Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 20 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8787. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill 
First Reading 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I move  
That the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. 
 At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 23 July 2013 and that the committee have the authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting except during oral questions during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 188 and 191(1)(b) and (c). 
Ma tatou. Koia ra te karanga o Whakaata Maori ki a Aotearoa whanui. 
[ 
It is for us. That is the call of the Maori Television Service to New Zealand at large 
.] 
The launch of the Maori Television Service in 2004 was a watershed moment for Maori people and indeed all New Zealanders. It transformed the media landscape in this country. It made our language and culture accessible to a broad viewing audience. For Maori it has meant the celebration and normalisation of our language our tikanga and our people. I am delighted to celebrate its achievements. 
The Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Act 2003 established the Maori Television Service. It also specified that a review of the operation and the effectiveness of the Act be undertaken in 2008-09 with a report to Parliament and recommendations for any amendments to the foundation legislation. The review was conducted by an independent panel with expertise in Te Reo Maori the television industry and the broadcasting legislation. The panel members were Tainui Stephens Hone Edwards and Jane Huria. Their subsequent report contained 31 recommendations. 
The Minister of Finance and I are the responsible Ministers for the Maori Television Service. We worked with Te Putahi Paoho the Maori Television Service Electoral College to jointly review the recommendations from the independent panel. We did this in 2009-10. Following this Cabinet approved in principle the Government response to the review in October 2010 including various proposed changes to the foundation legislation subject to targeted consultation with Maori. At the time Cabinet deferred consideration of the four recommendations concerning the composition of Te Putahi Paoho so that this work could be synchronised with some related work streams in the Maori affairs portfolio. 
Te Puni Kokiri undertook targeted consultation hui with Maori in 2010 and in 2011 to discuss the proposed legislative changes. No concerns were raised at these hui about the proposed approach and the Government subsequently confirmed the proposed legislative changes as a basis for this bill. 
There is general agreement that the Maori Television Service does an excellent job with its core business. On that basis we are not proposing major changes to its underlying legislation. We do however seek to fine-tune this legislation so that the Maori Television Service is optimally positioned for digital switchover and can continue its strong focus on promoting our language our culture. Digital switchover is scheduled for completion in December 2013. We intend to enact this bill in 2013 so that the Maori Television Service is ready to go digital. 
The bill seeks to make minor changes to the functions of the Maori Television Service to strengthen its focus on Maori language and culture. It will also update arrangements for spectrum management and the contents of Maori Television Service accountability documents. It addresses arrangements for borrowing and investment by the Maori Television Service and also the timeliness of future reviews and other miscellaneous matters. 
The bill provides for a transfer of spectrum management rights from the Crown to Te Putahi Paoho and for Te Putahi Paoho to issue spectrum licences to the Maori Television Service to meet its current and future broadcasting needs. It is my expectation that Te Putahi Paoho will issue a national set of spectrum licences to the Maori Television Service immediately following the passage of this bill to cover a 20-year window. This approach reflects the role of Te Putahi Paoho as a kaitiaki of Maori interests in the Maori Television Service. It also provides certainty of tenure for the Maori Television Service about access to the necessary spectrum licences for it to undertake its business. It will also strengthen the relationship between the Maori Television Service and Te Putahi Paoho. 
The bill also provides for the creation of a deed between the responsible Ministers and Te Putahi Paoho to set up the terms and condition under which Te Putahi Paoho must exercise the spectrum management rights. These terms and conditions will address implementation requirements specific provisions about support for the Maori Television Service and the promotion of the Maori language and culture and circumstances under which Te Putahi Paoho would be required to return the spectrum management rights to the Crown. This approach provides some flexibility for the Crown and Te Putahi Paoho to manage amend and update operational arrangements for spectrum management on an ongoing basis without requiring further legislative change. 
It is my intention to refer the draft deed that has been prepared to the Maori Affairs Committee to inform its consideration of this bill. Following that Te Puni Kokiri and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment will work on behalf of the responsible Ministers to finalise the deed with Te Putahi Paoho. 
As I have noted Cabinet has deferred consideration of the issues regarding the composition of Te Putahi Paoho. This is a serious matter and it will require significant engagement with Maori. I am keen to ensure that any work to consider the composition of Te Putahi Paoho is synchronised with related work streams in Vote Maori Affairs. On this basis I intend to report back to the House with my proposed approach to this matter at an appropriate time. 
It is important that this bill progress through the legislative process in a timely manner. There are a number of spectrum-related transitional arrangements that need to occur once this bill has been enacted to position the Maori Television Service for digital switch-over. For this reason I ask that the motion be agreed—that this bill be reported back to the House by 23 July 2013. 
