National is committed to ensuring there is a strong, independent advocate for children. We believe the current structure of the children's commission that operates under enables this advocacy. Over the 20 years, Children's Commissioners have been incredibly effective. There have been some fearless voices in the Children's Commissioner role, and they should be fearless voices who can speak unimpeded by cumbersome bureaucratic structures set up to water down their voice. The Children's Commissioner is a well-known, established, and proven role that has the trust and confidence of the public for monitoring and investigating complaints and advocacy. The fact that the Children's Commissioner is often a vocal critic of the Government of the day, whoever is in Government at that time, should be seen as a sign of success, rather than something to be done away with as an inconvenience. They must be heard.