Horomia Parekura: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Horomia Parekura: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:630;Page:2452] 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I laboured tediously over the report and I did so when the report was rightfully released not when some fools tried to accelerate some of the nonsense that was pushed out of the Maori Affairs Committee. I am sure that if we were on another journey the Ministry of Maori Affairs’ financial results would not be before this Committee tonight. 
I want to be quite clear in relation to what the Act states so that we can put this right tonight—properly. Although the Act makes the ministry responsible for a monitoring and liaising role it does not provide any powers to carry out that role; nor does it specify how the role should be carried out. This Government and the ministry carried it out well. [ 
Interruption 
] That is right. Leith Comer and his committee carried it out well. I commend the Ministry of Maori Affairs for the effort it put in over that period of time. 
I remind my friend Tau Henare a former Minister of Maori Affairs—whom I used to go fishing with on Thursday nights because he was so out of work that he did not know what to do; he used to get senior public servants from ministries to go fishing with him and he was so hopeless that he never caught anything—of his time as Minister. This guy thinks he knows better as to what is good for Maori and what is bad for them. In his time and on his watch 48000 Maori were unemployed; on my watch there are now 16000. That is the result of great support from the Ministry of Maori Affairs—Te Puni Kokiri—and hard effort from this Government. When Tau was last a Minister his Government froze the minimum wage. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member will use the member’s full name. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: When Mr Tau Henare— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: The Hon Tau Henare to you Charlie. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I heard that. The member will stand withdraw and apologise. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: When the Hon Tau Henare was representing a seat he was the real Maori spokesman for the National Party—and I know he is putting in every effort to become so again and quite rightly I say to Mr Tisch. There are two Maori members from that party and he should be the spokesperson. That is what he is really up to and it is important that members recognise that. 
When he was the Minister of Maori Affairs his Government froze the minimum wage. On my watch it has increased six times. Members should read about Working for Families. I am happy to say that we have increased incomes for everyone. It is not about wealth for the greedy; it is about recognising the needy—and Mr Henare certainly knows that. That is dead right. I am really happy that 20500 Maoris are in industry training. I am not happy that violence still continues in households in both Maoridom and Pakehadom. We will try to do something about that. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: When are you going to start? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I am sad to see that Tau has changed his tune now that he is back in this House. Almost 9 years ago to the day on 8 May 1997 he said in this House: “I finish by saying that we stand here today with a great opportunity to work together for our people not only as Maori people but as a nation. What is good for Maori must be good for the nation.” I ask Tau what has changed. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: Nothing. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That is right. The member’s priorities changed. The Hon Tau Henare should be National’s Maori spokesperson so that he can put on the table the platitudes and the negativity that his party tries to imbue—from Orewa to down here. 
The Ministry of Maori Affairs has done well. I tell members that the next 5 to 10 years will be the most prolific time for Maoridom—and this Government has helped that. This Minister of Maori Affairs has done well even if only he says that. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: The Minister told me that he is going to retire. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I remind Mr Henare—and I do not wish to call him anything that is not accepted in this House apart from reminding him who he is—that the  
New Zealand Herald 
 states: “Henare takes back ‘liar’ comment”. The member needs to take it back because he knows that it is a fib. It is the same as what he did to Tony Blair. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I caution the member that firstly he is out of his time and secondly the use of the word “fib” is not permitted in the Chamber. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I think the Minister was actually going for a second 5-minute call because he was in full swing. We are quite happy that the Minister take the other 5-minute call which he is entitled to. I see that he is still sitting there and is keen to finish his speech. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: It is up to the Minister whether he would like to take another call. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: I am inviting the Minister Parekura Horomia to take a call. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Members have heard enough. 
Report noted.