I would like to briefly acknowledge the efforts of all those who have worked to bring Te Reo Maori into our homes through television. E oku rangatira tenei ka mihi atu ki a koutou ara ki a koutou mahi nunui hei painga mo Te Reo mo nga mokopuna mo nga iwi whanui. Tihei mauri ora. 
[ 
To my revered leaders I acknowledge you collectively particularly your outstanding contributions which the language grandchildren and people at large will benefit from. Behold the breath of life. 
] 
As I have noted the Maori Television Service has taken our language and culture to a broad viewing audience. It plays a major role in promoting our unique heritage and identity to Maori and non-Maori viewers through its outstanding annual coverage of things such as Anzac Day to its free-to-air coverage of the Rugby World Cup 2011 and through its presentation on everyday joys tribulations and triumphs of Maori and other New Zealanders. It is my intention to strengthen the platform for our language and culture through this legislation. I commend this bill to the House. 
Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) 
: 
 Kia ora ano tatau. Maku tenei korero e tuku ki Te Reo Maori ta te mea e korero ana tatau mo te waka i whakaritea ai hei paho i to tatau Reo Maori. Mana e hapai mana e hiki mana e waha i nga take torangapu take hapori take pakihi hei matakitaki mai ma te marea whanui mai i nga kokorutanga katoa o Aotearoa. 
Ko taku ki a koe e Pita pai ke me tuku e taua a taua e mohio ana ki to taua Reo i o taua korero o taua whakaaro ki to tatau Reo hei tirohanga mai ma a tatau tamariki. Oti i a taua te korero i to taua Reo mo tenei take. Me i kore Te Reo Maori kua kore he pakanga me tu te paoho Maori. 
Ta tenei pire ka nui noa atu oku awangawanga engari i a matau ko te tautoko kia whakawhitingia atu ki te komiti uiui. Tuarua ka nui noa atu to matau pouri te korenga o tenei Kawanatanga e pai ki te manaaki i te tono o te iwi Maori mo nga iarere hou e karangahia nei ko te 4G. Me te mea nei ki te kahore matau a tatau ra o Te Ao Maori e haere ake ki te pakanga i teneki take ki te aroaro o te Taraipiunara e kore nga taringa o tena wahine a Amy Adams e rata mai ki nga inoi o Te Ao Maori. 
Tuatoru e tatari ana matau kia rongo ahea noa atu o tatau nei waerehe o tatau reo irirangi Maori e manaakitia ai. E rapu ana ratau me pehea ranei nga moemoea me pehea ranei nga teihana e whakakahangia ai nga moemoea e whakapuangia ai mena kahore he moni tua atu i nga kongakonga noa iho nei ka kitea. Na ko taku ki te Minita me whakapaua e koe to kaha ki te manaaki i te hia noa atu o nga tono mai i o tatau reo irirangi. E kore—kahore. Tokomaha noa atu te hunga e tika ana me mau korero mai ai ki te aroaro o te komiti uiui. Engari ko taku ki te Whare ko tetahi wahanga horekau matau e whakaae ana otira waiho ma te roanga ake o nga tapaeranga korero katahi ka tino whakatatungia ka pehea ranei to matau tu ko te kararehe e kiia nei ko Te Putahi Paoho. A matau e kuare ana ki te tino whakapapa o tenei ropu mena e tika ana mana e whiwhi i nga iarere hou me ki katahi ka tupu ake pea he raruraru i waenga tonu i Te Putahi Paoho me te Teihana Maori. 
Na pai ke atu me whai tonu te Whare i te tauira i whakaritea ai e Parekura Horomia me ona hoa i te wa i a ratau e mana ana hei Kawanatanga kia whakawhiwhingia rawatia atu nga iarere ki te Teihana Maori ake. Otira ma te roanga ake o nga tapaeranga korero katahi tena take ka whawhatia rawatia. Te ahua nei ka nui noa atu te ngakaunui o te marea kia tu ai te paoho Maori kia tu ai tenei Teihana Maori engari me mohio tatau Te Ao Maori. Ki te kahore tatau e whakamahi i tenei taonga ki te kahore tatau e akiaki i nga kairipoata i nga kairangahau i nga tumuaki o to tatau waka Maori paoho e kore rawa atu e eke rawa. 
