Eagle Paul; Dean JacquiPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Tēna koe e te Māngai o te Whare. It is a privilege to be able to I guess have the last word on this special debate for the 150th celebration of the Māori Affairs Committee. I'm here because Te Paati Māori aren't here so you know when they aren't here then our Labour Māori team and the party are here. So I want to say that though in the spirit that's been talked about for this session and that is that everyone comes to the Māori Affairs Committee with that joint kaupapa of advancing all things Māori.Can I acknowledge the 341 previous members all of those chairs and people who have held senior roles on there as part of advancing things Māori. For me personally it's been a bit of a hoot just to hear just some of the history and it's always been marred by as our Minister of Māori affairs says a few punch-ups some aggression but lots of kai and whanaungatanga just to put into balance how the values of the select committee operate.I asked our chief whip if I could be on the committee when the new term came. I said to our chief whip: Look this is the committee that I would most like to be part of." I said that because when I reflect on where I'm from Waikato-Tainui when I look at the journey I took to come here and—can I not only acknowledge the Minister for Māori Development but also our Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations the Hon Andrew Little. It was a phone call prior to being selected as the candidate for Rongotai where we both live. He essentially said "Look I'm not standing but no guarantees but the selection is there." That really opened the door for me to advance my journey in.I knew that there had not been a Māori male who had won a general seat for the party in a century so this would be historical in some ways and so I knew the mantel there was going to be heavy. I also knew that I wasn't from Wellington so mana whenua being Taranaki Whānui; Ngāti Toa Rangatira; our people on Wharekauri Rēkohu the Chatham Islands—it was important that I had their support because I wanted to ensure that things were done in a genuine way that reflected the values of me and things Māori. I haven't been let down. I've been on that committee—we've had to re-induct Harete Hipango into the ways of collaboration and compromise but our aunty has done a fantastic job and we have worked together very strongly to ensure that our ideology sometimes and the way that we want to get things advanced is done with a kaupapa Māori spirit. That spirit has been in the spirit that our ancestors and those who have gone before.I want to just pick up on some of the things that the Hon Willie Jackson has said because I was expecting some of this but now I've heard that Rino Tirikatene had brought some peace and calm and some patience and a whole lot of other adjectives too to the former feral and rough nature of this select committee. That calm has prevailed and has been brought across. So I think maybe Rino has been a shining light in bringing that change of values and brought it back to that stately presence and manner that the select committee should operate in. But in saying and talking about Minister Jackson I do want to acknowledge his father Bob Jackson who passed away on this day in 1994. So I know he had established Waatea Marae in Manukau in Māngere there and so. Moe mai rā Minister.But as my time comes to an end it is as I said at the start a privilege to be a part of the Māori Affairs Committee the journey of the 341 and I hope forever that the values that underpin the operation of that select committee stand apart from other select committees. Kia ora.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the motion be agreed to.Motion agreed to.Briefing noted."