Stewart Barbara: Children's Commissioner Bill — Third Reading 
Stewart Barbara: Children's Commissioner Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:613;Page:10118] 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 I am pleased to rise on behalf of New Zealand First to support the Children’s Commissioner Bill. We are very pleased to see it finally being passed. The bill truly seeks to support and enhance the interests of our children. New Zealand First has always said that the quality of our future is determined by the quality of the children we leave to our future and that quality is determined primarily by the way that we treat our children and also by the legislative framework around which we deal with them. 
It is the role of the commissioner to be an advocate for our youngest citizens and to ensure that we are all aware of the issues that affect this group so that appropriate changes can be made. That independent advocacy role is absolutely essential. The recent tragic examples of atrocities committed against children show that for some children New Zealand can be a very dangerous place. It is for these children in particular that the commissioner can speak and has done so on far too many tragic occasions. 
The recent reports by the commissioner into the deaths of some of our youngest citizens ensure that we see an independent assessment of the situation—something that is always needed. The reports we read are always very thorough and a credit to the commissioner. It is absolutely essential to ensure that the commissioner and her office are independent because it is only then that that office can work as an advocate for children—apart from any political pressures and outside of any Government. That has always been one of the strengths of this particular office. 
Inclusion of the text of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a precedent-setting approach. New Zealand is one of the very first nations internationally to include the text of the convention with a major piece of legislation. If the Government is committed to this convention being a powerful tool by which children’s rights are protected and promoted in this country then realistic and meaningful ways of increasing New Zealanders’ knowledge and understanding of the convention must also be explored. If we look at the convention we can see that there is one part of our legislation that the United Nations has criticised on more than one occasion. Each of our previous commissioners has said that we must get rid of that part of the law if we are to accord our children reasonable rights—that is the right of parents to beat children. We will be watching with great interest the action that the Government takes on this issue. 
Like the Minister New Zealand First believes that the new clause placing an obligation on the commissioner to consult with children in certain circumstances promotes an approach that empowers children and young people to participate in any decisions that affect them. We must give meaningful consideration to what children feel about their lives. That is absolutely essential. The bill truly seeks to support and enhance the interests of all of our children. It provides a real voice to one of the very few independent advocates speaking for our children and that is absolutely vital. 
This bill contributes to improving the lives of children in New Zealand by improving the ability of the commissioner to protect their rights their welfare and their interests. However a Government truly committed to improving the lives of New Zealand children must also address the wider issues of affordable and accessible health care quality education sustainable employment opportunities for their caregivers and the alleviation of poverty. This bill enables the commissioner to more easily enhance the protection and provision of rights for our New Zealand children. The sentiment is really clear—we value our children. New Zealand First supports this bill.