Sio Hon Aupito WilliamHon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Minister for Pacific Peoples): It's a pleasure to rise in support of this bill the Social Workers Registration Legislation Bill and to acknowledge the Minister the Hon Carmel Sepuloni for her leadership and for advancing this work. I note that she's acknowledged also former Ministers in this area and members on the other side who have been working collaboratively on this matter and it's good to hear also that the Opposition are supporting this particular bill.Can I at the outset acknowledge all the social workers throughout New Zealand. I think it's really timely Minister Sepuloni that this bill is passed particularly in light of the new Government who are looking to release its first well-being Budget a new Government whose focus is on protecting young people and placing children and families at the centre of the focus of our work—a new Government obviously providing and demonstrating through its rhetoric and actions that whilst yes the bulk of our work is looking at creating an economic environment that benefits all people it's also a new Government that's demonstrating leadership: that compassion and kindness is just as important as looking at GDP figures etc. And so it's really timely that we are introducing this bill which gives a lift in recognition to the value of social workers and the role that they play in providing confidence and providing counselling and helping to provide the support—I suppose the emotional support—that often parents and children need from time to time particularly when they are struggling whatever the issues might be. Social workers are a vital part of our Government's commitment to improving the well-being of New Zealanders and so they play a significant role in what we're trying to do and the environment that we're trying to make in lifting people's well-being.I know in 2003 when they introduced the Social Workers Registration Act the focus was on a voluntary system but we now know after 16 years of experience that anyone practising as a social worker is practising in an environment where serious misconduct and incompetence cannot be adequately addressed. Non-registered social workers who cause serious harm can potentially continue to practise without appropriate penalties or sanctions and it's estimated that a quarter of social workers or around 2000 are not registered and little is known about this group including how competent they are to practise social work. And there are a number of risks—risks to the public and particularly vulnerable children and adults—and they may be exacerbated when those who are practising unregistered are not qualified not competent or have physical or mental conditions which affect their ability to practise or plainly they're criminals.So there is a number of harms that we have been able to document as a result of the work that's been documented in the last 16 years and they include poor professional judgment or poor practice inappropriate relationships with the people they're dealing with abuse of trust or power and frankly dishonesty or theft and in some cases violence and sexual assault. And so I think it is timely that we now have the Social Workers Registration Legislation Bill which changes that current voluntary social worker registration regime to a mandatory one by proposing that any person who refers to themselves as a social worker or who claims to practise as a social worker must be registered with the Social Workers Registration Board and this change to mandatory registration will help to build trust and transparency in the sector help to ensure public safety and more effective services and put social work on an equal footing with other similar professions.I think it's responsible that the talk of change has been signalled far and that there is a two-year lay-in because that enables the board obviously to prepare itself but it also enables those social workers or those people practising as social workers without the qualifications to make the appropriate changes so that they are ready. And so I just want to round up simply by saying it's timely and to the Hon Carmel Sepuloni I think it's really fitting that you're playing your part in making this happen now. It fits with the overall work of our Government in lifting well-being and particularly our focus on making sure that we reduce harm in families and children and are providing the support. And I think this bill here goes a long way in ensuring that the people who we are entrusting to carry out that work on the ground have the confidence of our communities have the confidence of the people they're dealing with and are well equipped to be able to deal with sometimes the most complex social problems that our families face. So I'm pleased to have this opportunity and commend this bill to the House.