Turia Tariana: Telecommunications (TSO Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Turia Tariana: Telecommunications (TSO Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:673;Page:19305] 
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker Robertson. Tena tatou katoa. I am proud to speak on the Telecommunications (TSO Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill which is ostensibly about supporting a range of measures to facilitate the deployment of broadband. 
The Government has had a very clear goal in sight for the Ultra-fast Broadband Initiative and that is that 75 percent of New Zealand households will be connected. That goal has been advanced for and on behalf of tangata w’enua by the establishment of Nga Pu Waea the Maori broadband group. As a result of that group and the advocacy of the Maori Party we can be assured that marae kohanga reo kura wananga iwi runanga and Maori health and social service providers throughout Aotearoa will benefit from the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband. This is of course exactly how it should be but far too often Parliament falls short of the mark in achieving anything near a Treaty-based solution. This bill has been different and the Maori Party wants to ensure that Hansard records the contributions of Maori and the difference made by having Maori voices at the table.  
The concept that information is power is never more evident than in understanding how the internet can provide us with instant access to information at our fingertips as well as improving communication and connectivity. Under this bill Maori will have access to the knowledge access to the power and access to the connectivity that links us through to an enormous and influential social network.  
So how did it occur that Nga Pu Waea will oversee the roll-out of the Ultra-fast Broadband Initiative and the Rural Broadband Initiative? During the select committee process some very strong submissions were put forward by Maori which helped set a new context. Te Huarahi Tika Trust the Maori Spectrum Charitable Trust paved the foundation for a new approach. To give some background Te Huarahi Tika Trust was incorporated as a charitable trust in 2000 to enable Maori to have a right of purchase over the third-generation spectrum radio frequency being auctioned by the Crown that year. By virtue of that experience Te Huarahi Tika Trust challenged the Crown that it had missed an opportunity to partner with Maori to provide substantially better outcomes for all of Aotearoa with the Rural Broadband Initiative. It also argued that Maori have suffered the consequences of poor regulation in the past and that it has no confidence that that is likely to change. 
The second key submission was put forward by Anthony Royal on behalf of the Torotoro Waea Partnership. The Torotoro Waea Partnership shared much the same view as Te Huarahi Tika Trust. In its view the Crown had overlooked an opportunity to work with Maori in building a better future for our next generations. There were three key platforms that it put forward for consideration. It argued firstly that the Crown should be confident in working with Maori given the extraordinary outcomes that Maori have been able to achieve for all New Zealanders over the last 20 years—an argument that we endorse completely. The second view was derived from a Treaty perspective and it was that the Crown is failing in its obligation through kawanatanga to manage the development of our telecommunications infrastructure for the benefit of Aotearoa. The third plank in the submission was to suggest that the Crown has failed in not developing a vision for telecommunications in New Zealand that has as its primary goal what is best for our communities nor has it involved Maori in developing that vision or communicated it with industry and the public of New Zealand. These perspectives and challenges laid out in submissions provided a vital context to ensure that Maori can maximise the opportunities and that Maori views are represented as the roll-out of broadband progresses. 
So what is the litmus test to demonstrate success in opportunities for all Maori to be digitally literate and connected? What measures will be introduced to effect Maori-targeted initiatives in the broadband sector? Inevitably the increased scope and coverage will have a direct benefit in Maori communities. As a result of this bill 93 percent of rural schools will receive fibre enabling ultra-fast speed with the remaining 7 percent achieving moderate speeds and over 80 percent of rural households will have access to broadband. 
We know that strong connectivity to the outside world is important and that economically it is key infrastructure. But there are some specific initiatives that have come about through the select committee process that particularly relate to and are influenced by Maori input. For a start there is the amendment to clause 18A to require the Minister to consult with interested parties including Maori industry participants the Commerce Commission and consumers when conducting the review. A particularly significant development arising from negotiations with the Maori Party was the lifting of the 10-year forbearance period exempting companies that won tenders from Commerce Commission oversight. Our negotiations to remove the forbearance period will help to ensure lower costs for the end consumer something that is an enormous achievement and will have direct benefits for all our constituents. 
Finally I want to mention the significance of connecting marae to broadband which could over time be crucial to marae retaining their role as the hub of the community or indeed restoring that vital role if lost. If marae become the digital hub particularly in rural communities the results could be really exciting leading to increased participation in the economy improved educational outcomes and ultimately more resilient communities. 
In the community and voluntary sector I have been delighted to secure additional funding of $3.3 million over 3 years for community-based initiatives to increase digital literacy and connection. That new funding builds on the $8.345 million I announced in last year’s Budget that has given life to an amazing collective of over 1000 families who have access to the Computers in Homes programme. The funding will also contribute towards the development of a further Computer Clubhouse which is another fantastic community initiative. 
I truly believe that broadband is crucial to the future of Aotearoa whether it is in greater information technology access in schools linked-up communities or greater connectivity for our marae. I am so proud too that as a result of our negotiations to remove the forbearance period the resulting policy will help to ensure lower costs for the end consumer. The development of information and communication technologies within a country is seen as vital. The Maori Party has fought hard to ensure that Maori will benefit from and be directly involved in shaping an information-based economy. 
We are very pleased to support the second reading of the Telecommunications (TSO Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. Tena koe.