Flavell Te Ururoa: Melanesian Trusts (Income Tax Exemption) Amendment Bill — Second Reading Third Reading 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Melanesian Trusts (Income Tax Exemption) Amendment Bill — Second Reading Third Reading 
[Volume:646;Page:15307] 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
: 
Tena koe Madam Assistant Speaker. Ko taku noa ake i te tuatahi ko te tuku i te poroporoaki ki tera kua ngaro atu i nga pakitara o te Whare Paremata ara te toa i tu ki mua i te pa tuwatawata e tu ake nei. Ohorere ana te ngakau i taku rongo kua wahangu koe koro e Tumu i tenei rangi. Hoi ano e hoki ki Hawaiki nui Hawaiki roa ki Hawaiki pamamao. E koro haere whakangaro atu. 
I tera wiki i whakarewahia tetahi hongere whakaata hou ko Te Reo tona ingoa.Ko tona putake ko te reo Maori me ki kia rangona te reo Maori e korerotia ana. No reira me mihi ki a ratou na ratou tera kaupapa i whakatinana kia puawai i te rangi nei. Koi nei ka whakaaro ake kia whakaputaina tenei kauhau ki roto i te reo o oku tupuna kia whai ai i taua tauira. 
A ki te mema hou nau mai e rarau. He rawe tou kauhau inapo. E Sua talofa lava haere mai. 
Ko tenei pire ki te Whare i te po nei he take ahua mama noa iho ara te hiwhinga ka puta mai i te Melanesian Mission Trust Board me nga tohatoha whai muri o te whiwhinga a taua poari kia noho kore taake. E tautoko ana te Pati Maori i tenei take. Ki o matou whakaaro me noho kore taake nga take awhina tangata. Ko nga tumanako awhina a-iwi a-matauranga a-whakapono ka whai kiko ma te hoko whenua whare karakia kura whare a te whakapai poti etahi atu waka tetahi putea tiaki pihopa minita me nga kaiako. 
Me te mea nei he mama noa iho tera ara ka whakapau te Poari o te Melanesian Mission Trust i te whiwhinga tangorihi hei koha ki te Hahi o Melanesia me ki nga motu o Horomona Vanuatu me Kanaki. Kati he pera tonu te ahua? 
Ko te take nui i puta mai ki a au ko tera e pa ana ki te whakamahinga o te whiwhinga tangorihi. Ko te whenua i Mission Bay me Kohimarama he whenua i whakawehea i rihia mo nga whare. Ko tona hanga he ahua rite ki nga rihi a Glasgow ara he mea mutunga kore he mea whakahou he mea ata tirohia anotia. He ahua orite ki nga mea o Glasgow. No Aotearoa te hanga o enei momo rihi ara kia noho kohatu nga rihi ki tetahi nui ki tetahi rahi ranei ia tau ia tau a ka noho penei mo nga tau 21. Kaore tona taketake i te tino mohiotia engari ara noa atu tona panga. Ka hipa nga tau rua tekau ma tahi ka tirohia enei momo rihi (a Glasgow) ara ki tetahi paiheneti o te wariu o nga whenua ki te utu reti ranei mo tetahi atu tau 21 ano. 
Ki taku mohio i whakakorengia nga rihi o Glasgow i te United Kingdom i te tau tahi mano iwa rau rua tekau ma rua engari i Aotearoa nei i tenei whenua i tenei pito o te ao ka mau tonu ka mau tonu i a tatou. He tino aronga toku ki enei momo rihi penei i nga mea o Glasgow ara te putake tonu o te whiwhinga mo te Melanesian Mission Trust i te mea hangai ai ki te oranga ohanga o te maha o o tatou kura Maori noho. 
