Jackson WillieHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour): It's only appropriate I speak after that speaker because I found that interesting what he was saying about our member Mr Kieran McAnulty. I understand where the member's coming from I mean he's meant to be one of our young outstanding Māori MPs coming through. He's been lauded by some of the mainstream media. So he feels affronted when Kieran McAnulty gets up or some Pākehā members from the Greens get up he gets affronted and upset that his Taha Māori side is being questioned. And absolutely I accept that he's whakapapa Māori and without doubt has a lot of talent and skills but he needs to understand the depth of this kauapa. Mr Meager you need to understand that so many of our people for many many years have struggled to get on these councils—we're talking for decades—decades—now—Glen Bennett: Only one in New Plymouth.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: One in New Plymouth.I can never not continue this type of kōrero without giving a mihi to my tuāhine Nanaia Mahuta because racism has been a lot of the kōrero tonight and I saluted Kieran and I salute any Pākehā members any members who absolutely accept that this is being driven sadly by racism. I also accept the kōrero that the individual members on the other side are not particularly racist at all. I accept that kōrero. But this policy is absolutely racist. And no one pointed that out better than Kieran McAnulty.James Meager: He's got your vote!Hon WILLIE JACKSON: No one felt that more Mr Meager—he can make a joke of it but no one felt that racism more than former Minister Nanaia Mahuta who was pilloried in the media who was destroyed in the media by rednecks by racists. I wonder if people in the House on the other side thought that was racist when she was singled out and let's be frank here—Simon Court: She wasn't good—she wasn't good.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: —she was well she might not have been good but she did not deserve the type—from your perspective she might not have been good from your perspective she did not deserve the racial abuse that she went through and why you can't get that through your thick head is beyond me. You know? It's just beyond me that you think that it's acceptable. You think that it's acceptable for a Minister who is standing up for her people and the opportunity to access democracy was her driver you think that it was acceptable that she went through all those racial taunts.Can I say today for years and years our people have strived to get on councils. Now do you think for one moment—I was listening to Mariameno—do you think for one moment Mariameno could get on a council? Do you think for one minute Mariameno could—no this is what drives this kaupapa. Do you think Rawiri Waititi for one second could get on to a council? Do you think Willie Jackson for one second [Interruption] no for one second could get onto a council? There is absolutely no chance for anyone with a pro-Māori agenda. There is no chance there is no opportunity in getting on a council.That's what drove this legislation and the Opposition can't get it through their stupid thick heads that this is what Māoridom wanted. That's why we had the Derek Fox's standing. Derek became a mayor but over 50 percent of his of his voter base are Māori. But anyone who has a pro-Māori agenda cannot. I'll give you a couple of examples. Hilda Harawira for example the wife of Hone Harawira. Hilda became a councillor because of this beautiful legislation. Toi Iti the son of Tāme Iti—they reckon Tāme's going to get on the local council actually he might do he's been showing a bit of heart lately. But seriously this is the essence of this legislation: anyone who has a pro-Māori agenda will not be voted in by the Pākehā mainstream voters. Why? Because their views offend them—James Meager: Tell us about Helen Clark.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: —just like their views offend the sell-out over there: Mr Meager. That is just an undeniable fact. Mr Meager when you accuse others of not doing their job you're not doing your job as one of our young Māori aspirant leaders and one day you're going to have to face Māori properly Mr Meager rather than sit around with your mates in the National Party.But the sad part of this is that there is so much hypocrisy as Mr McAnulty pointed out—hypocrisy right across the spectrum. It's a different setup isn't it if you're in a rural seat. It's different if you have multiple properties. If you're a multiple property owner you can vote two three four times. There's all these hypocrisies and contradictions but if you're a Māori oh well that's different. There's a different set of rules for you.What the opposition refuse to accept is that there in fact has been a change in democracy. No one has pointed it out better in the last few days than their very own Hekia Parata who came out and said—just talking about the Treaty principles kaupapa: what a waste of time and this Government is rehearsing what someone's version of democracy is. This is from Hekia Parata a well-established and well-supported education Minister. She says ACT are trying to reference what democracy is and says entering into treaties are a feature of democracy. Individual and personal rights are a feature of democracy." These minorities getting a say the Treaty of Waitangi are features of democracy. Democracy has been tweaked; democracy has been changed. Again they can't get it through their heads that it's more than just one person one vote. What does the opposition not understand about that?Do they only understand that there's a change in democracy when they're doing a dirty filthy deal in Epsom? Is that when they accept that there's a change in democracy? So the ACT Party does a deal with the National Party in Epsom. They do a deal so that their leader can win the seat in Epsom but then they say "Oh that's got nothing to do with tweaking democracy." Democracy has been tweaked many times and the Treaty is an important and an implicit part of that model. It's an absolute fact. And I'm proud that as a party we've been going down this track.In terms of this this bill wants to put in place this barrier. The barrier's not going to be put in the place as I said of rural ward voters it's not going to be put in the place of general ward owners. The barrier's not going to be put in the way of property owners having multiple votes in multiple districts. No it is only Māori wards and their voters that must be approved by a district-wide vote. Our people—James Meager: Bring back Poto Williams.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Mr Meager our people—I'm not sure what committee you were chairing. I've heard from others here that our people are crying out for these wards to stay.Hon Rachel Brooking: As a council.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: As a council this is the first time that we've been able to access democracy at a local level. What select committee were you chairing? Were you chairing your own committee? That member needs to get his head around things Māori a lot more. I'd offer a bit of a service for him but some of us have given up on him the way he was attacking some of our members tonight.But to consign this and to confine this to a veto is one of the saddest parts and one of the saddest things I've seen in democracy today. Democracy is evolving. The Treaty if Waitangi is an integral part of that democracy. The opposition Mr Meager you need to understand that; you need to accept that that the Treaty is an integral part. Play your game don't play the ACT Party's game.James Meager: You're obsessed!Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Ha ha! I'm obsessed. No I'm far from obsessed Mr Meager—I'm far from obsessed. I'm absolutely focused on trying to get justice for our people in these areas and the Treaty is an integral part of that. And this bill is another sad example of Māori people losing their rights with regards to the Treaty partnership that exists but sadly has been denied by the ACT Party and supported sadly by this National Party. And I'm so looking forward to my third crack at this at the committee stage of this bill. I want to complement our team again for supporting our argument. Kia ora tātou."