Paraone Pita: Budget Debate 
Paraone Pita: Budget Debate 
[Volume:639;Page:9607] 
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
: 
 Tena no koe. Like my colleague who has just resumed her seat I say that it is also my pleasure to participate in this debate. In contrast with some of the views that have already been expressed in this House I believe that Budget 2007 has delivered something for Maori. If we start itemising those areas that are of concern to Maori—not least of all broadcasting health Treaty issues education and whanau—we can see how Budget 2007 has delivered. 
I will make reference to one particular item that this Budget has delivered for Maori. It is no coincidence that this item has been delivered as a result of the confidence and supply agreement between New Zealand First and Labour. The particular item is the area of Maori wardens. 
I regard Maori wardens as the unsung heroes of our country. The Maori Wardens Association was established in the early 1950s so that Maori wardens could take care of their respective communities. We can see that the role that Maori wardens play has changed from that time to today particularly when we consider that in the 1960s and 1970s this country witnessed a great migration of Maori families from rural areas into the towns. The contribution that Maori wardens made to help assimilate members of their Maori community into those areas is beyond recognition. 
I say thank you to Dr Cullen for producing in this Budget 2007 an amount of money that will certainly assist the Maori wardens to carry out their duties. I also remind this House that the reason the funding for Maori wardens was part of the confidence and supply agreement between New Zealand First and the Labour-led Government was that in previous years our leader had been responsible for ensuring that regular annual funding was made to both the Maori Women’s Welfare League and to kapahaka and it just seemed strange that Maori wardens and the contribution that they were making to our society and our communities was not being recognised. 
This year’s Budget is recognition of that contribution. Funding of $2.5 million over the next year with further funding in excess of $4 million over 4 years out from 2008 will ensure that funding for Maori wardens is kept on the books and that it is in line with the funding provided to the Maori Women’s Welfare League and to kapahaka. 
Law and order issues have been the subject of recent debate in this House particularly with regard to gangs—many of which I am sad to say are made up of young and not-so-young Maori. It seems to me that if the Maori wardens had been involved in not so much the control of but the consultation with such gangs then the problems that gangs bring on our society would have been minimised. 
It is with great pleasure that New Zealand First can claim some success in acquiring the necessary resources for Maori wardens so that they can continue to carry out their duties. I know that Henare Hape a warden in the far north and Peter Walden the national president of the Maori Wardens Association and a resident of Rotorua will be pleased to hear that this funding is being made available to them. It is incumbent on the organisation that has been responsible for them in the past—the New Zealand Maori Council—and Te Puni Kokiri to get their heads together to ensure that this funding is not wasted but is directed towards the area for which it was intended. 
I can commend Budget 2007 for all the resources that it delivers for Maori. Kia ora.