Mackey Moana: General Debate 
Mackey Moana: General Debate 
[Volume:656;Page:5895] 
MOANA MACKEY (Labour) 
: 
 I am happy to take a call in this debate and it has been a telling week has it not? This week has been where the rubber hits the road. Despite all the photo opportunities and all the nice hollow words we have heard from National members about supporting the Maori Party and Maori issues when the rubber hits the road what happens? They back off. It is the same old National Party that stood behind Don Brash the Orewa speech and the “Iwi/Kiwi” billboards. We really should not be too surprised. 
I will refer back to the  
Hansard 
 of what has been said before in this House on this issue. The first quote is from the  
Hansard 
 relating to the bill of my colleague Mita Ririnui the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Maori Constituency Empowering) Bill. This allowed the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to have Maori seats. Those seats are there now and they work very very well. The sky did not fall in. Racial segregation has not descended on the Bay of Plenty. But here is what Dr Wayne Mapp had to say about that legislation allowing for Maori seats in local government. He stated: “If we look at the lessons of other countries—those countries that have divided their franchises on the basis of race—we see that almost universally there is a sad picture.” He went on to state: “The reality and Mr Ririnui would try to deny it is that this bill has served to divide the community that he comes from. This bill makes it harder for people to think of each other as equals”. Well the reality is that that has not happened. 
Then we had Tony Ryall’s Local Electoral (Repeal of Race-Based Representation) Amendment Bill where he stated and this is very interesting: “If this bill passes”—to repeal the Maori seats—“it will repeal the provisions of the Local Government Act that allow there to be separatist race-based legislation”. He stated: “They are not necessary and they are divisive … The National Party view which we enunciated in our election policy … is that race-based representation is no longer needed in New Zealand … We believe that it is divisive.” That was from Tony Ryall. 
I will also speak about the Local Government Act 2002 because there is some really good stuff in the debates on the Local Government Act where we allowed councils to have Maori seats. We also provided for Maori consultation. Dr Nick Smith stated: “Then we have the separatism provisions: the way in which we are to change a long-term 160-year tradition in the way we elect local members by introducing apartheid. I say to the Minister in the chair the Hon Chris Carter who proudly boasts that he protested against apartheid in South Africa—but he is going to introduce it into New Zealand—that he should get on his feet and defend that. It will divide New Zealand. What is separate representation if it is not apartheid?”. That is what the Hon Dr Nick Smith said. 
Then Wayne Mapp stated: “the foundation stone of democracy is the equality of citizens whereby we have equal right of participation. Some people say that we should have separate legislative provisions; I say we should be able to learn from experience and not have provisions that advance inequality.” [ 
Interruption 
] Members opposite might want to listen because they may come up on my list very very soon. 
Bill English stated: “[The Local Government Act] creates two standards of citizenship:”—remember that phrase: two standards of citizenship—“one where my relationship to my ancestral land sea air … counts for nothing; but if a person has a brown skin it is in the law.” That is what Bill English had to say. 
I have to mention the quote from this member because it is such a good one even though he is not in Parliament now. It is from Brian Connell. Do members remember Brian Connell? He stated: “Anyone who has sat in this Chamber and listened to Dover Samuels for any length of time will be forgiven for forming the opinion that getting Maori to speak up is easy but getting some of them to shut up is the problem. This strange little clause guarantees the voice of Maori groups in the consultation process and it seems like another of the Government’s separatist agendas.” 
I ask whether any members are really surprised that we are standing here today with a National Government once again refusing to allow Maori representation on the Auckland Council. I ask Maori Party members when they will say that enough is enough. When will they say that it is not good enough to be rolled out for photo opportunities with the Prime Minister at every single opportunity and then to be ignored on all the things that count? 
What did the Maori Party get in the Budget? The Green Party which is part of the Opposition had a stand-up press conference with the Minister it got a press release in the Budget pack and it was lauded by Gerry Brownlee and what did the Maori Party get? It is National’s coalition partner! I tell National members that they should start treating the Maori Party with respect. Having a flag flying over the Auckland Harbour Bridge for one day does not make up for this kick in the teeth for Maori.