Ara a Te Aute tera kura Maori noho rongonui o to matou kaiarahi e rua. Whakahihi ai a te Takuta Pita Sharples ia ra engari kore rawa he paku korero ana mo nga haukerekeretanga a te Kura o Tipene i te maha o nga kemu whutuporo. A aroha mai kai te ahua kotiti taku korero. I Te Aute i te pataitia te tika o nga whenua e watea ana i raro i te ture kia hokoa. Ara a Hato Paora i te tau kua hipa ka akina a ia kia hokona o ratou whenua pamu kia whiwhi putea ai hei whakahou i o ratou kainga noho taiohi. Ara a Tipene ara noa atu nga tane o te puna matauranga penei i a Hone Harawira me etahi atu o tenei Whare a Shane Jones ko au tonu. Ko nga kaitautoko a-putea o Tipene ko te hahi Mihingare. I te wa e tuwhera ana te kura ko ta ratou he whakatikatika i o ratou rawa kia taea ai te whakahou me te whakapaipai i o ratou kainga noho taiohi. 
He take nui whakaharahara tenei ara mo te punaha whenua tangorihi he punaha kei a ia etahi hapanga kino mo nga taha e rua otira mo te whenua noho a-kainga. Ko te tino raru ko tera ki te tangata nona te whenua ara te heke haere o te moni ka hoki mai mo te rangatiratanga o te hua me te kore piki o te reti mo tetahi wa roa engari ka tae ki te wa arotake ka pa he pikinga o te rihi ki nga whakaritenga paiheneti hei kawe ma te kaipupuri whenua. I te nuinga o te wa kaore he hononga ki te whakamahinga o te whenua i te wa nei ki te wariu ranei o nga whakapainga ki te whenua. 
Koi nei te ahuatanga o tenei pire e pa ana ki te Melanesian Mission Trust Board he take wananga tonu ma matou o te Torangapu Maori. 
Ko te whiwhinga no era momo rihi a Glasgow i nga tapa taone tino minatia o Tamaki-makau-rau ara i Kohimarama i Mission Bay kei te awhina i te hahi Mihingare i Melanesia a na reira ko ta matau patai e pa ki te raruraru mo te ohanga kei runga i te Melanesian Mission mehemea he patunga ano hoki a ia o tenei momo whakaritenga rihi. 
Na ara ano tetahi take. Ko te mea pai o tenei momo pire ko to tatou tirohanga ki o tatou korero hitori a-motu nei i te wa i tae mai a tauiwi ki konei. Ki taku mohio i whakaturia te Melanesian Mission Trust Board i te tau kotahi mano waru rau ono tekau ma rua e te Pihopa Mihingare a George Augustus Herewini me John Coleridge Patteson te Pihopa Mihingare Tuatahi i Melanesia. I tae atu a Pihopa Herewini ki Tamaki-makau-rau i te toru tekau o Haratua i te tau kotahi mano waru rau wha tekau ma rua. I ako tonu tera i te reo Maori i tona haerenga mai ki konei. Na wai ra ka tino matau te tangata nei ki te reo ka kauhau mai ka whakaako mai ki roto i te reo Maori i te reo Pakeha ranei e ai ki te ahuatanga o te wa. He tangata rere ke a Pihopa Herewini i te mea ko tona aronga nui ko te matauranga me te whakapono. Nana tonu enei i tuku ki nga Pakeha me nga Maori. I taua wa ko te aronga nui o te mihingare ko te mahi ki waenganui i te tangata whenua kaua ki etahi atu. Na tona aronga ki te Maori ka taupatupatu a ia ki te hahi ki ona hoa Pakeha hoki. I a ia i te kareti o Hato Hoani i kaha tana aki kia noho orite nga tauira Maori Pakeha me nga Melanesian i nga mea katoa ara nga kainga noho nga wharekai nga hakinakina me nga akoranga. 
Na tona whakahe kaupapa whenua o taua wa ka puta hoki te riri ki waenganui o nga Pakeha. I te pakarutanga mai o te raru i Waitara me te pakanga ki Taranaki i kaha whakahengia a Pihopa Herewini mo tona tautoko whakaruruhau i a Wiremu Kingi. Kaore e kore kei te maumahara koutou i whakahe a Wiremu ki te hokonga o nga whenua o Taranaki ki te Kawanatanga. Anei tana: “that no Maori owned land the land was owned by all the people to be used communally and individually and not to be possessed. Under Maori custom no land could be sold without the consent of all the people. As leader he must make a decision in accordance with the people's demands”. 
