Sharples Pita: Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Sharples Pita: Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:643;Page:12796] 
Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
Tena koe. Tenatatou katoa. In speaking to Part 1 of the Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill I have worries that as we pass into law pieces of legislation that have a particular requirement and cover a particular area we do so without looking at the large-scale implications of them on our country as a whole. Although Te Ururoa Flavell quite correctly characterised the MaoriParty’s stand which is that we are totally against terrorism and that we accept the rule of law as paramount nevertheless at the end of the day we are here building a society in Aotearoa. Although we have a whole lot of history behind us a lot more is still to come and unless we build quality race relations as we pass these laws then I believe we are heading in the wrong direction. I say this because there has been quite inflammatory korero—talk—in this Chamber about this bill and about other pieces of legislation relating to race relations and to actual people in the Chamber. 
To me we have to look at where the Maori people are at this time to understand why there have been widespread repercussions in respect of recent events that have happened under this particular law. I think it is terribly dangerous for us to look at terrorism suppression without us clearly defining the role and if you like the limitations of the behaviour of those who have to execute the Act so that we do not get stuff happening that is quite beyond the cause such as women’s panties being taken out of households in front of the women themselves as though they were pieces of evidence of terrorism. To me we have to take it in terms of where we are going in the future. As a country I think we have underestimated the effects of what has happened over recent weeks. I believe there was even a remit at the Labour Party’s own conference from Maori suggesting a reconsideration of this legislation because of its repercussions on Maori themselves put forward by the Maori council of the Labour Government. 
I went to talk as I do from time to time to the participants of the Police College refresher courses. In this case there were 25 kaitakawaenga. These are specially trained senior Maori policemen who have a role in iwi liaison. 
Ron Mark 
: They weren’t happy with you were they? 
Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: They were not happy with you Ron. Let us be straight up. They asked me what they could do because they are so hurt from the actions that have taken place. First they have empathy and sympathy for their Maori people particularly the Tuhoe people and secondly they uphold the rule of law and are proud to be policemen. They felt caught in the middle. I made some suggestions to them and followed these up with a note to the Commissioner of Police. I hope it reaps benefits for them. My reason for mentioning that is to show members how widespread the hurt is. And I say to Ron that he is quite wrong. They hongi-ed me and praised— 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member must refer to members’ full names. Under Speakers’ rulings 26/6 and 26/7 members must use another member’s full name or title. 
Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Ron Mark is quite wrong because the whole purpose of my going to the course was to address the question of how the participants could get back their mauri—their life force as they described it. They were feeling depressed and did not know what to do. I was able to be part of a discussion that would perhaps lead them along a path of restoring their mauri. I just mention that although it is not to be discussed here. 
The matter has gone now to the Solicitor-General but at the end of the day I believe it is the Attorney-General who actually lays the charges. The point is that the damage has been done. So what happens if it turns out that a couple of idiots have been playing up and that the training camp and the use of weapons without permits was for something else but was not actually terrorism? What happens then? Already in Bangkok it is being reported that Maori want to assassinate the Prime Minister. Already the papers in Turkey and in many other countries are saying that Maori are uprising. Those are the reports that have gone out. The damage is done and once again Maori are being painted as the bad guys—all Maori not just the two or three who have been arrested. That is how the story has gone out and that is the picture that many different countries have in relation to what has happened. But for Maori themselves it is like “Oh my gosh here we go again!” You see we are one of the few races or ethnic groups in the world that still retains its whakapapa and use it in its daily culture—for instance when we go to funerals when we meet on the marae and greet each other and when we talk about land inheritance and things like that. It is given verbally. But when we have a people who still have their oral culture and whakapapa in place then their history is as fresh as if it had happened just the other day. 
I will just finish this point: if we implement the provisions of Part 1 and at the end of the day we do not come up with the goodies then the whole country loses. More important to me is that race relations loses. As someone who has spent 8 years in the area of race relations 8 years as chairman of the third-largest tribe in New Zealand and 34 years as the chairman of an urban Maori group I have a feeling about how Maori feel. I can tell members now—and this is from Pakeha sources too—that we are worried about what implications this legislation will have on race relations in this country for us all. That is really what we are on about in life—building our nationhood together. Thank you Mr Chairperson.