Loheni AgnesAGNES LOHENI (National): Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. This is very interesting. I'm not sure if the previous speaker the Hon Tracey Martin and I are actually talking about the same bill because actually we're not disempowering parents we're not disempowering children; the intent of this bill is to give some equity to these children who actually form the most vulnerable in our community. Guardianship is now in the hands of the CEO of Oranga Tamariki. What we're asking and what Hamish Walker has wanted to do and the intent—he wants to stick to the integrity of the bill to the intent of the bill which is to allow these children to have the same access as all our children the same access as my children. So I'm delighted to take this call on this bill the KiwiSaver (Foster Parents Opting in for Children in their Care) Amendment Bill. I'd like to commend my colleague Hamish Walker for putting this bill forward. Hamish Walker's advocacy for these children adds to the significant body of work that this National Government did to improve the lives of vulnerable children in this country. And it's fair to say that the member Hamish Walker has been very strident and forthright throughout the passage of this bill to safeguard the intent of the bill the integrity to the intent of the bill which is to support these vulnerable children in our community to have equal access to a KiwiSaver account. That seems pretty straightforward—pretty straightforward—just to want to open a KiwiSaver account something that many of us just take for granted and yet it's actually not been a simple process. It's not been straightforward at all. If you're a foster child in this country in fact it's been nigh on impossible. This is why we are here debating this bill in this House.So under the current KiwiSaver legislation foster parents are not able to open a KiwiSaver account for their foster children as they are technically not their legal guardian. And it's really sad when we talk about foster children and foster parents because we have to acknowledge that these children have not had a great start in life to end up in this position. So therefore we have to help and support them as much as possible.At the moment the CEO of Oranga Tamariki is the only person who can apply to open a KiwiSaver account for these children and as you can imagine filling out the paperwork the forms for an account for these children is not a high priority for the CEO and nor should it be. He's got a big workload on his hands—that's understandable.Hon Members: She.AGNES LOHENI: She. Social workers have attempted to assist in this process on behalf of these families but to no avail. This has created a necessary bureaucratic process which many foster parents have found utterly frustrating and disheartening. A KiwiSaver account is a financial tool but is actually something that gives hope for their future—again something that we take for granted. The good news through this process is that not-for-profit provider Simplicity have offered to set up KiwiSaver accounts for every foster child in New Zealand if they want one. They've indicated that they will waive all administration membership and trustee fees for at least the first five years. Again let's bring our focus back to these foster children who are in vulnerable positions to be where they are. Mr Hamish Walker's intent was to give those foster caregivers the ability the ease to make an important financial decision for the children they are caring for—not just a financial decision but some security for the future. There are many foster parents who want the option to leave a legacy for that child even if they never achieve legal guardianship. Foster parents want to provide the best possible future for children in their care because unfortunately often these foster children haven't had the best start. It's a selfless act to set up something for that child knowing that they may not become their legal guardian knowing that there may be some uncertainty or instability in that child's life. Foster parents can in some way give them something tangible and positive for their future. It's an honourable motivation for the foster parents and this sentiment is highlighted in a submission made by a foster parent Sheryl Blythen. In her submission she wrote: A KiwiSaver account provides a way for these children to save funds that cannot be accessed by any family or whanau member who may not have the child's best interest in mind. It would also be a good way to start a saving habit for young people who may not have had financially responsible behaviour role modelled to them." I support this bill to the House. Thank you."