Na no te timatanga o te tau kotahi mano waru rau ono tekau te hokonga o te whenua i oti ai me te kore whakaae a te iwi a no whai muri tonu mai te hunga ruri whenua i uru atu ai ki te poroko whenua. Ka poto te wa whai muri mai o tera ka tae atu nga hoia ki Waitara ka pakaru mai ra te pakanga. Ahakoa nga taumahatanga o taua wa ka tautokoria e Pihopa Herewini te whakahenga ki te take nei. 
E penei ana taku whakamarama mo te hitori nei na te mea ko te mea miharo ki a au ko te hono o nga taketake o te Melanesian Mission Trust Board me nga mahi o te Kawanatanga ki Waitara tetahi o nga raru whenua e kore e warewaretia. 
Hei kupu whakamutunga ka mihi ki te tapaetanga a te Melanesian Mission Trust Board me nga mokamoka i homai e ratou mo te maharahara ka ahatia tera i kia ra e ratou ko te whiwhinga kore-umanga. Marama ana ta ratou whakatau mai ka whakahekea te putea o tetahi whitu miriona taara ia tau a te Hahi Melanesia ma te rua miriona taara ki te taakehia te whiwhinga o te trust board. Kua whakatakotohia haeretia e au etahi hitori mo te Melanesian Mission me ana mahi engari ko te hapa o tetahi rua miriona taara pea te meka kotahi kaore rawa i tau ki toku ngakau. 
Kei te pire nei to matou tautoko o te Torangapu Maori me te mihi kau atu ano hoki ki te Melanesian Mission Trust Board kia u tonu kia mahi tonu hoki ratou ki te tohatoha whiwhinga mo nga take e pa ana ki te awhina tangata. Kia kaha ra. Kia ora tatou 
. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Greetings to you Madam Assistant Speaker. My task in the first instance is to make a meek farewell to that person who will no longer been seen at his post around the walls of Parliament that warrior who has manned the palisades that stand before us. I was shocked when I heard of your passing today Ancient One Tumu but return to great Hawaiki long Hawaiki and distant Hawaiki. Oh Ancient One go forth depart from view. 
Last week a new TV channel called Te Reo was launched its purpose being to hear the language spoken in Maori. So I acknowledge those responsible for establishing the channel and bringing it to fruition today. To follow that example I thought that this address should be delivered in the language of my ancestors. 
And to the new member welcome settle in. Your speech last evening was stunning. Welcome Sua welcome. 
This bill before the House tonight is seemingly a straightforward one to ensure that income derived by the Melanesian Mission Trust Board and subsequent distributions of income by that trust board are exempt from tax. The Maori Party supports this matter.  We believe that tax exemptions should be granted for charitable purposes.  The charitable educational and religious purposes provided for are described as the purchase of land churches colleges schools and buildings the repair of ships boats and other vessels and the maintenance and endowment of bishops clergy and schoolmasters. 
That all seems fairly straightforward where the Melanesian Mission Trust Board uses leasehold income to fund the Church of Melanesia a mission covering the Solomon Islands Vanuatu and New Caledonia. But is it all so straightforward? 
What really prodded my interest was the issue around the use of leasehold income. The land in Mission Bay and Kohimarama was subdivided and leased for housing in the form of perpetually renewable Glasgow-type leases subject to periodic rent reviews. These “Glasgow” leases are a particular New Zealand construct that fix the leases at an amount per annum that do not change for a term of 21 years.Their origins are not clear but the impact has been huge. Once the 21 years are up these Glasgow leases are reviewed either to a predetermined percentage of the land value or to a market rental for a further 21 years. 