Ara noa atu o tatau hoa Pakeha e manaaki mai ana i te kaupapa neki ara te waka Maori ta te mea he korenga no nga teihana tauiwi nga teihana auraki e tino whakaputa whakaatu korero ranei e rite ana ki ta ratau e hiahia ai. Ara nga korero hapori nga korero mo nga take horekau e tino korerotia whanuitia ana i roto i te tumunga me te paringa o nga mahi ia ra ia ra. Na reira e mihi atu ki a ratau e mahi ana i nga pakipumeka pera. Na reira tukua kia puta teneki pire kia takoto ki roto i te komiti uiui otira me mohio te Whare me mohio Te Putahi Paoho me mohio te hunga ahakoa pehea te matotoru te itiiti ranei e matakitaki mai ana kahore ano matau kia whakaae atu kia whakamanangia Te Putahi Paoho ka puta tetahi kararehe hou. Ko wai ranei matau e mohio ana kei a wai ranei te mana he hutihuti nga retireti mo te hunga kei runga i tena ropu? Na hei te roanga ake o nga tapaeranga katahi ka mohiotia ko wai pu nga tangata e whai mana ana hei whakahaere ana i tena ropu hei pupuru i tenei taonga hou. Me te mohio o tenei taonga ehara i te mea ka pau te whanuitanga o te taonga nei i roto i te Teihana Maori anakenake. Ara noa atu nga huarahi eke atu pea i te waru te iwa te tekau nga huarahi ka whakawateangia hei whakapaoho hei whakaatu pikitia a te wa. Na reira mena horekau e ’hakamahingia ana te katoa o te Teihana Maori kia waihotia ki Te Putahi Paoho. Ko wai ranei ka mohio ka peheatia ka ahatia e ratau enei taonga e toe ana? Otira ma te wa e titiro hai te roanga ake o nga tapaeranga korero. 
Na reira matau tautoko ana kia whakawhitingia te pire ki te komiti uiui na ma te wa e titiro pena whakatuturungia e matau nga korero o roto. Kia ora tatau katoa. 
[ 
Greetings once again to us all. I will speak in Maori because we are talking about the vehicle that has been determined will broadcast our Maori language. It will enhance elevate and convey issues of a political community and business nature for the public to watch from every cove in New Zealand.  
From me to you Pita it is better that we express what we know about our language talk and thoughts in Maori as we are both fluent in it and in the language of every tribe so that our children can bear witness to our conversation. It is possible for you and me to deal with this issue in Maori. Without the Maori language there would not be any conflict in regards to Maori broadcasting remaining.  
As far as this bill is concerned I have many concerns but we endorse it being sent to the select committee. Secondly we are greatly disappointed at the lack of support by this Government for an application by the Maori people for a new spectrum called 4G. Had it not been for us of Maoridom taking this conflict before the Waitangi Tribunal the ears of Amy Adams would not have become receptive to the pleas of Maoridom. 
Thirdly we are waiting to hear when our radios and television service will receive support. They are seeking how aspirations may be fulfilled how stations can have greater capacity and productivity if no further funding can be found beyond the mere pittance allocated. My plea to you Minister is that you must work harder to support the numerous requests from our radio stations. There has not been any—none at all. There are many many others who have a right to appear before a select committee to air their views. But my concern to the House is that beast referred to as the Maori Television Electoral College which is a part that we absolutely oppose but are prepared to wait until a greater number of submissions are received about it before determining our position. We are completely ignorant about the genesis of this organisation whether it should receive the new spectrums and let us say whether a friction may well up between the Maori Television Electoral College and the Maori Television Service.  
It would be better by far for the House to follow the example considered by Parekura Horomia and his colleagues at the time they were in the Government where spectrums can be transferred directly to the Maori Television Service. Indeed the great number of submissions received will ensure that the detail to that matter is dealt with at that stage of the process. It appears that the commitment by the public about the Maori Television Electoral College established is a big one which in turn will make Maori Television more functional. But we of Maoridom must be kept informed. If we do not use this spectrum and encourage the reporters researchers and heads of our Maori broadcasting vehicle Maori Television will never succeed.  
We have a very large number of our Pakeha colleagues supporting this proposal this Maori vehicle because there are no non-Maori and mainstream stations that broadcast and televise similar talks in Maori to satisfy their needs. There are community conversations and talks in Maori about matters that are not discussed so broadly and extensively daily elsewhere. And so I commend those who make documentaries like that. Therefore release this bill and allow it to go before the select committee. However the House the Maori Television Electoral College and everybody else must understand that no matter how dense or sparse the audience we have not yet agreed to validate the Maori Television Electoral College or whether a new beast will emerge. How are we to know who has the mandate as it would be difficult because of those who make up that group? Until an extensive submission process is over it is only then that the right people with the mandate to administer the organisation and hold this new spectrum will be identified. If the majority of Maori Television’s spectrum left to the Maori Television Electoral College is not used up who will know what will be done to them? There are many other avenues—up to eight nine or 10 perhaps will be made available in the future for broadcasting and television. Time indeed after an extensive submission process will deal with this.  
