9. Question No. 9—Emergency ManagementHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Ikaroa-Rāwhiti) to the Minister for Emergency ManagementQuestion No. 9—Emergency Management9. Hon MEKA WHAITIRI (Ikaroa-Rāwhiti) to the Minister for Emergency Management: Does he stand by all his decisions and policies regarding the Emergency Management Bill? Hon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management): Yes. Hon Meka Whaitiri: Who gave him advice that the advisory role for Māori in his proposed new national emergency management system would work for Māori? Hon KIERAN McANULTY: As is usual process when considering a bill we engaged with a number of stakeholders. That included those within the civil defence structure that were engaged and work regularly with Māori communities. There's also a Māori advisory committee directly advising me and previous Ministers in the development of this bill and I also consulted widely along this House including my own caucus who unanimously supported the bill at the time. Hon Meka Whaitiri: Why is it acceptable that in this bill Māori are once again relegated to advisory level rather than having real decision-making power at both national and local levels? Hon KIERAN McANULTY: It clearly outlines in the bill that there is a proposal to include and require Māori representation at the civil defence emergency management group level which is not an advisory level. It is the actual group which conducts civil defence activities in each region. Hon Meka Whaitiri: Is he aware that recent events including Cyclone Hale Cyclone Gabrielle and flooding in Tairāwhiti over the weekend highlights that the current emergency management system which already enables Māori advice is failing to meet the needs of tangata whenua? Hon KIERAN McANULTY: I was in Tairāwhiti in the weekend. I spoke to Māori there on the ground and the feedback that I got was that they were very happy with the engagement of the local civil defence structure. That's not to say that that is in place in every region and that is why the bill proposes what it does. Hon Meka Whaitiri: What is his response to the call of Māori leaders across the country including Ikaroa-Rāwhiti who have continually called for the Crown to recognise and fully resource a Māori emergency management system? Hon KIERAN McANULTY: Well the member was part of the Labour caucus when this bill was consulted on and she expressed her support for it at the time. In addition to that we have consulted across a number of local councils across the country and the proposal was that setting a requirement for Māori to be part of civil defence emergency management groups without setting a minimum and allowing each region to find the number that best suits them—I expect that the number in Waikato might be different to the number in Southland but that is their call because it will work for them. The secret and the benefit of our success across various disasters in civil defence is that it is locally led and that is what we're proposing in this bill. Hon Meka Whaitiri: How can he justify the bill to tangata whenua who stepped up and led a response to every emergency event and yet continue to be shut out of governance arrangements of the emergency management system in these legislative changes? Hon KIERAN McANULTY: With the greatest possible respect I suggest the member reads the proposals because the proposals are to require that Māori are at the level that make decisions in planning preparation resilience and response. At every given opportunity I have taken the chance to acknowledge the role that tangata whenua iwi Māori play whenever there is a response. It is always marae that opens its doors whenever there is a severe weather event or a natural disaster. They don't pick and choose who comes in for welfare needs; they open their doors and take all that come. We as a Government recognise that; that is why we are proposing what we are in the bill. Hon Meka Whaitiri: Will he consider an amendment to the legislation to empower a tangata whenua emergency management system including a Māori director of emergency management and a Māori emergency management committee structure; if not why not? Hon KIERAN McANULTY: It is my hope that the committee will decide to extend the time in which they consider the bill to take into account any lessons that arise from the response to the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. Civil defence should never have any time for politics. That is why I engaged and gave every party in this House the opportunity to contribute towards the bill and I actually acknowledge the contributions of the Hon Gerry Brownlee with his experience in particular of the Christchurch earthquake because his contributions actually assisted us in the formulation of this bill. We will continue that vein and bipartisan approach in the development of this bill and we will be open to all suggestions for refinements and improvements.