tamariki is with their whānau in a safe stable and loving environment.Jan Logie: Actually I am going to ask the same question again because the Cabinet papers specifically—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. I gave her an opportunity. The member has now asked that question twice. I consider that it had probably been addressed the first time; it has certainly been addressed the second time. It is over to the member how she phrases her own questions but supplementary questions are an opportunity for her to quiz a Minister. There seems little point in being repetitive but it is the member's opportunity to ask supplementary questions.Jan Logie: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Were you just clarifying to me that I can use my supplementary questions in any way that I wish?Mr SPEAKER: Absolutely provided it is within the rules of the Standing Orders the member has the ability. I guess I am giving her some advice; it is over to her whether she takes it.Jan Logie: My question is around the provisions in the Cabinet papers that explicitly talked about removing and changing provisions to the whānau hapū and iwi parts of the Act. Have any of those changes been included in this bill?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: My answer is largely as I have given and I refer the member to that section 13. But to help her and to help the House there is a list of things that have to be taken into account—that have to be considered—when making decisions about a child and they include that wherever possible the relationship between the child or young person and their family whānau and usual caregiver is respected supported and strengthened; the relationship between the child or young person and their siblings is respected supported and strengthened; and the family whānau hapū iwi and usual caregiver have a voice and a role in decisions made about the child or young person. As I said in my answer to the primary question we have included those terms that give particular recognition to key Māori concepts of a child—mana tamaiti or tamariki whakapapa and whanaungatanga—when working specifically with tamariki Māori so that means that we have extended the provisions that were in those original first three Cabinet papers.Jan Logie: If the Waitangi Tribunal agrees to consider the claim will she delay the bill to ensure that the reforms do not breach the Government's obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: I have tabled the bill in the House today.