Henare Tau: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Henare Tau: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:638;Page:8468] 
Hon TAU HENARE (National) 
: 
 Straight off the bat I want to talk briefly about two former colleagues of mine Brian Donnelly and Doug Woolerton. Although I support wholeheartedly their democratic right to vote whichever way they want to I say especially to my friend Doug Woolerton that I get a bit wild in this debate when accusations are made that normal parents—the majority of New Zealanders whether they be black white red or green—are child beaters or abusers. That is what I have no truck with. 
Hon Member 
: No one said that. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Well if the member had been in the Chamber while Doug Woolerton was speaking she would have found out that that is what Doug Woolerton actually said. [ 
Interruption 
] Yes it was. 
Peter Brown 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I do not want to interrupt my honourable colleague but I do point out that it is the convention of this Chamber not to refer to anybody’s absence. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: I agree. The contributor transgressed there. I would also like Mr Henare to come back to the bill. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: During the debate while I have been in the Chamber I have been accused by the former member for Whanganui of being an abuser. I find it absolutely disgusting that the member used this debate to accuse me—and most probably every other decent working-class parent—of being an abuser. 
 Sue Bradford said that the best torturers in the world know how to hide their handiwork. For God’s sake! This is not Iraq. Every parent is not Saddam Hussein. Every parent is not a member of Al Qaeda. I respect Sue immensely. I have worked with Sue in a past life and I respect her immensely. But the problem I have— 
Peter Brown 
: That explains a lot. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Peter Brown says that that explains a lot. Well I tell you what—no I will not; I will keep to what I am saying. The fact of the matter is that this bill would not have stopped the Kahui twins from being killed. 
Jill Pettis 
: How do you know that? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Because the murderers of the Kahui twins would not have given a toss about what the legislation was. They were bent on murder. This bill would not have stopped them. This bill would not have stopped all the murderers of our babies and of our children. So do not pretend—[ 
Interruption 
] The Hon Brian Donnelly says to get rid of our murder laws. 
Hon Member 
: No he didn’t. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Yes he did. 
Hon Member 
: Be honest! 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I am asked to be honest. I think that is actually a breach of the Standing Orders. Is it OK—[ 
Interruption 
] I have raised a point of order Mr Chairperson and three people have intervened while I have been speaking on it. The Speaker today booted people out of the Chamber for just that transgression. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: I too am trying to get into the debate. But yes I remind members that it was a point of order they clearly heard that it was and that means that they keep quiet. It has been a pretty robust debate. How about you continue Mr Henare. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: I raise a point order Mr Chairperson. As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted the Hon Brian Donnelly said something. I have repeated in the Chamber what I think he said. Now I am being told that “Be honest!” is not what he said. I seek leave for Brian Donnelly to say what he actually said to me during my speech. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: The member cannot seek leave for another member to do anything. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: I have to dispose of the point of order that is on the floor. I dispose of it by saying that we will leave it at that. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: I did make an interjection. The Hon Tau Henare half-quoted what I said. He did not quote the whole thing. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: These are all points of debate but I thank both members for raising them. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: What was the other half? 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I believe that within the Standing Orders there is a provision that if one has been misquoted within a speech— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: A member can raise this issue at the end of a speech not during a speech. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: This bill will do nothing to save the lives of the babies who get thumped and who will continue to get thumped; it will do nothing. With the new section 59—or the “no section 59”—there will not be hordes of people out there running around the town saying: “Hey this doesn’t apply to me so I’m going to thump my kids when I get home because it doesn’t matter. ”  
I do believe what Nick Smith has said that some separations are acrimonious. Boy watch the sparks fly then! There are also neighbours who hate each other. For God’s sake! We have seen it on reality TV. One neighbour will say: “Oh here we go. Now this is really good. Let’s—” [ 
Interruption 
] Oh whatever! For God’s sake! I have five children and I know what I am talking about. Some people do not have children and they should shut up especially when they do not know what they are talking about. I have brought up five children with the help of my wife and we have done a great job. I am proud of my kids. The fact of the matter is that I did not abuse them. [ 
Interruption 
] I did not say that that member does not have any kids but her leader does not have any. Those members can dish it out they can call me an abuser but they cannot take it. And when they cannot take it they get all mad and stupid.