So for us we support this bill going to the select committee. Time as well will determine whether we validate its contents. Salutations to us all 
.] 
JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) 
: 
 What a beautiful language the Maori language is. I thank the Hon Shane Jones for his contribution. I am sorry that I struggled to follow what he was saying though but one day I might become enlightened. 
I am pleased to speak very briefly in support of the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill. I hope my pronunciation was correct there. It has been about 10 years since Maori Television’s empowering Act was passed by this Parliament and I think New Zealanders can be quite proud of the Maori Television Service we have in New Zealand. In fact those of us who do not typically watch Maori Television but do tune in to the odd individual programme can see good programmes like  
Native Affairs 
 and good programmes like the Anzac Day celebrations that were covered by Maori Television and see the quality of the work that Maori Television is doing. We can see that actually it is contributing to a certain sector of the broadcast community and to a certain population out there that is looking for some indigenous service and a service that is able to promote keep current and inform New Zealanders about Maori language and about the need and importance for New Zealand as a country to continue to promote recognise and keep alive the Maori language the first language of this country. Maori Television does provide that role and I think does a good job of it. 
However there was a review recently that undertook to look at some options and look at the effectiveness of Maori Television. Some recommendations were made about how the effectiveness of Maori Television could be improved. This bill is about putting in place some legislative changes to help Maori Television fulfil the recommendations that were proposed as part of that review. Some of the changes in this bill include some provisions around the target audiences that Maori Television should be targeting and it contains some provisions around how Maori Television should be looking after and focusing its particular services on Maori language. It also has some changes that would aid Maori Television as we come to the spectrum change and provides for some responsibilities that the Crown has to fulfil around spectrum change and what it needs to do to help Maori Television through that transition. 
Maori Television is a world-class service that we are proud of. It has been in operation for 10 years now. These are some simple but important changes to help it be even more effective in promoting Maori language. I thank the Minister of Maori Affairs Pita Sharples for bringing this bill to the House. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
: 
 Labour as my colleague Shane Jones has indicated is supportive of this bill the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill progressing to the Maori Affairs Committee. There are still some reservations and some things to work through but given the history of this matter the active involvement of the Labour Party right from the beginning and the leading role the Labour Party has taken around Maori language we of course are very happy to entertain the discussion. 
I think without wanting to bring up governorship and leadership too much with my very old friend Dr Sharples there is some work that needs to be done because some of the 13 organisations no longer exist. When you have an out-of-date governance system that will presumably have to be fixed up as part of this process. But I think the vast majority of New Zealanders now accept that Maori Television is doing a superb job. My view is that it is the pre-eminent public broadcaster and the best of the free-to-air channels. I think in recent times we have seen a little bit more from TV3 even. One of its programmes last night that looked into the Tuhoe area was something that I thought was pretty much groundbreaking for mainstream television and that is a good thing. I think the fact that Maori Television has been going so well puts the pressure on the more mainstream providers to in fact deliver in that area. I am pleased that that is beginning to work with TV3. 
My only regret is that the State-owned Television New Zealand both Television One and TV2 seems to be going down to the depths. I could probably say this for Clare Curran—Clare Curran is not in the House—but I do not know why we own it any more. It is just absolutely hopeless as a provider of good public service television. I think maybe we could transpose the management. If we put the management of the Maori Television Service in there maybe that might make a difference and we would have good television rather than a bloated bureaucracy. Thank you. 
METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) 
: 
 I too just want to take a short call on the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill. I think it is well overdue that the recommendations from the review of the Maori Television Service come to the House and I am looking forward to the select committee process where the Maori Affairs Committee looks at these changes and gets reflections and submissions from those who are interested. Certainly it is necessary that the shift to digital is made as easy as possible for the Maori Television Service. 
I would just say that the Maori Television Service is a fantastic television station. I agree that it is the best public broadcaster we have of the television stations and I think that is a view that is held by most New Zealanders. I would reflect that this was one of the first pieces of legislation I dealt with as a new member of Parliament 10 years ago working with the then Minister Parekura Horomia on passing the legislation through. At that time it was only the Labour Party and the Green Party that supported the bill to set up the Maori Television Service—if we might remember back to those dark old days when there was so much less commitment to the Reo by other parties in this House and so much less commitment to the expression of Maori voices about their own lives. 
