Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Careand rehabilitation) Bill

I know that the members in the Chamber, over lunch, were worried that I would not take the extra 2 minutes, and they have come down just to encourage me to do so. I am pleased to be able to share with them the fount of knowledge I have on this particular issue. What is really important is that I know that this Minister, having listened and gained an understanding of the issue I was raising before dinner, will have gone away and spoken with her officials, and she will probably want to take the next call to answer the questions. I am sure; I myself am absolutely convinced, as, I think, are members on this side—but I can see, from the look on the faces, that the others over there are not quite so convinced.

💬 Hon Ruth Dyson: The member is probably backing Bill English, as well.

Absolutely! The whole of New Zealand is. That is the good thing. The whole of New Zealand is backing Bill English as the next Prime Minister. Let us get that very clear. Life is just getting better and better—but back to the bill before the Chairman brings me back to the bill.

There is a point I want to make about clause 12, and I was asking the Minister before lunch whether we have the resources to carry out this sort of gathering—the discussions, the family group conferences, etc. If we will be relying on the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services to provide the service, then I say that we are in trouble. If the Minister has some other idea on how we are going to provide the service, then that is fantastic, and I hope she will assure the Committee of the system that she will provide. This is a very important part of this legislation. The families have a right to know what is going on. They have a right to be able to discuss amongst themselves the things that they want to see for the people we are dealing with. They have a right to be consulted and involved. Of course, the individuals themselves also do. It is good that we are setting this system up, having taken it from previous legislation, but we want to make sure that it works. We want to be absolutely assured that some of the resources, the taxpayer funding that the Government is putting aside, will be spent on making sure that this service and this facility is not only just written here in the legislation but is real and meaningful. Otherwise, quite honestly, we have wasted our time in discussing and debating and passing this legislation. I hope the Minister will take the next call, and can give the Committee the assurance that she has something in mind to allow us to have these services delivered.

I move, That the question be now put.