Whaitiri Meka: Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Extended licensing hours during Rugby World Cup) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWhaitiri Meka: Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Extended licensing hours during Rugby World Cup) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 26 August 2015. Volume:708;Page:6201. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti):Tēnā koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Tēnā tātou katoa. I am glad to take a call on this bill and like previous speakers from the Labour side we hope that we can cast our vote in a personal manner. I come from a rugby-loving family. My dad represented the armed forces when he served in Korea my three brothers all represented Hawke’s Bay in age groups and my two sons are also following those traditions. I also did kick the ball around in my younger days when living here in Wellington.When I look down at the title of this bill and see “Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Extended licensing hours during Rugby World Cup) Bill” nothing in that title makes me want to love rugby more than I currently love rugby. Nothing in that title makes me want to be more patriotic to wish and—as the member Mr Bishop said—to get the All Blacks over the line. When I look at that title there is one seven-letter word that is in there that causes my major concern and that is the word “alcohol”. That is why I cannot back this bill and I will tell you why.On Monday this week I was honoured to attend the Waitangi Tribunal hearing into the military veteran’s kaupapa inquiry Wai 2500 where veterans rose and spoke not only about their motivation of why they went to war but about the impacts it had on them when they came back. We were fortunate to have two 28th Māori Battalion veterans at that hearing and two Korea veterans at that hearing as well as other previous military servers. At that hearing we also heard from families who spoke about the trauma that was inflicted on families for many of those veterans when they returned back and alcohol played a key part in many of those families in those early days upon their fathers’ and their uncles’ returns. It was with great sadness that we heard the story of veterans who were once very proud men resorting to drinking to get over the horrors of the war. It was not just the physical impact or the psychological impact of alcohol but it was the absolute devastation of Māori men’s leadership. That came through those hearings that I attended.It is with humility that I stand here as a proud member of a Māori seat because 76 years on we are still suffering the lack of a lot of Māori men leaders. When I look at this bill—and yes it is distinct from the support and love of rugby and I love it like anybody else does in this country; and I too am passionate for the All Blacks—and when I sat in the hearing with veterans who served this country proudly and their families who spoke of the horror that the war and the impact of alcohol had on those families I cannot in good conscience support this bill. So this is one of the reasons why I cannot support it for the memory of many of those soldiers who served and gave to this country.The other one briefly is Raureka. Raureka is a community in Hastings. They are currently running a petition for not wanting another alcohol outlet in their community. I know that this bill is allowing families to enjoy the Rugby World Cup. When I look at the bill I commend the Justice and Electoral Committee for the work it has done in trying to minimise harm but I have outlined the reasons why in good conscience I cannot support this bill—because of the impact that alcohol has had on many of our Māori families throughout Ikaroa-Rāwhiti not just as a result of the wars but today in this time. I stand here like I said for those families who spoke and to say that I cannot support this bill. Kia ora tātou.