Chadwick Steve: Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill — First Reading 
Chadwick Steve: Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:656;Page:5707] 
Hon STEVE CHADWICK (Labour) 
: 
 I am very happy to pick up on the theme that the previous speaker Carol Beaumont was talking on so well when she ran out of time. I am pleased to speak on the Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill. I think it is time for us—especially in a time of recession when we are all looking at how to soften its sharp edges—to look at and reflect on the value of time spent with our children and time spent with our families especially on an indigenous public holiday. None of the other public holidays sit well with all of New Zealand. But here is an opportunity for us with Matariki Day to celebrate new life new growth and a new season. 
I was reminded of Matariki by my moko Manaia who came home first from his kura to tell me all about Matariki Day and the constellations the voyage to New Zealand and the planting calendar. I thought “Well done little boy!”. He was then four. Now at school he has come home with more beautiful drawings and celebrations of Matariki Day. The school went to Te Papa and had a wonderful day but his parents could not go with him. It was not a public holiday. 
I think Matariki Day is a wonderful day for us and is about the growth of our country. As the Maori Party has mentioned it has been 30 years since recognition of the Maori language came in. I remember the shock horror at the thought that we might have to speak te reo. Yet now that is seen to be nothing. In fact many cultures are celebrating Maori Language Week. 
I was a bit disturbed to hear National members say things like “Get off your butt.” “Get out to work.” “Add to productivity.” and “Stop sitting on your chuff and wanting yet another public holiday” when at this very time in New Zealand’s culture we are worried about family violence and want to build strong resilient communities. We could do no better in rebuilding communities than to celebrate a day that truly belongs to all New Zealanders. We could do that rather than sharing the vestiges of a colonial past which is actually what Waitangi Day represents and rather than sharing religious holidays. Many people now do not have a religious belief and Christmas or Easter may not mean anything to them. All of those days that we respect are part of the 3½ days of public holidays but this bill gives the opportunity for a truly New Zealand day to be celebrated. 
I think the bill is wonderful; it is aspirational. If the generations of people in this House listen to our children they will understand that Matariki is a festival day. It excites all children not just Maori children about the cycle of life the cycle of growth and the importance of family. Those are the things we should be holding dear to ourselves. 
I also agree with the Maori Party that we do not need to worry yet about whether people are paid a day in lieu or whether there is compensation for the difficulties in the workplace. Select committees can work that sort of thing out. They have a submission process as they had on the Easter trading bill where they worked out how workers and employers should be recompensed for public holidays. 
I think this bill is aspirational for all New Zealanders. I thought the National Government wanted to have a bright future for all New Zealanders. This bill gives parties across the House the chance to not pan the proposal for a Matariki Day but to send the bill to the select committee and let it hear submissions from people across New Zealand: workers employers families and groups that care about building a New Zealand identity that is strong that we can be proud of and that is aspirational for our children. The bill is the perfect tool. It was exciting to see that Rahui Katene’s bill was successful in the ballot. I was very sad to hear that this Government which talks about having high aspirations and high family values is panning the bill which provides the first opportunity for New Zealand to celebrate nation rebuilding. I am proud to be in a party that supports the referral of this bill to a select committee.