No secrecy —Minister

Press, 6 March 1984, Page 2

No secrecy —Minister

Wellington reporter Secrecy in the drafting of new children and young persons legislation for introduction and passage through Parliament this year, has been denied by the Minister of Social Welfare, Mr Young. He discounted any need for “fears” about the legislation (“The Press,” March 3), now being circulated by the Social Welfare Department in draft form.

“Rather than being criticised for ‘secrecy,’ I was being criticised last year for taking too much time to consider all points of view, rather than acting,” Mr Young said. Brief amending legislation had been passed last year by Parliament to give greater protection for children at risk rather than returning them to a potentially dangerous home environment

This year the main aim of revising the Children and Young Persons Act, 1974, was to have the child reunited in a caring and loving family, he said. If that were not possible, then other options had to be found because there had been disturbing accounts of children being admitted to hospital suffering non-acci-dental injuries. “The revised legislation will deal with much more than child abuse, but child abuse is still the key issue,” Mr Young said.

“There is no need for child abuse in a modern society with modern support structures available,”

Very little controversy was to be expected when the legislation was introduced to Parliament, he said.

He said he was frustrated in not getting it introduced to Parliament last year.