Sharples Pita: Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Sharples Pita: Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:642;Page:12065] 
Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 Tena koe Madam Chair. I have my tiki on so I would like to speak to the purpose of the Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Bill. Its purpose is really about the family and the family is a bit more extensive than the bill allows for so that is what the Maori Party would like to talk about. I see a new parliamentary party that is starting up has said it is going to be the first real voice for the family. That is really interesting because I think every party has the interests of the family at its heart deep down. We support the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee’s amendment to extend the coverage of the bill beyond young children under 5 years of age and disabled children up to 18 years of age and to cover other whanau members such as partners parents grandparents siblings and mokopuna. 
We are not just saying this; it is part of our culture. You see we have one word for “auntie” and it is the same word as that for “mum”. Whae whaea whaene koka—it is the same word. We have the same word for “cousin” that we have for “brother” and the same word for “cousin” that we have for “sister”. So our sisters are tuahine whether they are our first cousins or our real sisters. And the situation is similar for mokopuna. That is a reality of the way we live. I have several mokopuna who live with me. They are not all my own grandchildren but are my sister’s grandchildren and my grandchildren and that situation is not covered here. So not only do we support the widening of Minister Dyson’s amendment that extends the provision but we request that consideration be given to the Maori concept of whanau as well as broadening the provision generally. 
In terms of what Dr Mapp said about the bill we know about the 90-day wonder and that is the whole point. Sometimes we have to give security and support to people in situations the work situation in particular and that is why the bill is necessary. All it does is to give the opportunity for discussion to take place about more flexible arrangements. Accordingly it has to place some responsibility back on the employer. So the Maori Party at this stage certainly supports this bill. 
I would just like to quote from the report  
Puao-te-ata-tu 
 which was provided by an advisory group the ministerial advisory committee on a Maori perspective for the then Department of Social Welfare way back in 1988. We all know about John Rangihau who was the architect of that report: It states: “The Maori child is not to be viewed in isolation or even as part of nuclear family but as a member of a wider kin group or hapu community that has traditionally exercised responsibility for the child’s care and placement. The technique in the Committee’s opinion must be to reaffirm the hapu bonds”—that is the wider group—“and capitalise on the traditional strengths of the wider group.” 
So the customary preference for the children to be maintained within the context of the hapu is something that is of great value to the Maori Party. We are pleased to support the amendment that adds further flexibility to the flexibility already there in the bill. Kia ora.