Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti): E Te Tiamana. I runga i te kaupapa te wiki Te Wiki o te Reo Māori tēnā koe. Ngā mema o Te Whare nei tēnā tātou katoa.[On the topic of the week Māori Language Week greetings. To the members of this House greetings.]It's indeed an honour to take a call in the Appropriation (2019/20 Estimates) Bill where we're debating the Māori sector. I want to acknowledge the speaker who just retained her seat Nicky Wagner in acknowledging the fine former Ministers of this House the Hon Pita Sharples and the Hon Tariana Turia and their contribution to Whānau Ora.But let's be really clear: this Government tackles the big issues. In nine years if that side of the House valued the role of Māori Ministers they should have had them at the Cabinet table. They should have had them at the Cabinet table but they didn't. But in this Government I want to acknowledge the four Ministers that came in front of our select committee the Hon Andrew Little the Hon Peeni Henare the Hon Kelvin Davis and the Hon Nanaia Mahuta the Minister for Māori Development who presented a very comprehensive—very comprehensive—Māori development strategy to meet the needs of Māori today and going forward. Yes we are on this side of the House tackling the big issues and like I said we match our walk with our talk by putting the Minister for Māori Development who has never been at the Cabinet table at the Cabinet table this year under this Government.We also know that the issues that we are facing are not going to be fixed overnight and particularly housing. The Ministers that came to speak to us—there's a massive amounts of pūtea going towards enabling Māori papakāinga shared equity. We heard it through the reset of KiwiBuild. But these particular Ministers and the Minister for Māori Development particularly have talked about committing more houses—affordable houses—for Māori.Today I joined the Minister in travelling to Wainuiōmata to work with the iwi through Treaty settlements who have put their land on the table supported by Te Puni Kōkiri and then we're going to have 89 homes in Wainuiōmata. Now people might think that's not a lot of homes but in Wainuiōmata that is significant. It is a mixed housing model made up of shared equity of kaumātua flats of market and affordable homes and this is what this Government's doing. We don't just talk about it; we're doing it in partnership with iwi. And I want to acknowledge Te Atiawa Taranaki Whānui and of course Port Nicholson who have come to the party and have over many years developed that.I want to also talk about the focus on the wellbeing that the four Ministers addressed and particularly Minister Davis' He Hōkai Rangi and of course Minister Peeni Henare's Whānau Ora. Yes $80 million was gained in this Budget—in 2019-20 $80 million towards Whānau Ora—but that is not the extent of the opportunities available to Māori development. If we look at the $1.9 billion in mental health if you hear during question time Ministers talking about kaupapa Māori delivery—Māori led by Māori—this side like I say not only talks it but walks it because these are the big issues that we're prepared to roll up our sleeves and ensure that this wellbeing Government delivers particularly to Māori and Pacific communities.But we also want to be head of a Government that's proud—that's proud—to deliver to our Treaty partner. I want to talk about the impact of voting. We've got local body elections coming up and I want to acknowledge the many candidates that are standing to bring diversity around our local leadership because it goes hand in hand with a commitment on this side of the House—a Government prepared to roll up its sleeves to reflect back the community. In the votes that we examined and the Ministers that came before the Māori Affairs Committee ably chaired by Rino Tirikatene they are painting a picture a delivery for Māori. Through the votes that we examined it is clear: Hōkai Rangi commitment to Māori land owners and Vote Māori Development but also the housing commitment that we've got there—backed up underpinned by the Hon Peeni Henare's Whānau Ora.This is an approach that yes the other side started but our side is going to take it to another level ensuring that we are delivering to all Māori communities all whānau all iwi and all hapū up and down the country. I commend this bill to the House.