Ball DarrochDARROCH BALL (NZ First): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. It's a pleasure to rise on behalf of New Zealand First in support of the Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill. As we've heard from the Minister and other contributions so far this bill seeks to reduce the prejudice stigma and all other negative affects arising from a conviction for historical homosexual offences. It also entitles the convicted person to declare that they have no such conviction under New Zealand law and that the conviction would no longer appear on a criminal history check.It's actually not that often that you get to stand up in the House and speak on a bill that has 100 percent full support from every member of this House. But I think also that the most important part from my perspective is that there is no politics involved with this. I think that we have all recognised as a country and as the representatives here of that country that there were some terrible wrongs that occurred and we have the responsibility in this House to not only recognise those wrongs but also apologise for our role as a Government and the leaders of that country for that unnecessary hurt on those individuals.New Zealand First obviously fully supports this piece of legislation and backs the apology and the movement of this legislation through the House. It also supports the recommendation of the Justice Committee for the slight changes—the amendments. This bill actually does highlight a sort of double-edged sword. It highlights somewhat of a stain on our country's history and the effect that we had on some individuals because of their personal orientation but also it shows I think the other side of the coin where it shows how far we've actually come since not so long ago.Denis O'Rourke took the first call and was involved with the select committee process of this bill. I only took over this obviously this year but one of the things I think everybody out there in the general public understands is that it wasn't that long ago that we had a law against homosexual orientation. What this bill actually highlighted to me was in fact that it was such a short period ago in 1986—which is in my lifetime—and I find that it's unimaginable for anybody of the new generation who were born post that time to actually comprehend and to understand. Of course it's never too late to apologise and it's never too late to admit to wrongdoing so that's what this legislation allows. Unfortunately it is too late in some circumstances to avoid the massive damage that was caused to some of those individuals to innocent people and we need to acknowledge that.There are three main issues that this bill seeks to accomplish and it does I believe. The first is that it reconfirms the freedom of people to lawfully express their sexuality and be free from any prejudice in doing so. The second is that it avoids the huge disadvantage of suffering such a conviction in regard to having to disclose the conviction in terms of employment and so on. But most importantly the third one is that it goes some way hopefully to restore some sort of self-esteem to those individual and helps enhance the mental well-being and self-worth for all of those who suffered convictions.One of the most important aspects of this piece of legislation going through is that it's not just a piece a paper—that there were and are real-life stories and individuals who were affected by this. I think it is important to not just speak about what is written in the legislation—the bill that's going through this House—but how the previous law affected specific individuals and their stories. I'd just like to take the next couple of minutes to read two or three of the submissions that I have gone through and that really stand out for me.One states that These convictions destroyed careers including in the case of our friend a top honours graduate of Portsea Officer Cadet School forcing his resignation from his post as the youngest-ever captain to hold a commission in the New Zealand Army. More significantly they caused substantial trauma and loss of dignity to those affected." A quote from another individual says "This conviction still leads after 53 years to self-hatred worthlessness unjustified guilt and shame. To relieve the anguish and pain chronic drinking and self-destruction took control over the next 10 to 15 years until the realisation that I wasn't a two-headed monster and there were many others like me throughout the world. I love my country but live in fear of being found out of further humiliation panic attacks when I see a uniformed police officer and a general feeling of being unworthy to myself—something few others would understand."Another one: "I had never been arrested before or been in trouble with the police. I was charged with keeping a place of resort for indecent acts between males. There was the abuse bashings and terror that followed from anti-gay bigots. This conviction has affected me personally and financially ever since hindering my employment prospects and overseas travel. I have been active doing voluntary work but have been disadvantaged when background checks have been required for some organisations."This one is from a different perspective. It was from a young New Zealander who didn't live in those times. They say "I'm a criminal in 76 countries and I am so thankful that I am not seen as a criminal in my home country. I am the hateful words spoken by the mouths of many—whether it is in high school halls or behind some walls. Hate speech is still prevalent in our society. I am the death sentence in five countries. I'm the noose tightening around their neck or the shock from the electric chair because they could have been me if I was born in a different place and if I had spoken up then. Some people cannot be a voice. Thirty-one years ago I could have been behind bars for just being who I am."Lastly I think everyone has heard of one of the most notable examples of being convicted for their sexual orientation and that individual was Alan Turing—not a New Zealander he was obviously British but suffered under the same legislation that occurred back then. He was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science. Turing is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. He was responsible for breaking the Nazi Enigma code during World War II. His work gave the Allies the edge they needed to win the war in Europe and led to the creation of the computer. In 1952 he was arrested and charged with indecency after a brief relationship with another man. Homosexuality was still a crime in Great Britain at that time. Defiant he did not deny the charges. When he was arrested the first thing he said was that he thought this should not be against the law. He gave a statement that was unapologetic that detailed what had happened. Turing took his own life in 1954 two years after being outed as gay. He died from eating an apple laced with cyanide. He was only 41 years old.I think that those individual cases that we heard from the submitters are just a few of the examples—as well as one of the most famous examples—of the hugely negative effects that a piece of horrid legislation that previously existed prior to 1986 has had on individuals. I'm very proud of this House moving forward as one and representing New Zealand First as part of that in passing this legislation. Thank you."