Jackson WillieMĀORI PURPOSES BILLThird ReadingHon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister for Māori Development): I present a legislative statement on the Māori Purposes Bill.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Barbara Kuriger): The legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Madam Speaker tēnā koe. Kia ora tātou katoa e noho nei i roto i tō tātou Whare i tēnei wā. He hōnore nui ki te tū ki te tautoko i tēnei pire tēnei te mihi ki a koutou.[Madam Speaker greetings. Greetings to one and all sitting in our House at this time. It is a great honour to stand in support of this bill and I acknowledge you all.]First of all I thank my colleagues from across the House for their thoughtful consideration comments and agreements to commend this bill to the House. There is some experience on the other side with regards to this kaupapa and I'm glad that we've been able to work in unity with this kaupapa. Those of us who've worked on the bill and past Māori purposes bills would know Māori purposes bills bring together a range of minor and technical changes to multiple Acts of Parliament to improve those Acts for the communities and entities they serve. Māori purposes bills are also somewhat unique in that they are one of the few bills that are regularly considered by the House—much like statutes amendment bills but with a focus on Māori and Māori entities.I would like to acknowledge Ta Wira Gardiner whose memorial service was held last week and was attended by colleagues from right across the House who all gathered and paid their tributes. Beautiful speeches from former politicians Hon Bill English; Hone Harawira who all got us a bit of a laugh and contributed well; and it was a great day and he was a big supporter of this type of kaupapa as the chief executive of Te Puni Kōkiri while Māori purposes bills were considered in the 1990s. I'd like to think he would be pleased to see that this House continues its ongoing legislative work for the betterment of Māori Māori communities and the entities that support and represent them—no matter how minor or technical those legislative changes may be.So on that note the Māori Purposes Bill is no different. While the changes in the bill are minor and technical they will have a significant impact as they remove barriers that have inhibited the ability of Māori entities to manage their own affairs.The proposed amendments will support Māori entities to better manage their own affairs make use of new technologies exercise their rangatiratanga and reduce unnecessary compliance. This aligns with the Government's commitment to building strong partnerships with Māori and working with Māori to improve wellbeing outcomes.I'd also like to acknowledge how pleasing it is that not only will we have achieved good outcomes for Māori and Māori entities but how we across the House have gone about this as parliamentarians in approaching these amendments—so mihi ana ki a tātou katoa.I'd like to thank all my colleagues who've had a part to play in examining this bill and for the bipartisanism and considered way in which they have approached the task. Also I'd like to thank my colleagues on the Māori Affairs Committee who called for submissions on the bill and thoroughly considered the submissions received. I note that the bill came out of the committee stage unchanged and with the full support of the House. I appreciate the thoughtful questions asked by members across the House during the committee stage. These sorts of questions do help people both watching in the gallery and online understand the reasoning and thinking that has gone behind some of the amendments included in the bill. I appreciate the fulsome support of all members shown for this bill particularly in enabling Maori entities to manage their own business. It goes a long way for them in terms of achieving rangatiratanga. It goes to show that with good work by members officials and our Māori communities—and when we set aside our partisanship and focus on the issue—we can achieve positive outcomes for Māori entities and communities.In terms of the changes—coming back to the bill—the Māori Purposes Bill is an omnibus bill that proposes minor technical and non-controversial updates and improvements to four Acts: Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 Maori Purposes Act 1959 Maori Trust Boards Act 1955 and Maori Community Development Act 1962. Changes to Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 will ensure Ruapuha Uekaha Hapū Trust continues to exist with the same beneficiaries as intended by the 1990 settlement of the Wai 51 Treaty claim extend certain time frames for decision making allow assembled owners of Māori land the option of meeting by electronic means and correct the te reo Māori mistake in the preamble of the Act.The amendments to the Maori Purposes Act 1959 will provide the Rotoaira Trust more autonomy and flexibility to manage the lake and associated trout fishery.The amendments to the Maori Trust Boards Act 1955 will ensure that Māori trust boards can operate more efficiently including by allowing for electronic voting in trust board elections and removing Māori trust boards from the Cabinet Fees Framework.Last but not least the changes to the Maori Community Development Act 1962 will require district Māori councils to submit their audited financial statements directly to the New Zealand Maori Council rather than to the CEO of TPK—Te Puni Kōkiri—as this better reflects other accountabilities in the Act.In conclusion while the changes are minor and technical in nature they support the ability of Māori entities to manage their businesses and exercise their rangatiratanga. I continually come back to that but it's so important. These changes also ensure that the Māori entities are operating under up-to-date legislation that allows them to utilise modern technology. I'm proud to have been able to shepherd through this House this legislation which as Mr David Seymour described enhances the freedom and flexibility of people to provide for their own needs. Thank you very much Mr Seymour. So today it's a great pleasure that I stand in the House to see the Māori Purposes Bill through its final stages with all the tautoko from all parties and members of the House. E mihi ki a tātou he hōnore nui tēnā anō tātou katoa. [Thank you everyone. It has been a great honour and I acknowledge you once again.]ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Barbara Kuriger): Thank you Minister. Just before I move to the next call I need you to state the words I move that that the"—yeah thank you.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Yes my apologies. I move That the Māori Purposes Bill be now read a third time. Kia ora.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Barbara Kuriger): The question is that the motion be agreed to."