te Heuheu Georgina: Protected Objects Amendment Bill — In Committee 
te Heuheu Georgina: Protected Objects Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:632;Page:4266] 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU (National) 
: 
 Thank you very much for the opportunity to take a call tonight on the Protected Objects Amendment Bill. I say “thank you” because it is important that the public of New Zealand understands that National is very very much committed to the protection of our taonga. So in that sense we welcome the bill and we support it. 
One of the things the bill has done is to make members in this House as representatives of New Zealanders think very clearly about the things that are important to us as New Zealanders. As a Maori in particular as there is so much of our cultural heritage that is Maori and unique obviously to New Zealand I think it is very timely that this country takes steps to make sure that those things we consider worthy of protection because they contribute to our nationhood and our identity are protected. 
In this day and age it is neat that we all have the opportunity to think about what matters to us and what matters to us is that we protect those things that help to identify us as New Zealanders. So many of those protected objects—those taonga—are Maori-based. We appreciate that all of those things belong to all New Zealanders and that we all have a collective responsibility to make sure they are protected not only for ourselves in our time but for the coming generations. Obviously in a time of increasing globalisation when States have a bit of a concern about the loss of their own identities it is activities and legislation such as this bill that make it important for us to understand that we are New Zealanders that we have things that identify us as such and that we need to protect those things. 
National is very committed to the underlying concept that there are certain things that we as New Zealanders hold dear to ourselves because they identify us and they make a statement about our sense of belonging to this place and to these islands in this part of the world. It is because those things are unique to us that we as lawmakers take the proper steps to make sure those things are protected. So it is absolutely proper for instance that Part 1—which we are debating now—places prohibitions on the export of certain objects and that a process exists through which people who wish to export certain taonga must go to seek approval which they may or may not get. That is right and proper. 
Although it is not in order for us to congratulate the Minister—and I was not here for the earlier part of the debate—National supports the steps that have been taken. They are timely and they are important to us as New Zealanders. That is why we support the measure being debated tonight. 
Also I want to give a bit of tautoko to my colleague Tau Henare. We were in Government and Cabinet together when he took steps to have those taonga returned to New Zealand. That is proper too. Those taonga may be of Maori cultural importance but I do not think Maori take them for themselves. We look to all New Zealanders to take pride in what belongs to us. We look for the support of all New Zealanders to understand and appreciate the importance of things that though they come from our culture belong to us all as New Zealanders. On that basic premise I will not congratulate but will commend the Minister for bringing this legislation to the House.