GEORGINA BEYER (Labour—Wairarapa): I am very pleased to speak to this bill on its first reading, and I certainly support its passage through to a select committee. This bill, of course, arises from the first full review of the sexual crimes part of the Crimes Act since that Act was passed in 1961. The aim of this bill is to more comprehensively modernise and strengthen the law on sexual crimes. This bill addresses the archaic attitudes that exist in the Act towards the possibility of sexual offending by women, and reflects the principle that all persons should be treated equally before the law, regardless of their gender. Anomalies are to be replaced and the offence penalties are to be increased, to provide an updated and a more consistent approach to the law relating to sexual offending.

I commend the bill to the House, and I hope it has a safe passage through to the select committee.