Muller Todd: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMuller Todd: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 03 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4313. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty): It gives me great pleasure to stand in support of the third and final reading of the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill. Can I first make a comment on the previous speaker Jan Logie. I find it quite extraordinary that every time the Opposition gets up and bemoans the fact that the Government side is taking due consideration in terms of its responses to these bills in taking our full calls only to then spend the next 10 minutes stepping through in fairly woeful tones the various reasons why ultimately they think they may support the bill whereas if perhaps they were going to stand by their intent they would sit down after 10 seconds. That would have certainly pleased some of us on this side and perhaps the wider Chamber.But I will of course take my full call because this deserves to have an appropriate consideration. As I say it is great to be able to stand here for the third and final time and speak in support of this bill. It does feel actually like I have spoken more than three times on this bill. There are certain bills that when you speak to them they sort of go through—bang bang bang—and you feel like you have spoken a couple of times and it is done but this is a bill that I feel like I have spoken more than three times on. Perhaps that is true or perhaps it is just one of those bills that have got through to me and sort of impacted on me.It is a fair bill. Kin carers are entitled to assistance to help with the costs of raising orphaned or unsupported children. In 2009 as most of the House would know National ensured kin carers got the same weekly amount as foster carers and of course now with this bill we will match this with the closing of the clothing allowance inequity.Can I first acknowledge those who do provide care to our most vulnerable. A few months ago I spent a little bit of time up in a lovely place called Dargaville. When I was out there I met—Carmel Sepuloni: Talk about the bill Todd Muller.TODD MULLER: I will. I met some foster parents actually from Dargaville. The foster parents in Dargaville although not kin carers gave me for perhaps the first time a very close understanding of the commitment that it takes to open your family to those whom you know need help and are vulnerable—and so I think this is something that perhaps you would like to listen to on the other side. When you open your heart and your family to people who are in need of help and when you actually sit and speak with this family—I am talking about a husband and wife who live a number of miles out of Dargaville. They are involved in a dairy farm. They have got three kids of their own but they have got two whom they have brought into their family and are providing with support.Obviously I got the opportunity to be able to see firsthand the stress the impact the joy and the love that that environment does create particularly for those who are coming in and having that support but it also did give me an insight into some of the challenges that those families are under. Of course they shared with me about some of the allowances and support that they received as foster carers and it did—I will be honest—give me a sharper and more acute understanding of those who are involved in this caring and the support that is available for them. It also showed the importance of ensuring that this bill is supported and that the clothing allowance can be provided to kin carers because clearly it is currently an omission.There are a number of kin carers in the community whom I represent in Te Puna. It is a strongly Māori community. I have had a number of engagements with many many families from that area. Often as is the Māori tradition there are a number who are providing support for those of their wider whānau who for various reasons do not necessarily have the support of mum or dad or both. I have seen that in action and I have seen the power of it particularly when it is provided by an uncle or auntie or in some cases by grandparents. I am in awe of people who make this commitment for their whānau and family and of the impact that they provide on those children’s lives and I do want to acknowledge them here tonight.Of course we are talking big numbers of New Zealand children who are looked after by their wider New Zealand family—12000 New Zealand children. There are 8600 carers and half of those carers are grandparents. I want to particularly acknowledge tonight the grandparents who are looking after their grandchildren in this context. As I have mentioned before in this House as we have traversed this bill’s various readings when you are a grandparent you are at a particular stage in life when arguably you can perhaps finally focus on your own needs and yet there are many many families and grandparents in this country who actually give up their retirement and their needs to be able to provide support and love and care for their wider whānau.Look this is a huge personal sacrifice. You know I have never met a grandparent who would not put their hand up for babysitting but it takes a different type of person and a different type of commitment to be able to step in and take the role of a parent in a kin carer context particularly when you are older in years. Many would want to flop on to the sofa and say: “See you later.” to the grandkids after the visit but this is a particular cohort who stay engaged and provide that love and support full-time for their whānau. The Government acknowledges this effort and of course through this bill it is providing additional support. Through this bill we have heard about and discussed the Extraordinary Care Fund that is available which is assisting more than 300 children and young people who have benefited. That equates to about $2000 a child on average.What is this money spent on? Extra tuition for kids struggling in school orthodontic work that has not been funded by the Ministry of Health or maybe it is covering costs for the kids to be able to attend regional sports tournaments. These are examples of what this funding has actually been able to support in terms of the family environment. Maybe it is spent on music lessons for the children who are progressing ahead of their peers. These are all examples of the Extraordinary Care Fund in action. We are providing this extra support so that children in this environment can obviously have the opportunity—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Order! I ask the member to address the bill for a while now thank you.TODD MULLER: So—[Interruption]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Order! Can the member take his seat. I do not expect to have negative comments about my rulings or positive comments about my rulings. I think that the member knows that she should not comment on Speakers’ rulings and I do not want to hear it again.TODD MULLER: Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. As discussed through the select committee process grandparents in particular who are kin carers have the opportunity to get access to Work and Income support in terms of having a case manager helping them to navigate their role as kin carers. I think that does need to be acknowledged. There is a particular course that has been put in place to enable kin carers particularly grandparents who are now having the opportunity to be able to step forward and provide this support and who perhaps have not been full-time parents for quite a while to receive support. This programme costs $600000 per year and is facilitated by the parenting course and I think that is very positive.In conclusion I do want to acknowledge Tracey Martin. This is a good bill. It has wide support across the House and I think it is important to acknowledge that when good policy arrives wherever it comes from it should be acknowledged and supported. Clearly this Government has seen the merits in this bill and is now supporting it which is acknowledgment of Tracy Martin’s tenacity and acknowledgment of her particular passion for this community within our wider country. So she does deserve that acknowledgment. She has been a fierce advocate for these children and for families that are in this position. Although we may not always agree on all aspects of the policy response and the priorities of that and the sequencing of it it is important to acknowledge courage when you see it good policy when you see it and good effort when you see it. So I acknowledge you Tracey Martin and put my support to this bill. Thank you.