Seymour DavidDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT): Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise on behalf of ACT in support of the Māori Purposes Bill. We view this piece of legislation as something that by and large enables people to manage their own affairs; their own properties such as fishing on a lake that is held on privately held land. The ACT Party believes in property rights and if people are not harming others then they should be able to do as they please as a basic principle. By and large that's what this bill enables.I would question one part of it which is the reforms to the Te Ture Whenua Maori Act which extends the notice period to those who might otherwise lose their interest for not responding when they have a claim of interest in land.This is something that is a major impediment to New Zealand's economic development and particularly the development of Māori land. Throughout the history of our country there's been a very complex legislative framework around the ownership of Māori land and it has held Māori back in our view.We think that the Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill that was advanced by Te Ururoa Flavell in a previous Parliament that has been picked up by the member for Southland Joseph Mooney in this Parliament would move Māori property rights over collectively owned land in the correct direction and that is that the range of people who have not shown any material interest perhaps for generations who can object to land being borrowed against developed and otherwise used to enhance people's wellbeing—that range of people should be limited. Because if you have someone who has theoretically got an interest but hasn't shown much interest and that prevents the people who are present and do want to develop and use land from doing so then we're all poorer for no benefit. It would appear that this reform is going to make it harder for people to use land if they have to wait longer to notify those people who have a remote but largely redundant interest. I think that is a movement in the wrong direction. I think that Joseph Mooney's bill taken on from Te Ururoa Flavell's earlier efforts to make Māori land more economically useful to provide often for people in some of the most impoverished parts of New Zealand is the right direction.But we're not going to let that quibble prevent us from supporting this Māori Purposes Bill because we believe that the wider issue of collective ownership is going to have to be resolved by a more serious bill a more serious piece of legislation perhaps in a different Parliament that has a greater regard for property rights and economic development than the make-up of the current Parliament is able to furnish.For people interested in this topic I highly recommend Hernando de Soto. He is the South American economist who wrote extensively most in his book The Mystery of Capital about the importance of indigenous peoples around the world being able to bundle up their property rights in a way that can be used in a modern global commercial world for the advancement of their people.The great irony is that somewhat paternalistic Governments around the world have gone and put indigenous property rights in a format that they say is helpful and respectful of traditional ownership but in all reality just makes it harder for indigenous people to provide for themselves. I say indigenous because—Hernando de Soto is as I say South American—this is a worldwide phenomenon. I think it's a pity that in New Zealand Te Ururoa Flavell's bill was not advanced. It's been drawn by a National Party MP out of the ballot. It hasn't been announced by the Government.But in the long term one of the most important things we can do is the opposite of one of the provisions in this bill and that is make it easier for Māori property rights to be converted into commercial value for the prosperity of all people.With that I think you know important note of objection we believe that this legislation is enabling it enhances freedom and flexibility of people to provide for their own needs so long as they are not harming the interests of others and that is something that the ACT Party will always be standing up in the Parliament in support of. Thank you very much Madam Speaker.