Roy Heather: Treaty of Waitangi (Principles) Bill — First Reading 
Roy Heather: Treaty of Waitangi (Principles) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:629;Page:1432] 
HEATHER ROY (Deputy Leader—ACT) 
: 
 I rise to support the first reading of the Treaty of Waitangi (Principles) Bill. I hope that members in the House who have said that they will not support the bill will reconsider their position because it is a very good bill. 
The Green Party member stood up and talked of self-determination and lots of other things. In fact I think the essence of his speech was that the ACT party is trying to inflame Maori. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was very pleased when the Maori Party member spoke on the first reading and said that the party was very pleased that the matter had been raised in the House and that debate was happening. It is a shame that parties are saying that they will not support the bill to select committee because that is the place where we could have proper debate and proper discussion and could investigate fully the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. It is an opportunity that has not arisen. The United Future member wants a commission of inquiry. Goodness knows where we would end up with that. The select committee is in fact the right place to debate and discuss the principles and the role that they have in New Zealand today. 
The bill is necessary because there is a lot of confusion. The phrase “the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi” has been included in many Government statutes—over 30 I believe—but the courts have been given no guidance as to how to interpret those principles. We have had all sorts of things in more recent times. What we need is greater clarity and certainty with the interpretation of the Acts of Parliament where references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi have been made. Select committees are the places to discuss those fully. The bill is in the name of my colleague Rodney Hide who said that maybe he had not got the principles quite right. That is why we present bills to Parliament and send them to select committee so that discussion can be held. As he said he would nominate the bill to go to the Finance and Expenditure Committee where every party in this Parliament is represented with the exception of Jim Anderton. 
Christopher Finlayson 
: The chairman would rip it up. 
HEATHER ROY 
: The chairman might well rip it up—Mr Finlayson is quite right—and what a sad case that would be for such a good bill. 
We should go through clause 6 “Principle of Article the First” clause 7 “Principle of Article the Second” and clause 8 “Principle of Article the Third”. They of course are the essence of this bill. Clause 6 states: “The principle of the first article is that there is just one New Zealand one sovereign nation and the Crown exercises sovereignty on behalf of Maori and non-Maori alike.”—all New Zealanders being equal and what is wrong with that; all New Zealanders treated the same; and all New Zealanders under one sovereign nation. Clause 7 states: “The principle of the second article is that the Crown has a duty to uphold citizens’ property rights.” Many party representatives have stood up here this evening and tried to denigrate property rights. Property rights are very important to New Zealanders. Property rights are what this country is founded on. People believe that property rights are important. 
We had this debate not so long ago and Pita Paraone seemed very confused. He was saying one thing tonight but the New Zealand First Party was saying very different things when we debated the foreshore and seabed legislation last year. Members from many parties have stood up today and spoken about property rights as if they were a bad thing. In fact they are very very important. This confusion must be got over because New Zealanders hold their property rights very dear. 
Winston Peters as my colleague Rodney Hide pointed out used to stand up when he was sitting on this side of the House and ask what the principles were. He demanded Labour members to explain. One answer we received in this Parliament was that the principles are part of a breathing living document. What exactly does that mean? Does that explain the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi? It is a very good reason to send this bill to a select committee to discuss it properly and fully and to hear submissions and expert advice. 
The principle of Article the Third is that everyone in New Zealand who is a citizen has the same rights and obligations as every other citizen. They have equality before the law and have the right to the rule of law to a fair trial to free speech to vote and to the principle that all citizens are equal before the law. That is the basis that our country our society should be founded on. How anybody can stand up in this Parliament and deny Kiwis those very basic things is quite beyond me. This is simple legislation because in essence this is a simple matter. I commend this bill to the House and I ask those parties that have indicated they will not support it to think again to have the discussion to have the debate and to hear the advice because that is what New Zealanders deserve.