Peters Winston: Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Deletion Bill — First Reading 
Peters Winston: Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Deletion Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:626;Page:21182] 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 Those who have heard this debate tonight will be gravely confused as to what the position of the Labour Party and the Green Party is. Frankly those parties were given a chance to tell New Zealand what the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are. I challenged them at the start to outline them if they were supporting this bill and Mr Russell Fairbrother who is the most qualified of the legal team within Labour—the man with the most legal experience—let the cat out of the bag. 
Russell Fairbrother said that Labour could not describe what the principles are. He admitted that the references are vague references—those were his words. He said that they could not be defined—those were his words. He said that we should continue with this shorthand in the meantime—whatever that means. Then he said a fascinating thing for a member who has been elected to this Parliament in one of the greatest and longest-serving democracies in the Western World. He said that we should leave it for the courts to decide. There we have it. Who voted for the courts? When did they campaign? When were they asked to consult with the public? When these principles were first introduced back in 1986 by Geoffrey Palmer which Maori asked for them? I ask Mr Fairbrother to name one who did so back then. But he cannot. 
I say to Mr Fairbrother that I am very very disappointed. He came here with such a high reputation and such a lofty understanding of the law principles and constitutional niceties yet he has let himself and his colleagues down grievously. 
Dail Jones 
: He used it as a defence for someone. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Yes I remember that he used it as a defence for a guy—a most heinous man—and said that the man was the victim of colonisation. Mr Fairbrother said that man murdered someone because he was the victim of colonisation. 
With the greatest of respect we can see what has happened here tonight. Down from the ninth floor has come the edict telling the boys and girls that Labour is in trouble with the Maori vote so that no matter what sense and logic is told in this debate the Labour members must just ignore it and go out put up any old defence and vote against this bill. Let me tell Labour this: it might win tonight but it will be a short-run victory—very short. 
We in New Zealand First are a group of members of Parliament that includes six Maori. Frankly we are appalled at the condition that Maori have got into whilst Labour has allowed Maori to be sidetracked on this issue. In every respect—housing health education jobs careers and futures—Maori have fallen back massively under Labour. All that Labour has to offer is this experiment of the principles that it cannot explain. Worst of all we are facing the arrogance of members such as the member for Whanganui who say to Maori in the most invertedly racist way that they know more than them. Labour members are telling Maori to keep quiet because they are the voice of Maori. It is the new version of the white man’s burden. They are telling Maori to listen to them because they know more than them. 
Well we in New Zealand First say that Labour members do not know better and that shortly they and their colleagues will be gone. One reason is that Maori want real things. That is why they have gone in droves to Australia and why they make such a fortune over there as families. They do not have the treaty parachute on their back. 
Jill Pettis 
: When are you joining them? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Actually I am having big meetings in Queensland Sydney Melbourne and Perth. The whanau will be out in their thousands. 
Hon Member 
: Take your time. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: I will take my time because we have plenty of time on our hands. My colleagues will come too. On election night when the polls are coming in the people are giving their verdict and Labour is going down Labour members will say that they wished they had listened to New Zealand First. They will wish that they had not been so arrogant and had listened to the one party that understands Maori ordinary people and workers and understands their dreams hopes and aspirations. They will wish that they had backed New Zealand First’s view.