Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi): Thank you very much Madam Speaker. It's traditional in this House that one rises and says it's a pleasure to speak to such and such a bill but tonight it really is a privilege and an honour to be able to contribute to a debate that has been I think as good as any that I have heard in this House and a bill that is very worthy of the attention and care with which it has been handled here tonight and in previous stages of its passage.Allow me on that note to acknowledge the Hon Louise Upston as the member in whose name this bill comes before us and as others have done across the House the members of the Justice Committee that have been considering it along with the submitters to that process including and especially those most directly affected by its passage. Others have quite rightly noted the courage involved in the involvement of such members of our society be they from the Nelson electorate as acknowledged by the Hon Dr Nick Smith in the case of no fewer than three constituents and their families or indeed around this country.It's no small feat in legislative terms to put together this piece of legislation amending as it does such significant existing Acts as the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act and the Victims' Rights Act along with a couple of others—these fundamental rights contained in these—and it's only fitting and proper that the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act implications and the international law obligations have been noted in the debate by Vanushi Walters and also Ingrid Leary speaking to that need to balance those fundamental rights thinking of course of the rights of victims/survivors but of course also the inherent human dignity of those who commit such horrific offences even in the circumstances that they arise.The important question of why such legislative change is needed has been well covered by many speakers across the House; so I don't intend to rehearse that in detail except to say that of course unlocking such practical aspects of our criminal justice system for these undoubted victims is an important practical consideration as well as the important philosophical basis by which we recognise that those who have been directly and deeply affected by criminal behaviour should be recognised as such.The criminal justice system of course is somewhat of a blunt instrument. It represents the relationship of the State and the accused. The victim has traditionally no particular standing but of course we acknowledge here in the House today that such a person is no less affected for having been assaulted or worse by a person who may have been determined or has indeed been determined to be not culpable in the sense of being insane notwithstanding that the elements of the offence the physical actions and the identity of the offender have indeed been proven—hence of course proven but insane" as a formulation that has been arrived at.I shall not hold up the passage of this bill at this the second reading further except to say that I commend all those involved in it to date. I think it's an important piece in the puzzle of creating a more humane and sensitive justice system and an important piece at that. Thank you."