Paraone Pita: Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill — In Committee 
Paraone Pita: Manukau City Council (Control of Graffiti) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:646;Page:15318] 
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
: 
 Tena koe Madam Chair. Engari i mua i te haere tonu o waku korero i roto i te Whare i te po nei e tika ana kia tukuna atu nga mihi ki tena tetahi o nga kaimahi o te Whare e hia te roa. Na reira e Tumu tenei te mihi atu ki a koe. Ahakoa ka nui hoki o te mamae ki to wehenga engari mohio ana au i a taua ko tenei te ahuatanga te kaupapa o to tatou Matua Nui i te Rangi nana i homai nana i tango. 
Engari ahakoa kei te pouri hoki i rongo matou i te hinga atu tetahi o nga hoa rangatira o tetahi o nga kaimahi i roto i te Whare nei kei te mihi tonu ki a ia. Na reira e te tuahine e Tangi haere hoki atu. Tenei te mihi atu ki a kourou i takahia te ara whanui a Tane e kawe atu i a kourua ki te kainga tuturu mo tatou mo te tangata. Na reira kua ea te wahi ma kourua ki a koutou hoki ka hoki mai ki a tatou te hunga ora tena ano tatou. 
A tena hoki i a tatou engari he mihi tonu ki a koe e te whanaunga Su’a. Ahakoa i puta mai to korero tuatahi i roto o te Whare nei i nanahi engari tenei te wa tuatahi i riro i a au ki te mihi hoki ki a koe. Na reira haere mai. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Greetings to you Madam Chair. Before I go on with my address tonight it is appropriate that condolences are extended to a long-serving employee of Parliament. So I acknowledge you Tumu. Although your departure has created much grief you and I know that our Father in Heaven giveth and taketh.  
As we mourn your loss it has come to our attention of another who has passed away wife of one your colleagues here in Parliament. Condolences to you also sister Tangi. Farewell. Acknowledgments to you both as you walk the great pathway of Tane that will take you to the permanent home for all of us mankind. The part for you two and those departed has been met so I come back to us the living: greetings 
. 
Greetings again to us but to you in particular Su’a. Although you made your maiden speech in the House yesterday this is my first opportunity to acknowledge you also. Welcome 
.] 
Just by way of explanation I tell the Committee that I am just extending my welcome to the new member Su’a William Sio. I think it is appropriate that I acknowledge him seeing that he has announced his stepping down as Deputy Mayor of the Manukau City Council which this bill is all about. I have no doubts that Mr Sio will have a lot of thoughts pertaining to this bill. 
I also want to say that I declare a vested interest in this bill. I have done so every time I have stood in this Chamber to speak to it. That vested interest is that I am a citizen and a ratepayer of Manukau City and of course I have some strong views about the group that this bill is all about. Like the rest of the citizens of Manukau City I have to meet the costs of dealing with the problem this bill is all about. 
I say straight off that New Zealand First will be supporting this bill. It addresses a long-standing problem that dare I say not only Manukau City but also a whole lot of other cities and communities around New Zealand have had to confront. In that regard I am somewhat disheartened that we have not heard from other metropolises around the country expressing their support for this bill. It is agreed that the bill is unique to Manukau City and it addresses the issue for Manukau City but I have no doubt that other cities could adopt such legislation. 
Tonight we heard that over 300000 pieces of tagging—for want of a better description—are faced by Manukau City and make up the bulk of the problem. This bill looks at restricting the sale of spray-cans but we all know that more than just spray-cans can be utilised to tag people’s property. 
The sad part about it is that this problem usually takes place on other people’s property. The previous speaker made reference to that and I think that that is the real issue. I believe there should be areas where if people want to tag they can—but not on other people’s property. We used to have a problem with skateboarders and the answer for that problem was to set aside particular areas for skateboarders. Unfortunately I think we will be pushing the barrel a little bit to extend that answer to taggers.