Dunne Peter: New Zealand Day Bill — Second Reading 
Dunne Peter: New Zealand Day Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:639;Page:9331] 
Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
 on behalf of  
Judy Turner (Deputy Leader—United Future) 
: I move  
That the New Zealand Day Bill be now read a second time 
. I am very pleased to move this bill on behalf of my very loyal colleague Judy Turner. I had the privilege of introducing it to the House in 2005 to provide for a replacement of Waitangi Day with New Zealand Day. I am aware that since that time a lot of water has flown under the bridge and there has been a significant change in the way in which New Zealanders view these things. I think that is reflected in the Justice and Electoral Committee’s report. I note that the committee is recommending that the bill be discharged. I personally am not opposed to that course of action but we will vote for the second reading this evening. 
Let me explain my reasons. My passion in promoting this bill originally was to give New Zealand a national day that could bring all of us together whatever our backgrounds to celebrate the unique gift we possess by virtue of the fact that we are New Zealanders. I drew from the original New Zealand Day that Norman Kirk had established as the old Waitangi Day in 1973 and that was the basis for the original bill. I note that the select committee has drawn attention to a couple of things that I think are important. One is an increasing feeling amongst New Zealanders that Waitangi Day has a degree of speciality associated with it that should not be touched and I am bound to say that on reflection I accept that view. But the select committee has also noted that there were a number of submissions presented to it about the idea of there being a national day separate from Waitangi Day and I am attracted to that also. So although I will support—and we as a party will support—the second reading of this bill knowing it will be discharged we will do so because we support the idea of a national day. 
That raises the question if not Waitangi Day then what day? I think here is where the problem becomes somewhat more difficult. I have had suggested to me over the last 3 or 4 year a variety of alternative national days for New Zealand and I am bound to say that in my humble view none of them quite fit at this stage. 
Let me run through each of them and give some argument as to why I do not think they are appropriate. The most commonly suggested day is the old Dominion Day 26 September. Incidentally that date this year will mark the centenary of when New Zealand became a Dominion in 1907. The difficulty I have with that is that although it celebrates our self-governing status it is still within the realm of what was then the British Empire and as a republican I am not personally persuaded that we should be celebrating a day that commemorates our heritage within the British Empire. I also think that a national day if we are to develop a new one should be something that is contemporary. The other day that has been suggested—I forget the precise date; Mr Finlayson may know it—is the date on which we acceded to the Statute of Westminster in 1947. It is a date in November. I think there is more merit in that day but frankly it is not a day that is well known to most New Zealanders. 
Then we come to a number of other alternatives that have been suggested. I note that the select committee received submissions that Matariki should be the day or the period in which we celebrate a national day. There is some merit in that except that it is essentially a moving feast and therefore very difficult when that day might shift from one year to the next to have a precise day. I have also had some more novel suggestions made to me that bear some consideration. The most common of those is that we pick a day of some significance in New Zealand’s history and commemorate it as a national day. The day that is most commonly suggested is the day in May that commemorates the time when Sir Edmund Hillary first conquered Mount Everest. That I think is a day that does have some merit. 
But I am bound to say that of all of the options the one I am most attracted to both in terms of relevance and a smooth transition is the option to replace the existing Queen’s Birthday weekend with a national day weekend. I think the logic of that means we are not adding an additional public holiday so the idea of economic cost is less. That option has been raised with me by a number of people. What some have said to be important is a mid-winter period of holiday and I think that is relevant. I also think in terms of where New Zealand is today that is something that is more in tune with this country’s needs. 
I raise those examples by way of alternatives and I sense from the reaction of the House that there is favour and disfavour with all of them. I want to signal to the House that I am continuing to work through a range of options with a number of interested parties—and I am getting submissions on this constantly—and in due course I intend to bring a new proposal to this House that hopefully will be more in line with where public mood and sympathy are today. I accept there is no public wish of substance to substitute Waitangi Day with New Zealand Day. I think that moment in our history has passed by and I am not proposing to do that. But I do think that the wider argument of what constitutes a national day and how we might bring a new one together is one we ought to be engaging in constructively. 
So although I welcome the consideration of the Justice and Electoral Committee and note its recommendation United Future will continue to support this bill not because of its specific content but simply because it keeps the argument alive and it requires New Zealanders to engage upon what is the best day to celebrate the unique fact that we are all New Zealanders whatever our circumstances or background and we take pride in our country’s future. 
Earlier in the debate when the bill was first introduced and certainly around some of the anniversaries each year that occasion debate about this matter a number of people in the public were scornful of the notion that we should have a national day like Australia’s. The date 26 January is the day when Australians of all colours creeds and backgrounds come together to celebrate being Australians. They do it in a typically loud and outspoken way. It is great to see those sorts of celebrations occurring but I have been surprised by the number of New Zealanders who said that the last thing we want is a brash display of nationalism like Australia Day. I think that one of the things that gives Australia its national character and ethos is in fact what goes on on Australia Day and that an important part of what a national day for New Zealand should involve would be a similar celebration whereby we actually lay aside for one day of the year our differences and celebrate the things we have in common as a nation. 
I hope that although this bill will clearly not proceed it will be the start of a process that will lead us to have a mature and careful reflection about what an appropriate national day for New Zealand is. I have raised some suggestions tonight. As I say they are by no means exclusive; others will come forward. I think it is time we took the opportunity to allow that debate to percolate and over the next few years to make a reasonable decision that can stand the test of time. I thank those who made submissions on the bill. I thank the select committee for its consideration and I thank the House for its attention to this matter.