4. Crown/Māori Relations—Scope of PortfolioHon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) to the Minister for Crown/Māori RelationsCrown/Māori Relations—Scope of Portfolio4. Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) to the Minister for Crown/Māori Relations: Has the formation of the Crown-Māori Partnership Office been approved by Cabinet; if so when?Hon Member: Where is he?Hon Amy Adams: What's the combination lock to his cupboard?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) on behalf of the Minister for Crown/Māori Relations: No; Cabinet is still to consider the final scope of the Crown/Māori relations portfolio and a number of other minor details as well. Hon Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is a longstanding convention of this House not to reference the absence of members. Although that was happening in their interjection during that question I think members across the House may be very well aware where Mr Davis is today.Hon Christopher Finlayson: Could he please explain what is meant by the statement that was made yesterday in relation to the office that one of his and the new agency's roles will be to Develop engagement co-design and partnership principles that ensure agencies generate the best solutions;"?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: That member will be well aware that his former role and my current role will shortly run out of work to do because we will have by and large completed the Treaty settlement process. But as Sir Robin Cooke said in 1987 the Treaty is alive it is a relationship and we have to think about what that relationship looks like and how it is conducted in the years ahead. That is what that set of words he referred to describes about the future for Aotearoa.Hon Christopher Finlayson: Does he support the Crown-Māori Partnership Office having the same status as Treasury the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the State Services Commission and that the office will need to be consulted with on all Cabinet papers?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: That detail has not been determined by Cabinet but that member will be well aware of other offices of the State that are not complete departments. One is the Office of Treaty Settlements. That is clearly understood has a very clear identity and has a very clear role to play.Hon Christopher Finlayson: Could the Minister therefore confirm that yesterday a new office for Crown-Māori partnership was announced but none of the detail has been worked out?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: What was announced yesterday was Cabinet's initial consideration of a paper that has been the result of extensive consultation—particularly with Māori and iwi and hapū and many other people besides—as we head towards putting together the basis of conducting the Treaty relationship post the Treaty settlement period.Hon Christopher Finlayson: Can he please explain what exactly it means when it's said as was said yesterday that he and his agency will also work with the Minister of Justice to examine the constitutional and institutional arrangements supporting the Crown-Māori partnership in the long term?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Yes. It is pretty clear that the Treaty has a standing in our legal framework that has been confirmed by the Court of Appeal by the Privy Council and by our own Supreme Court now and we have to make sure that the legal framework that we continue to operate under continues to maintain the status and place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Hon Christopher Finlayson: Was it appropriate or dignified to have someone convicted of assaulting a sitting Prime Minister in the Cabinet room as part of the announcement of the establishment of the Crown-Māori Partnership Office?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: As that member will well know and as this House well knows this is a Government that canvasses and consults widely including in other contexts listening to the voices of offenders."