One of the most fantastic things about Maori Television is that it has brought Maori stories to the mainstream. There is a great Pakeha audience for Maori Television because these stories these Maori stories that are told every day are stories of our own country. They are stories of New Zealand. That is what we see reflected in the Maori Television programming and commitment. I am very pleased to see the increasing commitment to the Reo because I know that it is driving people towards the Reo and making it more understandable and easier for people to accept that we are a bilingual country and that the Reo is an official language of this country and therefore deserving of all respect and effort in its preservation—not just its preservation but its continuation growth and life well after we are gone. We want to make sure that the Reo remains as much a part of Aotearoa as the land the soil and the water do—that it is part of the lifeblood of this country of which the Maori Television Service is a crucial part. I am looking forward to hearing more about the provisions of this bill and how to develop that better. 
 I think it is worthwhile noting Trevor Mallard’s discussion about how other TV stations are having to step up in order to meet the challenge that the Maori Television Service presented.  
Native Affairs  
won an award for best current affairs last year I understand. Other TV stations are having to step up to meet the challenge that is being provided— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: To be fair it wasn’t a high test. 
METIRIA TUREI 
: Trevor Mallard is saying it was not— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: The competition wasn’t strong. 
METIRIA TUREI 
: He is saying the competition was not strong. But the Maori Television Service is brilliant and it won because it is brilliant and because of that other TV stations are having to step up the mark. New Zealanders do want to hear current affairs they do want to hear their own stories and that is where the Maori Television Service—Maori Television—is leading the way. So all power to Maori Television and we look forward to dealing with this legislation in the select committee. 
MELISSA LEE (National) 
: 
 I feel very pleased to see the cross-party support for this bill the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill. I feel that we do not have to spend a long time speaking about this. I support this bill and I would like to send my regards to the Minister of Maori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples for bringing this bill to the House. I support it. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First is supporting the referral of this Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill to the select committee for good reason. There is a case for the careful consideration of its provisions. It merits closer consideration because a thriving and open media is fundamental to a successful democracy. Indeed in a modern democracy the media play a pivotal part in ensuring the public are informed and not misinformed. It is no exaggeration to say that our society is shaped by the media and particularly broadcast media. We do need a variety of channels for broadcasting channels that will reflect our society and allow the open expression of views and perspectives. What would not be healthy is the concentration of media power and influence in a few narrowly controlled distribution channels. 
In general we believe that there is an argument for having a viable and thriving Maori Television Service provided of course that it is fulfilling the obligations of its charter—a service that all New Zealanders can access and derive information and entertainment from. Indeed given the lamentable sad overall state of public broadcasting in New Zealand in a sense Maori Television because it has been significantly funded for various reasons while the others have not for reasons that are inexplicable has become a de facto public broadcasting service. 
New Zealanders who believe in a public broadcasting system must wonder how this state of affairs was reached because effectively there is now no proper public broadcasting service in our country. That makes us unique amongst modern democracies. No public broadcasting service in New Zealand—there is no public broadcasting service that seeks to be the voice of an emerging New Zealand culture which probably explains that although you have got all sorts of people pushing all sorts of attributes of where we are going there is no New Zealand culture that is being promoted by a broadcasting service funded by the New Zealand taxpayers. Other countries do it—Australia the UK Canada. Here: nothing. 
To some extent Maori Television is filling that gap. The Maori Television Service had a primary role to do with the future of the Maori language because it was argued that no other service was fulfilling this role. Te Reo must be a living language. That means it must be readily accessible and that means in broadcast media. As has been the case with the survival of the Welsh language it is important that the language is seen to be relevant in an everyday media sense. For that reason it was seen that for Te Reo the support of Maori Television was critical for its survival. 
The proponents behind this legislation argue that the bill will give the service a more explicit mandate to protect and promote the Maori language. That needs to be reflected upon—it will give the service a more explicit mandate to protect and promote the Maori language. Well 10 years ago what was that about? That is what every discussion in this House and behind the proposal said. 
The bill is wide ranging and covers a comprehensive set of values and issues including the functions of the service the management of the UHF spectrum accountability of documents borrowing and investment and future reviews. 
