The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Amendment Bill, which brings 17-year olds under the jurisdiction of the Youth Court and extends the maximum length of residential orders from three to six months, passed its first reading yesterday.
However, National voted against the Bill, despite Mr Key saying in his January state of the nation speech that it was ‘‘long overdue''.
Mr Key has tried to clear up the apparent contradiction by saying National supports extending the maximum length of supervision orders and would enact such a provision itself, but disagrees with other aspects of the Bill.
But Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson said Mr Key had changed his position.
‘‘Despite John Key promising the public only a few weeks ago that he wanted to make changes to Youth Court orders, the National Party has said they will vote against this legislation, in yet another flip-flop on policy.''
The Bill's second reading, after it has gone to a select committee, could be a close call. It only just cleared its first hurdle yesterday, 59 votes to 56.
National, New Zealand First and Gordon Copeland opposed the Bill, but six MPs - Act New Zealand, United Future and two Maori MPs - did not cast a vote. They could hold the key to the Bill's eventual fate.
National's associate welfare spokesman Chester Borrows said yesterday that the main problem with the Bill was its extension of Youth Court jurisdiction to 17-year-olds. Many people that age already had adult responsibilities, such as full-time jobs.
Provisions in the Bill that allowed youths as young as 14 to be commuted to the District Court also did not go far enough. The Bill would not cover serious assault charges or youths who had committed a series of assaults, he said.