I understand that “Glasgow” leases apparently were abolished in the United Kingdom in 1922 while here in Aotearoa this far-flung outpost of the world it still perseveres. I have a particular interest inGlasgow-type leases which constitute the major source of income for the Melanesian Mission Trust Board as it relates to the economic survival of many of our Maori boarding schools. 
Consider Te Aute College that iconic Maori boarding school of our co-leader. Dr Pita Sharples skites about it every day but fails to mention the many rugby games lost to St Stephen’s College. My apologies—I am digressing somewhat from my address. At Te Aute the legality of sections being available for sale was being questioned. Consider Hato Paora College which last year was forced to sell the farm property in order to gain revenue for the redevelopment of its hostels. Consider St Stephen’s and its many boys from this educational pool like Hone Harawira and others in this House like Shane Jones and myself particularly. The sponsor of St Stephen’s College the Anglican Church had to reorganise its assets in order to upgrade and maintain its hostels when St Stephen’s was opened. 
This is a crucial issue with the leasehold land system a system that has serious disadvantages to both parties particularly for residential land. The most obvious tension is that the lessor receives a declining return for the ownership of the asset with no rent increase over a prolonged period but when the rent is reviewed the lessee faces a rental increase in percentage terms that often bears no relationship to the existing use of the land or the value of the improvements on the land. 
So this is the nature of this bill in regard to the Melanesian Mission Trust Board an aspect that we of the Maori Party will continue to debate.  
The income from the Glasgow-type leases in the highly sought-after Auckland suburbs of Kohimarama and Mission Bay helps to support the Anglican Church in Melanesia so we have to ask the question as to whether the economic plight of the Melanesian Mission Trust Board is in itself a victim of this type of lease arrangement. 
Now there is another matter. The good thing about this bill is how we view our national historical accounts in the period of early European settlement here. To my understanding the Melanesian Mission Trust Board was established in 1862 by the Anglican Bishop George Augustus Selwyn and John Coleridge Patteson the first Anglican Bishop in Melanesia. Bishop Selwyn arrived in Auckland on 30 May 1842. When he arrived here he learnt te reo Maori.  In time he became fluent in Maori preached in Maori and depending on the circumstances taught in Maori or English. Bishop Selwyn was unusual in that education and religion were great interests of his. He delivered both to Pakeha and Maori. In that period the main focus of missionaries was to work with the indigenous people and no one else. His commitment to the Maori people however did bring him into conflict with both the church and fellow Pakeha.  While at St John’s theological college he insisted that Maori Pakeha and Melanesian students should share equally in everything such as accommodation meals sports and studies. 
Because he was critical of land policies of that time he generated anger among Pakeha as well. When the Waitara dispute and the Taranaki War broke Bishop Selwyn was condemned for his public defence of Wiremu Kingi.It was he members will recall who vigorously opposed the sale of the Taranaki land to the Government. This is what he said:  
“that no Maori owned land the land was owned by all the people to be used communally and individually and not to be possessed. Under Maori custom no land could be sold without the consent of all the people. As leader he must make a decision in accordance with the people's demands” 
. 
Now the sale of the land was completed in early 1860 without the consent of the people and soon after surveyors entered into the block. Shortly after that Government troops arrived in Waitara and war broke out. Despite the difficulties of that period Bishop Selwyn supported opposition to this matter. 
My explanation for this historical event has gone this way because connections between early origins of the Melanesian Mission Trust Board and the actions of Government in the Waitara Block truly amazes me as one of a number of land disputes that will not be forgotten. 
In conclusion I acknowledge the Melanesian Mission Trust Board submission and the detail they provided around their uncertainty as to what to do with what they described as non-business income. They spelt it out very clearly—that the funding of the Church of Melanesia some $7 million per annum stands to be reduced by approximately $2 million if the trust board’s income were taxable. I have outlined some of the history and context of the Melanesian Mission and its functions but the one single fact that does not sit very well with me is the loss of some $2 million. 
This bill has the support of the Maori Party and we wish the Melanesian Mission Trust Board the best in their ongoing commitment towards the distribution of income for charitable purposes. Be resolute. Greetings to us all. 
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