Ngaro AlfredHon ALFRED NGARO (National): The intent of this bill is one principle called the equity of opportunity. That's the whole point of this bill. When it first came through to the House when Hamish Walker brought the bill to the House and also to the first reading and then select committee which I was a part of he talked about the family that came to see him. He talked about that while there was meant to be an opportunity for the young people that were in their care—and we're talking about vulnerable children; children who've been through traumatic and difficult situations. So therefore that's the intent and that's the reason for this bill. It's called the equity of opportunity. Now I know the Minister for Children the Hon Tracey Martin knows about this because both her and I—and we've been in this Parliament for exactly the same time—have fought for the equity of opportunity for foster carers and kin carers because there wasn't that point; that principle was not there. So we fought and I want to acknowledge her because she was a champion behind this and this year she launched—and I was privileged to be there—that opportunity that was now afforded to them. This bill is the same intent. It's about having the equity of opportunity. The Minister talked about the select committee process. Well I have to say there's nothing disingenuous about the intent of this Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) because right from the start the intent of the original bill was exactly what the SOP is requiring. You see the thing is that when we think about the equity of opportunity there are currently 6700 children in care. Under the current rules and regulations where they are at the moment and the advice that has been given there will now be around about 700 children that will have access to that opportunity—by the way where they previously would not have had that opportunity if it were not for the advocacy of Hamish Walker and also too that being championed by their family. So now we've been given 700 so here's—Darroch Ball: What did the advisers say?Hon ALFRED NGARO: We're hearing the chatter about the advice. So the advice that was given was this: currently there are 700 that are able to access and we can actually allow for that right? Then it also said that the access can be available to other parents through another process. But can I say this: the intent of this is to make it an obligation because you see while we turned around and said previously that equity of opportunity should have been there if it wasn't for this advocacy we wouldn't have had that. So if it wasn't for Hamish Walker putting this bill in—we thought that it was automatically there but it wasn't. What it revealed is that there was an impediment—in other words there was a barrier—in the system. The system said that was there for the care of all children for those who are actually currently in State care—that opportunity was there—when we realised through this bill that it wasn't. You see that's the point. It's now opened the door to 700. So there's nothing disingenuous about what the attempt of the member is because what he's trying to do now is bring it back again into here. I want to make the point that the Hon Tracey Martin talked about the words that were spoken by the Deputy Prime Minister. This is a very robust place. There's what they call parliamentary privilege inside the House but there's also accountability for any of the words that we speak outside of the House. So in the public space if a member of Parliament whether it be a backbencher through to the Prime Minister—all of the words that they speak and we've all been in that situation are held to account. If in the public space the Deputy Prime Minister has said this—and I'd have to say the honourable Deputy Prime Minister when he spoke those words he spoke them why? Because he knew the intent was right. He knew that in what Hamish Walker was putting through there would be again the equity of opportunity for all foster children. That was the intent: for all foster children.You see that's the point of this SOP. The point of this SOP is that it was 700 at the moment under the current conditions. The intent of the member of Hamish Walker is to open up the intent so that 6700 children will have access to that right and that opportunity. We have to realise this. You see at this point it's not just about KiwiSaver. While that's the intent of this; it's the principle that we're fighting for. It's the principle that all of these children have the right to access an opportunity for them. Today it's KiwiSaver. It could be other areas that we think are important. The Hon Tracey Martin knows this because she championed for the equity of opportunity because at that point in time it was just for foster carers. What she championed was for foster and kin carers so that broadened that out. So that is the intent of the member here. I want to applaud him for his attempt and what he's trying to do. We on this side support this SOP 258—why? Because it is about the equity of opportunity for all children in foster care.