Turei Metiria: Taxation (Annual Rates Maori Organisations Taxpayer Compliance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill — In Committee 
Turei Metiria: Taxation (Annual Rates Maori Organisations Taxpayer Compliance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:607;Page:4226] 
METIRIA TUREI (Green) 
: 
 Perhaps it would be good to start with a quick definition of what racism is for the Committee. I suggest that racism is discrimination against on the basis of race. I suggest to those members who are concerned about what racism is that they might want to gather some more information about it and investigate what constitutes discrimination against. This bill does not discriminate against anyone. This bill attempts to recognise that there is such a thing as cultural difference and that there is such a thing as a treaty-based nation which is the nation in which we live. The treaty was signed by two sovereign States or nations that are entitled to equal recognition. I guess it is difficult for some to understand that and some people need more time to do so but I do commend members who have that difficulty to undertake some treaty education to inform themselves about what it means to live in a unique nation such as ours which is premised on a treaty between two sovereign nations and where the structures values and institutions of both cultures are equally recognised. 
For those Maori who have made contact with the Greens and spoken to me about the bill some will be disappointed with it because it has some gains and some losses. But let me say that the Greens support this bill in recognition of those gains to Maori the marae the whanau the hapu and other Maori organisations. To some small extent it is another step towards an understanding that not everything from 19th century England is appropriate in the 21st century and more important that not everything from 19th century England is appropriate for the indigenous people of this colonised land. It is some small step towards recognising that this is as I say a treaty-based nation. 
We are pleased that the definition of “charitable purpose” has been extended to include those who are related by blood. Traditional Maori structures that prioritise whanau and hapu have had real difficulty in gaining recognition as valid structures in our society. Once defined as “beastly communism” those structures are actually fundamental to Maori cultural economic and political development. The extension of the charitable purposes definition goes some way towards ensuring that Maori authorities and marae are no longer prejudiced by inappropriate culturally biased definitions. 
We are also pleased that the definition of “marae” has been extended in the bill. Serious concerns were raised by the Dunedin Community Law Centre that Maori were discriminated against in the first draft of this bill because marae could have charitable status only if the funds of the marae were to be used for the administration and maintenance of the property—the physical structures. Very real concerns were raised that such restrictions do not apply to similar organisations like churches. We are very happy that the provision has been changed so that a marae will be deemed to have a charitable purpose if it is on a Maori reserve under the Te Ture Whenua Maori Act and if the funds it receives are to be used for a charitable purpose. That change eases the financial burden on marae and recognises the whanau and hapu support and development activities that are central to the purpose of a marae. 
Finally I will comment on the New Zealand First Supplementary Order Paper extending Subpart 1 to other applicants. The Greens do not support that Supplementary Order Paper. Those particular provisions in the bill are there to recognise the specific legal difficulties and constraints that Maori authorities face in dealing with community-owned assets. The extension proposed by New Zealand First should form part of a specific discussion in this community and in Parliament so that the full implications can be canvassed. But also—and I reiterate this because I understand that some people need time to understand it—under the Treaty of Waitangi Maori structures and values are not to be discriminated against and the blanket imposition of rules suggested by New Zealand First National and ACT which are premised on the cultural values of the dominant culture is nothing less than structural discrimination. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Before I call the next speaker I thank the member for her speech and suggest that she look at Speaker’s ruling 21/8.