Kanongata'a-Suisuiki Anahila; Dean JacquiDISTRICT COURT (PROTECTION OF JUDGMENT DEBTORS WITH DISABILITIES) AMENDMENT BILLThird ReadingANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour): I move That the District Court (Protection of Judgment Debtors with Disabilities) Amendment Bill be now read a third time.It is an honour and a privilege to have been custodian to shepherd this bill in this House. This bill started with a conversation with Mr Soane Foliaki a senior solicitor at the community law centre in South Auckland. In 2019 Mr Foliaki shared with me the experiences of a man with a disability who was a judgment debtor and that the court bailiff turned up to seize his mobility van and that it was put up for auction and it was through Mr Foliaki taking the matter to court that his van was returned. A story about a disabled person from whom the District Court bailiff seized a mobility van to be sold at auction to pay for a debt had touched my heart. Without hesitation I agreed to bring this matter to Parliament to champion it and to take it as far as I can to change the law. Mr 'Epalahame 'Una Tanginoa has given his approval for his story to be shared. He had two wishes: one that this would never happen to anyone again and two an apology from the District Court. Mr Tanginoa at the time was in receipt of the invalids benefit and he could not afford a taxi nor had he the means to attend his medical appointments. He ended up in ICU in hospital and he needed surgery.I would like to thank the submitters whose views helped the committee with the enhancement of this bill. One of the submitters the Disabled Persons Assembly NZ said to me yesterday—and I quote: We are pleased that the District Court (Protection of Judgment Debtors with Disabilities) Amendment Bill is having its third reading and will be passed into law. We strongly support the bill and we are pleased to see the suggestions we made around the disability communication and assisted technology systems were added to the bill." I would like to thank the chair Ginny Andersen and the Justice Committee for their collegiality and due diligence in the scrutiny of this bill. They have enhanced the bill.At present the principal Act requires good judgment to be exercised and the bailiff to act fairly and reasonably. The Act does not prohibit the bailiff from seizing property that enables independence of a disabled person such as their mobility vehicle. Mr Tanginoa's experience has proven that good judgment and acting fairly and reasonably has failed to protect a member of our disability community. Today I am supported by all members of this House and we will no longer leave it to good judgment. Instead the bill will amend the District Court Act of 2016 to protect people with disabilities who owe money under a court order—a judgment debtor. It comes into force the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent.In the committee of the whole House the member Nicole McKee asked for clarification on clause 4 the amendment to section 167 and which I will now clarify because it is really important that I do that. It is about warrant to seize property. In the new section 167(2)(a)(iii): "if the judgment debtor is a disabled person or is a principal caregiver for a disabled person any item that is necessary for the care support or independence of or to promote the inclusion and participation in society of the judgment debtor who is the disabled person or as the case may be the disabled person for whom the judgment debtor is the principal caregiver (for example without limitation any mobility device specially adapted motor vehicle or medical equipment);". It also covers any item necessary for the care support or independence of a disabled person who is in the care of a judgment debtor. It is important to understand the example provided that it is without limitation; it means that this example given does not limit it to these examples. Therefore it also futureproofs any new technology that is yet to be invented.The committee recommended amending the proposed definition of the "disabled person" to align with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This would allow for the wider disability community to be included in the group that the bill will provide protection for. The committee noted that the rights of persons with disabilities definition focuses on how an environment can be disabling for a person with impairments rather than framing it in terms of a disability alone. The definition is provided in new section 167(5): " 'disabled person' includes a person who has long-term physical mental intellectual or sensory impairments that in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society". I'm also pleased that in clause 5 amending section 168(2A) a motor vehicle to which section 167(2)(a)(iii) applies may not be immobilised under this bill.In the spirit of working together I am grateful to the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and our Labour caucus for approving this bill to go into the ballot. I'd like to make special mention of the Hon Simon Bridges who without hesitation at our first meeting agreed to take this matter to his caucus. Thank you Simon Bridges for your leadership and for gaining the support of your National Party caucus for this bill. In 2019 New Zealand First's support was dependent on whether or not National was in support so again thank you Simon Bridges. Thank you to Jan Logie and the Green Party for their firm support of the bill and I am grateful that the member has spoken at the first and second readings of this bill and I have appreciated her contributions. I am grateful for the ACT Party's support of this bill. Thank you to Nicole McKee for asking me that question which led to me today clarifying some parts of section 167. Also kia ora koe Te Paati Māori. Thank you for your tautoko. You have arrived here in Parliament and you too have lent your support to this. Although they are no longer here I just want to thank Darroch Ball and the New Zealand First Party who also in the end after Mr Bridges' support said that they would support it too. It is an example of it being possible to work together in this House.I have heard from Mike Potter CEO of Disability Connect Auckland and he said "the loss of equipment and technology essential to the daily lives of disabled people and their families no matter how brief is debilitating dehumanising and in some consequences life-threatening. Recovery from the setback of not being able to access healthcare support or respite takes much longer for disabled people and can be a trigger for long-term dependency." He continued to say that he is grateful for the protection that this legislation offers to vulnerable children and adults from being further disabled by the impact of financial difficulties. Hopefully it will support communities to be better placed with wellbeing and belonging.The journey of this bill has as I said before restored my faith that members of Parliament can put differences aside when we believe it is the right thing to do. This is an example of that. I have enjoyed my relationship and engagement with members of Parliament from conversations on this member's bill. Mr 'Epalahame 'Una Tanginoa had two wishes: that this would not happen to anyone else and secondly he wanted an apology. I hope that the passing of this bill with agreement of all members across the House can suffice as an apology. Thank you 'Una for allowing your story to be shared. This is your bill. Mālō e Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa.I did on the second reading conclude with the New Zealand Disability Strategy: "New Zealand is a non-disabling society—a place where disabled people have an equal opportunity to achieve their goals and aspirations and all New Zealand works together to make this happen." It has been an honour to add my voice to enable protection of people with disability in Aotearoa. Mālō 'aupito. I commend this bill to the House. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the motion be agreed to."