Henare Tau: Rodney District Council Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Henare Tau: Rodney District Council Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 21 July 2010. Volume:665;Page:12546. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon TAU HENARE (National) 
: 
 The first thing I want to say in the first reading of the Rodney District Council Bill is that most of the time when there is an issue of real importance in the community people protest. One such issue was the foreshore and seabed. Something like 25000 to 30000 people parked up outside Parliament. Without getting into the rights and wrongs of that legislation I would say that the protest showed that a lot of people had a view that was contrary to the view of those putting forward the legislation. During the process of the three pieces of legislation on the super-city the biggest demonstration was on Maori representation. Then came the huge demonstration that was organised by none other than the great organiser the great leader of 50-odd people— 
David Garrett 
: John Minto. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: No it was my colleague across the Chamber who decided that it would be the biggest protest about the super-city. 
David Garrett 
: Oh Mr Twyford. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Well I did not say the name. There were only 40-odd people and an ambulance there—and the ambulance was not there for me. I like protests because I think they show what people are thinking about issues and whether they support issues. The next big protest was the Queen’s Birthday weekend vehicle protest against the super-city and in favour of having their own little fiefdom up there. 
Louise Upston 
: How’d that go? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: There were thousands of people leaving Auckland on the Friday and even on the Thursday to get away for Queen’s Birthday weekend and there were no hold-ups. 
Phil Twyford 
: They used to vote National. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Actually they have always voted Labour. People like that have always voted Labour. The fact of the matter is that at the next election we will see the Hon John Carter the Hon Phil Heatley and the Hon Lockwood Smith all hold their seats which are based in that area. Do members know why? It is because those people not only support National and their local members of Parliament—because they are good local members of Parliament—but support the idea of a super-city. 
Phil Twyford 
: Has he read the bill? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: It is hard not to read the bill. There is so much rubbish in it one laughs when reading it. It is a bit like a cartoon. It has been put together by people who want to protect their own jobs. That is all it is. The bill is only about protecting the power and the wages of those who will lose their jobs in October of this year. That is all they are worried about. They are not worried about being part of a local community board. They are not worried about being part of a bigger prize at the end of the rainbow. They are after the protection of their jobs and their wages or salaries and all. 
Phil Twyford 
: What an insult! 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: It is an insult. It is an insult to the people who want to see this country go ahead. 
I cannot believe my luck—this is the third opportunity I have had to speak in the House since that event some 30 smoke-free days ago. Do members know what this issue is all about? It is all about getting the pump of the economy going. We will not be able to do it by supporting the establishment of little backwater fiefdoms. That is not democracy; that is just self-interest at its worst. 
Phil Twyford 
: He’s sold out to big business. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Oh yeah. Whom did I sell out to? 
Chris Tremain 
: No one. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Exactly—no one. Those who have sold out are those with these “good” ideas. All they have done is try to protect their own wages and protect their own outdated and outmoded philosophies. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: What did the party-hopper do? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Let us talk about some party-hoppers. Winston Churchill was a party-hopper and frankly I quite like Winston Churchill. I think Winston Churchill was a great man—a fantastic man. I wish members opposite would calm down. I know what happens to the old ticker when people get stressed out. The only words I can bring to this debate before I sit down are “calm down”. I tell those members to calm down and open up their arteries so the blood can flow through and let Auckland—[ 
Interruption 
] I have had 30 smoke-free days. I do not smoke anymore; it is a disgusting habit. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: He’s a convert to every cause. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Actually I do not care whether people smoke. 
Most people in the area of Rodney further north want to be part of a great big Auckland movement. They want to be part of the new Auckland. If there is a chance that we have not got it right there is an opportunity to tweak and change. But we will not be going back to the old left-wing philosophy of having little fiefdoms all over the place because the people who get control of those little fiefdoms are the people on the left in central government. 
The Auckland legislation brings more power to the people of Auckland. It brings more power to the people of north Auckland east Auckland south Auckland and west Auckland. [ 
Interruption 
] That is what this crowd do not want to happen. They do not want the power to be left in the hands of the people; they want the power to be left in the hands of their mates like Bob Harvey and Len Brown. They are all the same. They want to control their own little fiefdoms and their own little power bases. That is all I have to say.