Henare PeeniHon PEENI HENARE (Associate Minister of Health): Thank you Madam Speaker. Thank you very much to take an opportunity to speak on such a significant occasion. Approximately 100 years ago Sir Māui Pōmare was appointed as the National health Minister. He was the first Māori to be appointed to that role. And then of course we come into more recent times to the likes of Te Puea Hērangi who continued to push for Māori health outcomes through the end of World War I through the depression and into World War II. And in recent times again in 1984 I remember the likes of Dr Pat Ngata I remember the likes of Irihapeti Ramsden I remember the likes of Erihapeti Murchie Dr John Macleod Eru Pōmare who fought hard to make sure that Māori health inequities have a voice strong enough to challenge a system that continued to deliver status quo outcomes. And those status quo outcomes were clearly that Māori life expectancy was worse in the country that Māori access to health services was some of the worst in the country and that Māori have continued to be underserved by the health system for many many decades. And when I look back on those times and I think of the likes of my matua Mr Rob Cooper who fought hard to make sure that we could change the health system to better serve not just Māori but all New Zealanders I look back and think of those names with great joy on a day like this. It's with great pleasure and optimism that I stand to support this bill and I want to endorse the Minister the Hon Andrew Little's words of thanks to many who work in the health system today to the many who contributed to making this bill and where we're taking the health-reform work and to the many who have contributed to make it better. I want to acknowledge the Minister himself. He was brave he was bold and he was prepared to work constructively to make sure that we can deliver to New Zealand a health system that they deserve. I want to acknowledge him and of course the rest of our colleagues in this Government for the support on this journey to make sure that we can continue to do the hard work to make sure that off the back of a number of key announcements in the Budget just gone—as well as the Budget of last year—we can continue to deliver the services that our people deserve. And in the House today I took the opportunity to talk about bowel screening. That is a classic example of key decisions that we can make in a system that will allow those deliverables to be achieved and that can actually make a huge difference for people's wellbeing. Lowering the bowel-screening age is massive but it can't be massive on its own; it's got to be in part with a sector reform which is what this Government has undertaken. A key part of the bill which drew a lot of attention—in particular during the committee stage—was of course the establishment of a Māori Health Authority. Dr Reti just said he would make a stronger Māori policy unit in the health system. Well that is the status quo; that's what's already been there for the past 20 30 years and yet the health outcomes that Māori deserve have not been achieved. That is why we have to be bold. That is why we've made sure that we've established a system embedded in this legislation that will see powers across all levels of the health sector: to make sure that this health service and the future health service can continue to provide equitable outcomes for communities across this country. And I want to be clear. This isn't separatism. No. This is a strong health system that will cater for all. If at the bottom of that heap improving equitable health outcomes for Māori will continue to lift health outcomes for all New Zealanders then I'm disappointed the other side of the House won't be supporting this. I'm proud of this piece of legislation. I don't want to go on too much longer because as much as we've worked hard to get to this point there is still much more work to be done. In the last minute of my contribution I want to speak to the future generations. I want to talk to our tamariki and mokopuna. I want to speak to my mokopuna Te Ōmeka; I want to speak to my girls who are nine and 10; and I want to say to them We promised you and your ancestors promised you a healthcare system that will deliver equitable health outcomes for you." And I'm proud to say to them that they will look back on this day in the passing of this legislation as setting the record straight. We still have more work to do for all of our grandkids and our tamariki and mokopuna but I'm proud that this day starts that piece of work off. It makes sure that we have a system that can deliver better equitable outcomes to our people and I say to them "We'll continue to fight for you and we'll continue to fight for better health outcomes for our people." I endorse this bill to the House."