Paraone Pita: Maori Purposes Bill (No 2) — In Committee 
Paraone Pita: Maori Purposes Bill (No 2) — In Committee 
[Volume:646;Page:15822] 
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Chairman. I want to follow on from the previous speaker and remind the Committee that Maori do not have a mortgage on passion. Perhaps that is why we in New Zealand First are more focused on what is best for New Zealand. 
In supporting this Maori Purposes Bill (No 2) and in talking to Part 2 where changes are recommended to the Maori Trust Boards Act 1955 we say that it is important that the democracy that the rest of the country is able to enjoy applies to the beneficiaries of Maori trust boards. These amendments are made to accommodate the five Maori trust boards that have taken on the responsibilities outlined in the Maori Fisheries Act 2004. I am not quite sure whether this will be limited to just the five Maori trust boards as the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission has continued to allocate fishing quota. I know that over the past week or so two further iwi groups Te Aupouri and Ngati Ruanui have received their allocation. I am not quite sure whether the Te Aupouri Maori Trust Board will take on this responsibility. If it does then this bill would need to apply to it as well. 
In respect of the interpretation of “adult beneficiary” we have often made reference to the importance of young people and I know that in the description of young people age 18 is included. Be that as it may it is important in terms of the Maori Fisheries Act that the entitlement for 18-year-olds to vote also applies to their Maori trust board. This part of the bill certainly provides for that. 
The other issue in Part 2 is in respect of the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board. I will not say too much about that other than to say that it is important that the arrangement that the board has made with the Crown is carried out in a manner that does not conflict with the intention of that payment and that the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board is able to carry out its duties according to the law of the land. 
A question was raised in the select committee consideration of the bill about validation and whether this change would affect those decisions that have been made by some boards that have carried out their elections. If a beneficiary aged 18 is able to vote under one particular Act it just makes sense that there should be some continuity for that age group. This part of the bill certainly provides for that. The question was raised as to how that links in with the Maori Fisheries Act. This part certainly addresses that issue. As the report from the Maori Affairs Committee said should there be any concerns about that then the costs of validating those elections—those decisions made by the trust boards as a consequence of their election process—should be met by the Crown. Although we might think that this is an exception in terms of validating previous elections should there be some concern then people should not be afraid to carry on with their concern because of the cost issue. I would recommend that if that were to occur then beneficiaries and trust boards alike should carry it through. 
On the fact of it the only changes to the Maori Trust Boards Act are those I have outlined. We should give support to this part. 
Part 2 agreed to.