The former Minister of Broadcasting Maurice Williamson should listen to this because I remember well when he was the broadcasting Minister dishing out Maori broadcasting licences all around this country and the question was never asked: “But who is listening to these Maori radio stations?”. Minister Williamson remembers this very well. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Yes I do. You came with me to a number of the marae. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Yeah I came on the road and I could not believe what I was seeing. For example up there in the forests of Northland was an outfit picking up about $385000— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Radio Tautoko. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: —that is right $385000—and there apparently was not any audience at all apart from mum and dad and the cousins down the road. That is the kind of shambles that Mr Williamson allowed to happen. So why he is talking during this important speech I do not know. Then of course he went off and he made a colleague of his a multimillionaire. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Which one? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Mr Steven Joyce. He gave out licences under a Vickrey sale process—a Vickrey sale process. I want to remind everybody listening that this is the kind of money that has gone into this. The Vickrey sale process goes like this. Up comes this item for purchase. Mr Williamson is heading the sale. A bids $1 million B bids $100000 and C bids $50000. A gets the tender— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: We could have a royal inquiry. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: —well it deserves an inquiry all right but not I think from that member—because A bid $1 million but he does not pay $1 million; he pays what the second guy B bid. He pays $100000. Now every morning and five times a day Mr Joyce gets up and he points his face towards Pakuranga. He gets down on his knees and he prays to the Mecca of Pakuranga who made him a multimillionaire and then he walks into the House and calls himself a self-made man. 
You know this has appeared in such books as  
The Undercover Economist 
 a famous economics book out of London. It mentioned the shambles of New Zealand’s broadcasting service which was presided over by the man who is not paying enough attention to this speech as you are up there—but he is not because he knows better! 
We think it is appropriate that all the areas set out in the bill should be given due full consideration. In particular we support the provision that the bill allows for future reviews of the operation etc. 
Let me say one thing— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: This member used to be good. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Oh no the best is yet to come. New Zealand First has always viewed Maori Television as one alternative amongst a number available for the improvement of Maori economic and social performance. It is one alternative of expenditure. We have never viewed it in an uncritical politically correct way. We have in short never been sickly white liberals who say: “Oh we are too scared to confront what’s there and we’ll just dish out the family largesse.” For example for the expenditure— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: That’s a phrase from the past—“sickly white liberal”. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Listen to this—listen to this. For example for the expenditure and the money that has thus far been spent on Maori Television every Maori family in New Zealand could have been housed. That is an alternative. For the money the $67 million or $70 million a year every year spent on Maori Television in these last 10 years we could have housed every Maori family. 
For example there was no justification for Maori Television bidding for TV coverage at the last Rugby World Cup. We ended up with five television stations covering the Rugby World Cup. What was that about? It is just a misuse of money. 
Hon Dr Pita Sharples 
: Enterprise. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Oh enterprise? The Minister of Maori Affairs says it was enterprise. No it was not enterprise at all; it was nationalism spent in the guise of the taxpayers’ largesse when there was no justification at all because most Maori I know—and they watch a darned sight more rugby than most people in this place do—all watched it on nationwide TV or Sky. No Maori Television bid millions of dollars and got the bid and it was a waste of money. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: This member used to be young. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: This is just one alternative area—yeah the fact is the great thing about being around Maurice Williamson is that you will always look young. If you move around Maurice and talk to him you will always feel young and look young by comparison. This is just one alternative area of expenditure with a uniquely important or critical need for consideration. 
I want to say this too. In all fairness in the last election Maori Television was by far the most balanced and fair presenter of the issues and the political parties. There is no doubt about that so I give it full commendation for that. Then when it came to the Gallipoli commemorations it was streets ahead of anybody else. So I give credit where credit is due. It is in these things that we seek Maori Television to be focused; as it should be right now on the question of enrolment at census time—which is too late; it has gone by—but on the future enrolment whether it is going to be for the Maori seats or otherwise. So in short stick to the things it should be sticking to. 
We believe there is likely to be keen public interest in the bill and would encourage public submissions but we are mindful that this is not the time for a blank cheque. Whatever Maori Television does deliver it must deliver value for money. If Maori Television is doing its job it will deliver on its charter and it will deliver content that is relevant and appealing to a wide audience across the entire spectrum of New Zealand. If it does that it can escape some of the political correctness that so far has confused so many people about the engagement of this service and it can get on and do its job properly—first of all for the country but in particular for Maori and the Maori language. 
