Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:630;Page:2485] 
7.  
RON MARK (NZ First) 
 on behalf of  
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
: Is he satisfied with the Government’s response to the report by the United Nations Human Rights Commission on the situation of Maori in New Zealand? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs) 
: 
 The Government made every effort to ensure in the very brief time—in fact only 8 working days—he was in New Zealand that the UN special rapporteur Dr Stavenhagen had access to those most informed about the issues he was addressing. Sadly he chose to ignore much of what was said to him. The Government then responded in an earlier draft to his report to correct factual errors and errors of imbalance. Sadly he ignored that as well. The Government will make a further formal report in an effort to correct these errors. I suppose it is best summed up by the MP Shane Jones who said on morning television that Mr Stavenhagen would be better off saving the Marsh Arabs than interfering with our race relations. 
Ron Mark 
: Does the Minister believe that the report of the United Nations special rapporteur on issues relating to Maori accurately reflects the situation of race relations here in New Zealand? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: That is a very important question because there are some who believe it does. The facts are of course that he was captured by those entrenched in a grievance mentality who ignore even the most rudimentary social context in which Maori socially and economically mix with other people in this country. He ignores the fact that a Maori set up the Waitangi Tribunal that there are more Maori in Parliament than the Maori population in terms of ratio or that for example it is mandatory to follow the Treaty of Waitangi State-owned enterprise legislation not voluntary. Such fundamental errors surely could not have resulted from anything other than a brief talk to certain people on the fringes of academia in this country. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Does the Minister agree with the Prime Minister that that report cannot be taken seriously as it represents just “one man’s view” despite that man’s view being consistent with the Waitangi Tribunal the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and 30000 thinking New Zealanders who marched on the hikoi to Parliament; and if he does agree how then should the Government respond to the advice of key Maori leaders who have stated this morning that the Government criticism of the United Nations report will do the country no credit internationally? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: By preferring one hard fact rather than 12 lovely emotions. The fact of the matter is that the primary case did not find in favour of Maori in the Ngati Apa case at all; neither did the Court of Appeal—and any lawyer in this country knows that. The second thing is that decisions of the Treaty of Waitangi are not coerced. The Waitangi Tribunal has never made a claim that it is coerced into decisions. It was never the claim of Tainui. It was never the claim of Ngai Tahu at the time. Those members who were there remember it very very well. More important when one can get something as wrong as saying that the State-owned enterprise legislation is voluntary yet it is clear as daylight that it is mandatory and the Government is required to follow it then what else in the report is worth reading? 
Ron Mark 
: Is he confident that the role of indigenous people in New Zealand reflects positively in the international arena? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: I say very clearly that Maori are a huge asset to this country—and some more than most. [ 
Interruption 
] I take that as a total affirmation of what I am saying. Not only is Maori culture and language an integral part of who we are; it is also amongst the strongest identifiers of our New Zealandness amongst the international community. 
Rodney Hide 
: What about the poodle? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: The member may want to speak about himself but the question is not about him; it is about us. It is not about irrelevant poodles like Mr Hide whom his founding leader says is a joke; it is about the serious people of this country who happen to be Maori. And whilst I am here deputed to represent them I intend to carry on and say this—[ 
Interruption 
] Oh look—take a Valium! 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Order please. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: The member should take a pill for goodness’ sake! 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Would the Minister just reply to the question. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Let us say this: New Zealand’s “Maoriness” when it comes to Maori culture and society should be celebrated not misused by those with grievance agendas trapped in negativity. There is no question that things can improve on many fronts for Maori—[ 
Interruption 
] Ha ha! 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I notice that Mr Peters is taking a very long time in his reply to the question. That raises two points. Firstly I heard him laugh during that answer. Is it our ruling that it is OK to laugh if one is answering a question but not if one is just a normal member listening to a question? Secondly can we assume that the great leniency Mr Peters seems to attract from the Chair is part of some unofficial affirmative action programme? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Obviously not Mr Brownlee. But I would say that if members interject on others they are likely to get a response. I ask the Rt Hon Winston Peters to please complete the answer to his question quickly. It was long. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. It may help matters if Mr Peters just tabled his spontaneous answers that he is reading to the House. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order as the member knows. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Nowhere in my “spontaneous answer” was there an intention to talk about somebody who is a lapdog of this Parliament; the member raised the issue himself. I conclude by saying that Maori are actively engaged in every part of this country’s economic and social life—and so they should be. 
I seek the leave of the House to table a report of an interview conducted this morning with Sir Douglas Graham the former National member of Parliament charged with the Treaty of Waitangi portfolio in which he says that the whole thing is “lightweight”. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.