10. JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
Does she have confidence in the Children’s Commissioner?
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
Yes; although as an independent Crown entity, the Government does not necessarily need to agree with everything she has to say.
Does the Minister agree with the Children’s Commissioner that “For some people graffiti and tagging are seen as a legitimate art form.”; if so, why?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
The member refers to the commissioner’s submission to the Law and Order Committee on the anti-tagging legislation that the Government has introduced, and I guess the independence of the commissioner allows her to have views that may not always be identical to those of the Government.
Su’a William SioWhat has been the role of the Children’s Commissioner in the Government’s successful action against family violence?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
The Children’s Commissioner has been an active member of the task force for action on family violence from the outset. The task force has been responsible for the highly regarded It’s Not OK campaign against family violence. This is a long-term campaign to change attitudes and behaviours about family violence in our country, and already I can tell the member it is making a difference. The phrase “It’s not OK” has already struck a chord with New Zealanders, and people are taking action as a result.
Does the Minister think the Children’s Commissioner was being responsible and sensible when she said that graffiti and tagging provided “a sense of fellowship” and was an “expression-based culture”; if so, why is it not OK in this case?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
Obviously, the commissioner is entitled to put whatever her view is in her independent submissions to the select committee. That is not the Government’s view; we are listening to what the community is saying when they want a tough line on tagging, and that is why the Government has a bill before the select committee, which the commissioner, in this instance, happens to oppose.
How can it be consistent with the view of the vast majority of New Zealanders, and even the Government’s view, for the Children’s Commissioner to say that “Graffiti is a much needed voice for both cultural expression and resistance.”; if so, why?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
In fairness to the Children’s Commissioner, she also acknowledged that people think graffiti is an act of vandalism, a serious and expensive social problem, and an irritating eyesore. That is the view that the Government takes, and that is why it put the bill before the select committee. So far the bill has enjoyed the support of the overwhelming majority of the House. I hope that political parties keep following the Government’s leadership on this matter.
Does the Minister agree that the Children’s Commissioner’s outrageous claims on tagging show yet again that she is out of step with ordinary Kiwi families?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
I think the important thing is what is in the Government’s legislation and what the Government’s view is, which is to get tough on tagging and listen to the community, which is saying it has had enough of this antisocial behaviour—the vandalism of a lot of people’s assets around the community.
I seek leave of the House to table the Children’s Commissioner’s submission on the Summary Offences (Tagging and Graffiti Vandalism) Amendment Bill that contained these outrageous quotes.
Madam SPEAKER