Dr CAM CALDER (National) 
: 
 I applaud the fact that this bill the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill will enhance the dissemination of the Maori language and I support it. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rawhiti) 
: 
 Te Kaiwhakahaere tena koe. Ki a koe e te Minita Maori e Pita ka nui te mihi. Te pai hoki o te haere kaha o te Pouaka Whakaata Maori kei te ora hoki. Me whakahoki oku whakaaro ki te timata. He nui atu te wehewehe i roto i te mahunga o wetahi o te Whare nei. Takariri atu wetahi mo te puta a tenei taputapu e mau pai atu. Te mea pai i te wa nei e kite atu tatau te kaha rawa te pouri e manaaki atu nga kanohi Maori mai i te motu. Kore hoki atu mo nga kanohi Maori anake. E nui atu ratau o tera piri e mau whatu ki te ahua nei. No reira tena ano taku whakaaro na te mea hoki e tae atu e kite atu tatau te kaha i roto i a ratau hei tu hei manaaki atu te ahua o nga ra o nga hoia te ra o Waitangi Matatini—tera tino mahi hakahaka nga take katoa pera tonu e haere atu i runga i te motu e kite atu te nui o nga kura nga kohanga e manaaki atu e mau ana nga kupu me nga whana o te Pouaka Whakaata Maori. 
He tino rekareka atu te kite atu te oratiatanga i roto i a ratau nga kaiwhakahaere pera i a Jim ma e manaaki e tautokotia atu tenei tino take. E tautokotia atu au i nga whakaaro e pohehe haere nga teihana etahi me TV3. E wero atu toku tuakana a Shane mo ratau na te mea i roto i aku kei te tu pakari atu tenei teihana. No reira tera ano te mea i roto i a tatau. E pai ana e ora ana. 
Kite atu au i Wisconsin i Montreal nga teihana penei tonu e mahi atu te mahi penei tonu. Na te pai hoki he taputapu he pouaka whakaata he mahi paoho a tatau o te tangata whenua. Tera ano te pai no reira ki a koe kia kaha kia maia. Kaua koe e manaaki atu ratau e pirangi tangohia atu te whakaaea te kore whakaaea o te pouaka whakaata i roto to ratau tari. Kei runga ano wetahi o nga mahi nanakia e tika atu e waihotia atu i te tari o te Minita Maori. 
No reira i roto i a wera whakaaro e mihi kau ana ki te Pouaka Whakaata Maori e mihi kau ana ki nga kaimahi e mau tuturu atu to tatau Reo to tatau ahua Maori i runga nga—ahakoa nga piki nga heke. I reira ke ratau e whawhai tonu atu mo te ora o to tatau Reo hei mau kite atu nga whatu mo ratau e kore e tae ki Waitangi ki te ra o nga hoia ki Matatini nga hui nui pera tonu. Kare hoki atu mo nga hui kaita anake. He nui atu nga huihuinga me nga take e pa ana ki te pai o tatau o Aotearoa engari mo te tangata whenua tera ano te timata. Tena koe e te Kaiwhakahaere. 
[ 
Greetings to you Mr Speaker. A huge one to you Pita Minister of Maori Affairs. The Maori Television Service is really going strong. It is alive as well. Let me take my thoughts back to the beginning. There was much division in the minds of some in this House. Some were irate over the delivery of this service and the benefits it had to offer. The great thing we see at the moment is the extreme disappointment at the support accorded to Maori audiences out in the country. But it was not just them alone. There are many of them in that situation who wanted to see this service. However that is my perception because we were there and witnessed how resolute they were as they stood and supported what the army days Waitangi Day and Matatini were about—that great cultural arts festival and everything like that going out to the nation being seen by the many schools and many Maori preschool language nests that in turn support and hang on every word and action by the Maori Television Service.  
It is an absolute pleasure to see how well they the operators like Jim and others are caring and supporting this great initiative. I endorse the growing doubts that some channels and TV3 have. My senior colleague Shane has a challenge for them because there is a feeling within me and us that this station is well established. It is well and it is alive.  
I note in Wisconsin and Montreal channels very much like these are operating in the same manner. It is great as well as it is a facility a television service and we the Maori of the country are into the field of broadcasting. And that is the great thing about it. That aside one has to be strong and confident. Do not support those who want to take away the ability to approve or not approve a television service as part of the functions of their departments. The Maori Minister’s department must take some responsibility for some of the strange decisions made about what should be taken out and what should be left in.  
So within the parameters of those thoughts I really acknowledge the Maori Television Service and staff who have held firm to our language and our Maori perspective despite the circumstances and the ups and downs. Actually that is where they were really fighting on for the survival of our language being a face for those who could not make it to Waitangi the army days Matatini and significant gatherings like those. But they were not just there for the major ones. There were several other gatherings and related events about what we of New Zealand are good at but for us the Maori of the country that was just the beginning. Thank you Mr Speaker 
.] 
SIMON O’CONNOR (National—Tamaki) 
: 
 I want to acknowledge what is broad cross-party support for this bill the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill and add my voice of commendation as well. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I call Rino Tirikatene. I understand that this is a split call—5 minutes. 
