Sage Eugenie; Doocey Matt; Rurawhe AdrianHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green): E te Māngai o te Whare tēnā koe. Tēnā koutou katoa. Tuatahi ake ka tika me mihi ki a koutou a Ngāi Tahu me ngā maunga ngā awa ngā whenua o Te Wai Pounamu kei te mihi.[Mr Speaker greetings to you. Greetings everyone. Firstly it is appropriate that I acknowledge Ngāi Tahu and the mountains rivers and land of the South Island of New Zealand greetings.]I'm really pleased to take a short call on the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill. It's somewhat ironic that we have the National Party opposing this bill and talking about democracy because of course it was the National Party that got rid of 14 elected councillors on Environment Canterbury in 2010 and did not return democracy to Canterbury for nine long years. I was one of those councillors that got unceremoniously removed.The Green Party is supporting this bill because my experience of Canterbury Regional Council was that it had a very long way to go in implementing the Treaty partnership. One of the few good things that came out of the appointment of commissioners in Canterbury was the place of Ngāi Tahu and its two representatives around that council table and the greater recognition that that forced the council to have of things Māori and of Te Tiriti. I can remember in 2007 having to argue strongly for the first representative who had expertise in tikanga Māori to be appointed to the hearings panel on the Waitaki River and that being opposed by other councillors despite the importance of the Waitaki River to Ngāi Tahu because it rises in the headwaters of Aoraki—their tūpuna.So councils around this motu have got a long way to go in implementing Te Tiriti. This bill by ensuring that there is a Ngāi Tahu voice at the table will help move towards a better Treaty partnership. It will help ensure that there is a strong voice for Ngāi Tahu about the awa the maunga the whenua of Te Wai Pounamu which constitutes much of their takiwā. This bill is ensuring that Ngāi Tahu can choose who those two representatives are. It does not diminish democracy; it improves democracy because as Rino Tirikatene noted it is increasing the number of councillors around the table from 14 to 16. It does not affect the remuneration of the existing councillors who are elected. It does not affect their responsibilities. It simply means that there are two representatives that Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu will choose that will ensure that there is a loud voice. And our country and Canterbury will be better for that in ensuring that that voice is there. At the moment those two Tumu Taiao are only advisers. They do not have the same status as councillors. This bill will ensure that they have that equal status. It will bring Te Tiriti alive and it will be good for the mahi of the regional council in ensuring that its management of land of waters of the coast of soils is actually a deeper management with a deeper recognition of the things that are important in our country of Aotearoa and that is having Te Tiriti as our founding constitutional document. The Green Party supports this bill. Kia ora.MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri): Point of order. Mr Speaker I just want to raise with you Speakers' ruling 144/4 and would ask that at a later date you might reflect on that ruling. Thank you.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I will indeed. Thank you.