Upston Louise: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeUpston Louise: General Debate[Sitting date: 01 July 2015. Volume:706;Page:4993. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Land Information): I believe that 1 July 2015 will go down in New Zealand’s history. Before I explain why I just thought we would take a quick little history lesson. On this day in 1903 the first Tour de France race began and Ghana became a republic on this day in 1960 and in terms of our history on 1 July 1988 Bastion Point land was returned to Ngāti Whātua. But in terms of 1 July 2015 we saw the retirement of our Clerk Mary Harris recognising 28 years of service to this Parliament so I am sure this date will go down in the history of our Parliament for that reason. I am not sure about it in terms of the history books of New Zealand First. It might go down as the day that the deputy leadership was a 10-way split and depending on where the arrow landed was whoever wound up with the job. Or it could be as Minister Brownlee said before me a 20-way split in the Labour Party for who became the deputy leader there.But anyway on to more important matters. As the speaker before me mentioned today the presidency of the United Nations Security Council was taken over by New Zealand which is a very important day. But New Zealand families hard-working New Zealand families up and down this country will recognise today. Today will be part of our history because of the fact that GP visits and prescriptions became free for under-13s. In the election campaign last year this was the single most talked about policy announcement of this Government. It recognises that there should be no parent who has to think twice about whether or not they take their child to a doctor. So I am very pleased about the announcement and the introduction today on 1 July 2015 that all children under 13 will have access to free GP visits and prescriptions.It is estimated that more than 400000 children will benefit from this scheme which will take the number benefiting to more than 750000 children. If I look at my own electorate of Taupō around 20000 children fall under the Lakes District Health Board and a further 60000 under the Waikato District Health Board and they will be very pleased to have access to free GP visits and prescriptions. We recognise how important it is to give our kids the best possible start in life and so this is a great day for New Zealand families.I want to follow on from the comments that my parliamentary colleague the Hon Maggie Barry made about the importance of additional support for hospices. If I look at my own electorate additional funding for palliative care for the Waikato District Health Board and the Lakes District Health Board has gone up by $5.8 million. That is significant for the many families who have a very challenging time with their loved ones going through those last days weeks or months and I know that this is a huge announcement for communities large and small. But this is another policy that directly benefits our families.Another announcement that actually came into force a couple of months ago and one that I am continuing to get strong feedback on as the Minister for Women is the paid parental leave increase. We are planning to increase it again by 2 weeks to 18 weeks from 1 April next year. This is another policy that supports families supports children and is balanced exactly in the right place.Another initiative that Minister Tolley announced today was news of the accommodation benefit rising to match the accommodation supplement. One of my priorities as Minister for Women is ensuring that women are able to participate in and gain further education and training to support them in work. This particular policy means that sole parents who are studying could be up to $165 a week better off. For some families that is the difference between having that parent studying or not so I think it is significant. The more women who are able to get an education—and those who I believe are particularly vulnerable are sole parents—their ability to continue their education improves not only their prospects in terms of employment but also the options and future for their children. Clearly on this side of the House this is a Government that is really delivering for New Zealand families and I am proud to be part of John Key’s Government.