Prebble Richard: Maori Fisheries Bill — In Committee 
Prebble Richard: Maori Fisheries Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:620;Page:15631] 
Hon RICHARD PREBBLE (ACT) 
: 
 I am somewhat sympathetic to the previous member’s difficulties with the bill; that just shows how complicated it is. 
I turn the attention of the Committee to Part 6 which we are actually debating and to schedule 8. I have not heard any member refer to this but there is an interesting point that members might like to look at. On page 279 we find that the Income Tax Act 2004—in other words this year’s Income Tax Act—is being amended. That is almost a record is it not? That Income Tax Act was passed this year and this bill is already amending it. Members might care to recall that that Income Tax Bill was the biggest bill this House has ever passed. 
When we look at the particular section of the Act to find out what is actually happening we see that we are giving these new fishing companies the same tax status as Maori authorities. Why would anyone want to do that? I remind members that we have a race-based tax system in New Zealand. If ordinary New Zealanders—and when I say ordinary I mean non-Maori and in fact Maori if they are not in a Maori authority—want to be a fishing company they pay the company rate of tax which is 33c in the dollar. These fishing companies are going to pay only 19.5c in the dollar. [ 
Interruption 
] It is in the schedule—members should have a look at it. It has slipped through. I would like to see the Minister of Fisheries get up and explain why that should be. These companies are large companies. They are not small companies. These fishing companies have multimillion-dollar assets. In fact Maorinow control I understand over half the fishing assets of New Zealand. I put this to the Committee: how can a fishing company owned by non-Maori hope to compete? 
In schedule 8 which we are now debating Maori fishing companies are being granted a 19.5c tax rate. Where was that in the fishing settlement? Where did the Government say: “Oh by the way we are not only going to give you all these fishing assets but we will give you a nice new tax rate of just 19.5c in the dollar.”? I have to say I am not actually opposed to a tax rate of 19.5 in the dollar; I just want it for everyone else! A 19.5c tax rate is actually ACT’s policy. If it were up to us no one would pay more than 19.5c. I would like to hear from the Minister that this provision is a first step towards the instituting of ACT’s policy—but I suspect that it is not.  
Hon Dover Samuels 
: It’s in the right direction. 
Hon RICHARD PREBBLE 
: The member says it is in the right direction. I suggest that some of the Maori members—who are actually according to the polls about to lose their seats—ought to get up and explain to their constituents that they—[ 
Interruption 
] I can do the maths for the member who seems to be complaining—I must have struck a nerve. He ought to be pointing out that what this Government is doing is introducing a new tax rate. And what is the basis of it? It appears to be race. There is no other reason. 
I would like to hear from the Minister whether I am right. Are these new fishing companies that are being set up going to pay only 19.5c in the dollar and if that is so why? What is the equitable reason? Why should Maori pay 19.5c in the dollar and non-Maori pay 33c? Surely some member opposite would like to get up and explain it. If those members think it is a good thing they should take credit for it. Surely we can hear about it. 
This provision is buried in the bill on almost the last page. There is no explanatory note. One actually has to go to page 1098 of the biggest statute ever passed in New Zealand to work out that this Government is slipping though a change in the tax regime so that Maori pay 19.5c and non-Maori pay 33c. I call that apartheid. I call that a tax based on race. I call it unfair. I call it unjustified. If the Government thinks it is justified then why does a Government member not get up proudly take credit for it and explain to us why Maori should pay only 19.5c in the dollar?