Little Andrew: Vulnerable Children Bill Children Young Persons and Their Families (Vulnerable Children) Amendment Bill KiwiSaver (Vulnerable Children) Amendment Bill — Third ReadingsText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLittle Andrew: Vulnerable Children Bill Children Young Persons and Their Families (Vulnerable Children) Amendment Bill KiwiSaver (Vulnerable Children) Amendment Bill — Third Readings[Sitting date: 19 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18754. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ANDREW LITTLE (Labour):I rise to speak on the legislation arising from the Vulnerable Children Bill. I just say how disappointing it is after the members opposite claim to want to forge a collaborative approach and claim to want to cooperate that Mr Sabin stands up and performs one of the more belittling speeches you could imagine on this very important topic. You know this nation started this week with our heads hung collectively in shame at the stories that were released in the Glenn Inquiry report. Five hundred voices told some of the most excruciatingly painful shocking stories about abuse and violence in this nation’s homes. It behoves us on this occasion passing this legislation to at least demonstrate that we are capable of not only taking the issue seriously but also speaking sensibly and hopefully cooperatively and collaboratively about it.That does not mean to say we do not have criticisms of this bill. As I have said repeatedly in relation to other legislation as is so often the case something is usually better than nothing. This bill does take steps that will help not only to pick up the pieces but also most important to prevent harm to children—those who so often cannot speak for themselves and those who so often are dependent on the actions the care and the support of the adults around them who are not necessarily their parents but those who are in responsible roles and those who are in caring roles.It is sad that in this day and age we have to have legislation like this to spell out steps that must be taken by organisations that charge themselves with taking care of children. Well we do have to do that because the record that has developed in this country in terms of the care of children and in terms of harm to children is just an absolutely shocking record. It is the nation’s shame that we do that that we mistreat children and that we expose them to needless harm and danger. That is the danger and harm of other people not of the activities that we would want them to do—running around in a playground in a bush or in a field. It is the exposure to violent nasty people who would beat them up and be the most predatory people you can imagine. So we do have to do something about it.I am not sure that this bill in some respects goes far enough but it is a step. I think in other respects it goes too far. If this bill is about prevention let it be about prevention. It is disappointing that for example in clause 28 when it deals with people who are discovered to be a risk to children it does not allow organisations—whether State State-funded or any other organisation—to simply remove them under the terms of the employment agreement. It denies them and deprives them of some of their contractual entitlements like notice. It comes over the top and says “All right they’re going to yank you out of there and you can go and you’re not even going to be entitled to the very basic notice requirements of your employment agreement.” These are people who will have convictions and who will be a demonstrated danger to children but who have been in employment—in some cases for a lengthy period of time—and who as a result of this bill being enacted will be discovered to be a risk that no organisation should afford to take. Well I accept that. But why go to the punitive step and then say “Right you get 5 days’ pay and that’s it.” That is nasty stuff and it is unnecessary but it is in the bill. I know there will be some employers who will say “Listen we have to do this and that’s accepted but we’ll pay you out your full notice.” But this bill actually sanctions an alternative course of action.If it is about prevention let it be about prevention. Let it apply not just to State organisations not just to private organisations funded by the State but to any private organisations which as I read it are not covered by this bill.This is a serious issue. It requires serious steps. It does not require the sort of politicising shenanigans of a Mike Sabin; it requires a Government that can work with the Opposition to actually achieve real change over time so that we can put to bed the shocking and embarrassing track record we have developed of looking after children and looking after our most vulnerable. We need to do more and we need to do better. This bill is a start but it cannot possibly be the end of addressing this serious issue. For those who say poverty is no excuse I just say that it may not be an excuse but it is so often an explanation. A Government that fails to deal with poverty is failing to deal with the true dimensions of this problem. A future Labour-led Government will deal with the fullness of this problem—not pretend that parts of it just do not exist.