Ghahraman GolrizGOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green) (remote): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a pleasure to speak on this bill. It does solve a lot of problems in a system that's overworked under pressure and under stress not only in terms of the professionals who work within it—the coroners and their officers—but for New Zealanders who are going through some of the absolute worst tragedies the worst days of their lives. So to say that there's delay and we do say it often—I'll repeat Simon O'Connor's comment that we all do say when these bills come to the House: justice delayed is justice denied. But in the case of those awaiting results coming out of a coronial inquest that cuts deeper than in most cases. So these are cases where death has been sudden; it has been violent perhaps; it has come about in the context of serious mental health issues; and of course as others have mentioned cases of suicide. So a fix to this system—to ensure that it's efficient safe and places the interests of those who access the service of coroners—is long overdue and it's absolutely necessary to our system. So I do commend the Minister for bringing this bill as well. I just want to also recall and mihi to an ex - co-leader of my party the Green Party of Aotearoa Metiria Turei who first brought the coronial inquiry when she was in Parliament that resulted in much of this work that we began in Government last term. And that has been the beginning of all of what we now kind of look to to make our coronial system not only more efficient but also culturally appropriate. So some of the changes—others have gone through them but the establishment of a new position of coronial associate I think is incredibly sensible.There may have been concerns about the level of expertise or the independence of appointments but happily the bill actually addresses those. And of course the Justice Committee will hear tweaks around you know the five-year level of experience as a practising lawyer; the independent appointments—whether the office of the Attorney-General or Solicitor-General and others are involved. And I do want to assure Simon O'Connor we're not talking about nurses or teachers; there are a lot of us lawyers out there looking for meaningful work so I don't think that will be a problem. But I do think you know looking at what types of activities will be undertaken by the associates will also be important. So we've said it may be the less complicated or less expert aspects of the inquiries but that probably does need to also be looked at because these are important inquiries and important findings that our system needs to be able to rely upon in the long run and also for the families involved. The other three changes that the bill makes may seem administrative but I think they too will have not only a significant impact on the level of efficiency that the system gains but also in part—you know so we're talking about recording of the cause of death as unascertained natural causes where there's no further inquiry required enabling coroners to hold coronial inquiries on the papers where that's appropriate or enabling written findings of the cause of death rather than the circumstances. Those are all good in terms of efficiency raising but they also have impacts on the families involved and the sensitivities that are involved around a coronial enquiry. And in particular I'm thinking about ethnic communities and that idea of having the circumstances of a death that may have involved mental health challenges or suicide for example; it will bring a lot of solace to family members who are already going through incredible distress. So it's important to allow for a system that takes account of keeping things private unless there is a good public interest in making them public—and sometimes there is—but allowing for that discretion as a beginning of also being culturally appropriate in our system. I was very happy to hear from the Minister of course that the wider and longer-term reforms are still being looked at and steps will be under way that there will be changes that will bring tikanga Māori into the system and establish that Te Ao Māori approach within the coronial system. I hope that we also can take account of again other cultural sensitivities and needs that other communities have and I know a lot of those came to light after the Christchurch terror attack where families did experience some distress in coming into conflict with the coronial system and various elements including delay but also the way that their loved ones would be handled physically and whatever else was happening. So the work does have to be longer term and it does have to be more comprehensive but this is a very good beginning so I do commend the bill to the House.