Sharples Pita: Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSharples Pita: Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading[Sitting date: 19 November 2013. Volume:695;Page:14921. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Māori Affairs): Tēnā koe. I moveThat the Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Amendment Bill be now read a second time. I would like to thank the Māori Affairs Committee for its consideration of this bill. Nō reira e te Komiti Māori nā koutou i whakarite tēnei kōrero mō te pire nei i tātari ā i whakatakoto kia wānangahia e te whakapiringa tangata o tēnei Whare hoi anō tēnā tātou.[So to you the Māori Affairs Committee which considered this discourse about this bill deliberated it and recommended that members of this House debate it acknowledgments to us collectively.]The Māori Affairs Committee has considered changes proposed in the bill and has recommended that it be passed with a small number of amendments. The amendments seek to strengthen the Crown-Māori relationship by softening the tone of some of the words in provisions relating to spectrum management and future reviews of the Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act 2003. The committee has also expressed its concern about the status of some of the constituent groups that make up Te Pūtahi Pāoho the Māori Television Electoral College. I will update the House on the latest changes to Te Pūtahi Pāoho later in this speech.The Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act 2003 established the Māori Television Service. It also specified that a review of the operation of the effectiveness of the Act be undertaken in 2008-09 with a report to Parliament and recommendations for any amendments to the foundation legislation. This bill is a result of that review. This bill does not propose major changes to the principal legislation. The changes are fine-tuning in nature so that the Māori Television Service is well positioned for the digital switch-over and can continue its strong focus on promotingour language and our culture. Digital switch-over is scheduled for completion in December 2013.The bill seeks to make minor changes to the function of Māori Television Service to strengthen its focus on Māori language and culture to update arrangements for spectrum management and the contents of Māori Television Service accountability documents to address arrangements for borrowing and investments by Māori Television Service and to update arrangements for the timeliness of future reviews and other miscellaneous matters.I would like to talk about comments in the Māori Affairs Committee report about the composition of Te Pūtahi Pāoho. The committee has noted its concern about the current composition of Te Pūtahi Pāoho. At the time this bill was being considered by the committee a number of the member organisations of Te Pūtahi Pāoho were either no longer active or not registered as an incorporated society. The committee rightly notes that this was an untenable situation for Te Pūtahi Pāoho and could open it to criticism.On 26 August 2013 I was advised by Te Pūtahi Pāoho that it had accepted the withdrawal of the National Māori Congress and Kawea Te Rongo from Te Pūtahi Pāoho. Pursuant to section 14 of the Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act I am progressing an order in council to confirm the removal of these organisations from Te Pūtahi Pāoho. I can advise that Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i te Reo has also been re-registered as an incorporated society. These recent actions address the concerns expressed by the committee in its report. I am advised by my officials that a letter has since been sent to the chair of the committee explaining these recent developments.With the withdrawal of the National Māori Congress from Te Pūtahi Pāoho I would like to give thanks to the former chair Mr Tūwhakairiora Williams. Nō reira e Tū tēnā koe i ārahi ake i te waka nei a Te Pūtahi Pāoho. Nāhau te karanga kia hoe tahi ā kia haere whakamua tēnei waka.[So congratulations to you Tū who escorted this vessel Te Pūtahi Pāoho and made the call to paddle in unison so that this vessel moves forward.]I acknowledge also the new chair Mr Willie Jackson who I am sure will continue the committed work of his predecessor.I indicated in the first reading speech for the bill that I intend to undertake further work to review the composition of Te Pūtahi Pāoho and that this work will be coordinated with relevant work streams in Vote Māori Affairs. If there are further changes to the membership of Te Pūtahi Pāoho I will advise the House at the appropriate time. A Supplementary Order Paper for the Committee of the whole House has been prepared. It seeks to update the commencement date of this bill. This is a minor technical but necessary amendment.In conclusion I am pleased with the progress of this bill. The select committee process has not seen the requirement for significant changes to be made to the bill. I am heartened by this as it suggests that those with interests in this bill are satisfied with the detail of this piece of legislation. I commend this bill to the House.