RINO TIRIKATENE (Labour—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 Kia ora. Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Tena koutou e te Whare. A ki a koe e te Minita tena koe. E tu atu au ki te tautoko i tenei pire. 
[ 
Thank you. Greetings Mr Assistant Speaker. Greetings to the House collectively. And to you the Minister greetings. I rise to support this bill 
.] 
I am pleased to speak in support of the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill. We are having this first reading a week short of Maori Television’s ninth birthday ninth anniversary and I think we all—well definitely all us Maori—remember 28 March 2004 very well getting up early in the morning and watching the launch of Maori Television. It was an exciting time and I am pleased to see the progression that Maori Television has taken since its launch back in 2004. 
I would like to acknowledge our matua here the Hon Parekura Horomia who was the Minister of Maori Affairs at the time under a Labour Government who launched that waka of Maori Television. Indeed it is fair to say that Maori Television is held in deep affection across the country as a public service broadcaster but also in terms of fulfilling its role to promote and protect our Te Reo Maori. That is where I would like to start because the whakapapa to Maori Television goes back to the Treaty commitment the Treaty partnership between the Crown and Maori that there is an active duty on the Crown to protect and foster Te Reo Maori and that has given rise to Maori radio Maori TV and various other organisations and activities that have sprung up over the years. 
Maori Television is definitely a flagship for our language and our culture and it was timely that under Parekura it was programmed into the bill that there would be a review. That review was carried out and reported back in May 2009. Te Kahui o Mahutonga—a very capable highly skilled and experienced group of three—carried out that review and it came up with some very good recommendations around the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Act. It is regrettable I guess that not all of its recommendations were followed through but I do note that if we go to the actual functions of the service one aspect of Te Kahui o Mahutonga’s recommendations that has been adopted has been to further broaden or articulate the Maori Television service to not only promote Te Reo but also to protect and preserve Te Reo and that has been reflected in the amendments to the bill. 
I want to pick up on the part in this bill that transfers the management rights for the spectrum that will allow Maori Television to progress to the digital platform to be vested in Te Putahi Paoho. Te Putahi Paoho is the electoral college that was set up under the original Act. The vesting of these management rights in that body I think calls into question—and this was raised by Te Kahui o Mahutonga’s report—that we really need to look at the composition of that Te Putahi Paoho body.  
We are getting a lot of electoral colleges created these days to get wide representation of Maori stakeholders in terms of their support or their input into appointing directors on to a lot of these Maori structures that have been created. If we look at Maori fisheries for example we have Te Kawai Taumata there. If we look at the Maori Te Huarahi Tika Trust there is an electoral college there. And also we have this electoral college for Maori Television. But if you look at the actual organisations that make up that body I think that is where we need to really look because they have the power to appoint people on to these bodies. 
I have been part of a Maori organisation that has a statutory role to actually have to appoint a representative on to these bodies and I know that a large number of these organisations are barely existing and are very highly under-resourced so it is a big responsibility to be putting on to a few organisations. I think we really need to look carefully at that because we want to make sure that Te Putahi Paoho is not a waka kehua and we do not want kaupoais—cowboys—taking over these organisations. Kia ora tatou. 
HOLLY WALKER (Green) 
: 
Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Tena koutou e te Whare. The Green Party is pleased and proud to support this bill the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill. We think it makes sensible amendments to allow for the continued operation of Maori Television and to equip Maori Television for the digital age. We would like to congratulate Maori Television on the upcoming ninth anniversary of its broadcast as referred to by the previous speaker Rino Tirikatene and commend what I think is a very high-quality broadcaster. Indeed in the absence of a true public service broadcaster for the country Maori Television now fills that role for us in New Zealand as our public service broadcaster and it does an excellent job. 
Maori Television is a great expression of the partnership embodied in the Treaty of Waitangi and a great example of what can be achieved if we think creatively about how to embody that partnership in the modern times. I think as my co-leader Metiria Turei referred to it has done great things for the revitalisation of Te Reo Maori which is indeed a treasure for us all and should be as precious to us as our land our rivers our mountains and our precious natural environment. I will finish with a whakatauki. Ko Te Reo te taikura o te whakaaro marama. 
[ 
Language is the key to understanding. 
] 
Kia ora. 
Bill read a first time.  
Bill referred to the Maori Affairs Committee. 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I move  
That the Maori Affairs Committee report the Maori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Maori) Amendment Bill to the House on or before 23 July 2013. 
Motion agreed to.