Sabin Mike: Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Sabin Mike: Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 04 December 2012. Volume:686;Page:7039. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MIKE SABIN (National—Northland) 
: 
 I thank the member resuming his seat Denis O’Rourke for his contribution. I cannot say as much unfortunately for the Green member Metiria Turei who makes some rather interesting submissions in regard to domestic violence. It is a little unfortunate that those over in the watermelon patch are not so inclined to support many of the measures that we as a Government are trying to put in place in regard to the criminal justice sector and ensuring that the right balance is achieved. It seems that they want to run with the hounds and hunt with the foxes on matters of this sort. 
There are just a couple of points that I want to cover off. Seventy percent of those who currently apply for a fee waiver within the Family Court system get it. Actually there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that that sort of trend will not continue under this new model. 
Andrew Little 
: Yes there is. It’s a new law—it’s a new regime. 
MIKE SABIN 
: None that I have seen but I will continue on because Mr Little I am sure will be quite interested to hear what I have to say on this one. 
I would like to commend both Minister Borrows and Minister Collins for the work they have done in terms of addressing the whole criminal justice pipeline. As a former policeman I can certainly vouch for the fact that it has many moving parts. There are many deficiencies—somewhat like a balloon full of water it is squeezed in one direction and bulges in another—and it is in the interests of all members of this House and certainly members of New Zealand society in my view that we are prepared to address these deficiencies. 
This bill really is a response as has been mentioned to deficiencies and issues that have been signalled by the court users: judges lawyers and counsellors alike. Those really are centred around the rising costs the lack of focus on the needs of children—highly ironic within a Family Court setting—and the lack of focus on durable and sustainable outcomes. Certainly as a former policeman but also as a new member of Parliament the concerns that I have seen through what can be a diabolical process are very worthy of addressing. This bill sets out to do that. 
In summary the process is unnecessarily adversarial it is a very negative experience for children and it is very broad-brush in its nature. It sort of uses this adversarial sledgehammer to crush the walnut. It is not focused enough on the most serious matters. It tends to treat private matters that could be better dealt with outside of the court in the same way as matters that need the jurisdiction of the court to oversee them. It creates many issues and I think we would all concede that. 
Just to highlight a couple of points this bill really refocuses the Family Court on matters that in fact need that judicial direction and it does it in a far more timely fashion. It clarifies the principles that are important around and relevant to children and also it provides a much greater focus on out-of-court resolutions. Although there have been some issues on that—I am sure the select committee will help tease out these processes—when you get a legally aided client and one that is not you so often see a completely different track and a protracted track in the way that that matter is carried out and some cynical people in society may see that there is a vested interest in those matters being protracted. It is in everyone’s interest that these matters are dealt with in a timely fashion and I welcome the opportunity for those to be done outside of the court. What we are looking at really is 4000 fewer court applications. This will result in about 2000 fewer children in front of the court. As I said I welcome the select committee submissions which I am sure will be very well traversed by the select committee. 
This bill is about efficiencies. It is about creating timeliness and I think it is about improving the means of resolution in a far more pragmatic child-friendly and community-friendly fashion. I have no hesitation in commending this bill to the House. Thank you.