Davidson MaramaMARAMA DAVIDSON (Green): Whoo! My goodness I do not even know where to start. This is a bill to improve Māori representation in local government—the Māori local electoral amendment bill. It is simply to make the process the same as the process for establishing general wards—the same. That is what this bill wants to do—make it the same. I could almost finish there but it is too tempting—it is too tempting. We heard from some of the Opposition members that we do not need this bill—except we do because as I said at the beginning the only local council that has managed to actually get a Māori ward over the line is Wairoa District Council and Wairoa happens to have one of the most densely populated Māori populations in the whole country. So we do need legislation to help us along.Local governments hold power and resources and the decisions that they make impact on everybody including Māori on a day-to-day basis. They impact on Māori aspirations. At the heart of Te Tiriti is an understanding and an agreement that we will have a sovereign say on the decisions that affect us and that it is a breach if we are not realising that vision. It is a breach of Te Tiriti if we are not having our sovereign say and at the moment a lot of that sovereign say is held at the tables of local councils. So all this bill wants to do again is make the process the same as the process that it currently takes to establish general wards.It is too tempting—I said I was not going to respond to some of the most ludicrous responses but it is a little bit tempting. This bill will wipe costs because a referendum will not be needed. The Opposition tried to tell us that it is going to be too costly to have another referendum—this from a party that loves million-dollar referendums. Opposition members did not even read the bill. This legislation removes the need for referendums and leaves the decision at the local council table without the extra costs and the extra hurdle. So I could not pass up that chance.But there is another one. I have heard that this bill contravenes the Treaty. Um what? This bill is upholding the Treaty and not only that we heard from the chief legal counsel themselves that this bill is consistent with the rights and freedoms affirmed in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. Then I think back to the big celebration and bells and whistles when this Government signed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples with much celebration. That very declaration is about affirming the sovereignty of indigenous peoples and our right to have a say where the tables hold the power and the resources. Much of that is at local council so why not let us look at that opportunity to really bring to life the celebration for that Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that this Government heralded as an achievement.This should not be a controversy. There should be grown - ups in this House ready to make a legislative difference that will benefit everybody that will benefit our communities in Aotearoa New Zealand in this modern day and age and that actually will allow more Māori at the table so we can work together. It will remove much of the struggle that hapū are currently facing to try to fight for good sewerage and water systems because they can be at the table. We heard some concern that mana whenua might be removed. Oh come on! We can sort out those issues. We have got the power. We can sort those out. That is OK.This bill will improve Māori representation at local government by making the process the same as for general wards. I wish we could grow up and support it. Thank you.