Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): E te Māngai o te Whare tēnā tātou. Tēnā koe otirā ngā mema o te Whare nei tēnā tātou katoa. I'm absolutely honoured to take a call on the 150-year anniversary of the Māori Affairs Committee.But before I turn my attention to contribute to the debate in the House can I also acknowledge the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when we saw the end of the Great War the First World War Armistice Day. I'd like to acknowledge sharing at 11 a.m. this morning the laying of the wreath with Our Excellency Dame Cindy Kiro our new Governor-General of Aotearoa New Zealand at a ceremony at Pukeahu. Can I acknowledge current and former servicemen and women who continue to serve our great nation with pride.As we just heard from contributions in the House around the significance of the Māori Affairs Committee I myself did serve on the committee. I want to acknowledge those that have been on it who continue to be on it and I want to join with members that say the Māori Affairs Committee is a special type of select committee. I've enjoyed the years that I've had on that select committee.My journey into Parliament when I came in in the middle of 2013 the Hon Mr Shane Jones actually said to me Meka which select committee do you want to go on?" Of course I went "There's only one select committee and that's actually the primary industry." not because I didn't think the Māori Affairs Committee wasn't important; it just had very very mighty members on that committee. So he gave me about three months on the primary industry select committee and after three months I got tailed back to the Māori Affairs Committee.Can I acknowledge the significance of the committee formed in 1871. I thought I'd just use this time to take members back on a little historic journey particularly as it relates to my electorate of Tai Rāwhiti Ikaroa-Rāwhiti in that the Treaty was signed in May 1840 at a place that's 10 minutes from my home in Manutuke Gisborne—a place called Manutuke. It was a thriving economic township in Aotearoa New Zealand Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa—or today known as Gisborne. We had schooners we had traders and people were living I would say with our new settlers rather well until the Crown turned up 25 years later in 1865 and everything went to custard. The Poverty commission was set up. Land was confiscated. We had the Waerenga-a-Hika siege in 1865 and land was confiscated back then.In 1867 we had the passing of the Maori Representation Act which saw the formation of four Māori seats. I was going to say the naming of them is a bit like North Island and South Island. So we had Northern Māori Eastern Māori Western Māori and Southern Māori. I'm pleased to see that we now have seven Māori electorate seats in this Parliament today. I want to acknowledge the first Eastern Māori MP in this House Tāreha Te Moananui who served Eastern Māori back when those seats were formed. It made me think that in 1867 this House moved to establish the four Māori electorate seats but the Māori Affairs Committee wasn't up and running until 1871. So it would be interesting to know how that particular piece of legislation that was really groundbreaking was considered by the House as a whole or which committee it went to. It definitely didn't go to the Māori Affairs Committee because it wasn't established until four years later.Having said that though like I said significant pieces of legislation have gone through the select committee. I can't do the time justice to acknowledging what legislation went through the Māori Affairs Committee; however I want to acknowledge the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal as a previous speaker has talked about. The fisheries settlement Act was significant for Māori. Te reo Māori as an official language is another significant piece of legislation.Like I said there are so many pieces that this select committee would have examined and had open public to submit on. It is a great committee. I recommend all members of this House if they ever get a chance to either be on a select committee or to sub in for people who can't—I really strongly recommend the Māori Affairs Committee. It is a unifying committee. We do have our political differences but we look at the kaupapa and the issue. All members that I have sat with in the time that I've been on that committee have come with that approach. It is a great committee to be part of to belong in. I celebrate with all members in this House its 150-year anniversary and its contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand. Thank you Madam Speaker."