Korako NukNUK KORAKO (National): Kia ora e Te Mana Whakawā. Ā huri noa i Te Whare nei. E mihi atu ki a koutou katoa. It is my pleasure and my honour to be able to stand here as the first speaker for the Government for the Oaths and Declarations (Endorsing the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi) Amendment Bill's first reading. I want to start by acknowledging Marama Fox for the work she has done to get this bill to the House and of course for her good fortune in having drawn it from the ballot. I consider Marama Fox a friend and a colleague in many ways. We are Māori MPs. We have come to this House to achieve the best outcomes for our people and for all New Zealanders. We are partners in the most stable and successful coalition Government that this country has ever seen and we are members of the Māori Affairs Committee which I humbly submit is the most collegial and cooperative committee in Parliament. But we all do not agree and today on this issue we are going to disagree. This bill had its genesis before either Marama Fox or I were members of Parliament when my old school friend Hone Harawira caused somewhat of a disturbance by defying the law as it is and reading out his own oath which included swearing allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi. So I want to acknowledge that Marama Fox is going about this the right way: by seeking through the democratic process to change the law and therefore the tikaka of Te Whare Pāremata. I commend her for her efforts and congratulate her on getting this far with her bill. But that said I also disagree with her and with the Māori Party on this issue. This is certainly a well-intentioned bill as Marama Fox has just said. But speaking for myself I see the Treaty of Waitangi as central to what we do here in Parliament. It is our duty to examine every piece of legislation that comes here in the light of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to ensure that the Treaty and its principles are upheld. This is something that I take very seriously and particularly in my role as the chair of the Māori Affairs Committee because every piece of legislation we examine involves interaction between the Crown and Māori and therefore plays some part in the Treaty relationship. Every agency of executive Government that we review each year has some responsibility as a representative of the Crown. But even in my other committee responsibilities on the Local Government and Environment Committee I see the Treaty at play on a day-to-day basis. Whether we are considering resource management water issues or wider conservation issues the Treaty is always a factor and we are always tasked with ensuring proposed legislation upholds its principles. Every day that I serve in this House I am committed to performing my duties in accordance with the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. That is my personal commitment; one that I know is shared by colleagues right across this House. I see this responsibility as being intrinsic in the oath that I took. I have sworn my allegiance to the Crown and thereby to serve the people and the country of New Zealand. To me there is no question that in swearing that oath I undertook to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi and the laws of this country. I understand the desire of some members to recognise their personal commitment to the Treaty when making their oath or affirmation but I cannot see that this is what the oath is actually about. The oath is not about declaring the particular issues we feel most passionate about. It is not about that. [Interruption] Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The member has the floor. The member is giving a speech in a solemn tone. For that member to continue to barrack during the course of that does not show respect to this House or that member and I would ask her to stop.NUK KORAKO: I understand the desire of some members and the passion of some members to recognise their personal commitment to the Treaty when making their oath or affirmation but I cannot see that this is what the oath is about. The oath is not about declaring the particular issues we feel most passionate about. If that was the case I would choose to signal my commitment to upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. But that is not what the oath is for. That is not what the oath is for. The oath is something that is prescribed for each one of us in this House to take or for those who are in other positions who are required to take an oath. It is right that a very minor variation be allowed for those who have an objection or preference for affirming rather than swearing. Whether sworn or affirmed the statement contained in the oath or affirmation has the same meaning which is loyalty to our country symbolised by the allegiance to the Crown. But there should never be substantial differences between the oaths required for holders of the same position to take. There should not be. All of us as members of Parliament should be serving here on the same basis. We should be here on the same basis. I do not think it would be desirable to have a situation where some MPs have taken an oath to uphold the Treaty and some have not. Upholding the Treaty is the duty of every member of Parliament. That would not change based on whether MPs chose to swear a particular oath or not. It would not change—it would not change. But the implication of having different oaths would be that some MPs are sworn to uphold the Treaty and some are not as I said. Some are not and some are if they want to uphold the Treaty. Acting in accordance with the principles of the Treaty would then be very subjective. We are all familiar with the established principles of the Treaty but how they apply in each situation continues to evolve through the application of legislation and court rulings. That is in some ways the essence of this. The Oath of Allegiance should not impose responsibilities that are not clearly defined on those who take it. It should not impose different responsibilities on holders of the same position. For these reasons I cannot support the bill.Kelvin Davis: What were they again?NUK KORAKO: These are them. Taking an oath or declaration is a significant part of New Zealand's legal framework requiring a standard of national approach. The status of the Treaty in New Zealand's constitution and the duties flowing from it are a matter of law and Government policy. Just to finish this is my point also: National is committed to ensuring that Māori and all New Zealanders can enjoy a successful and a more prosperous future. Kia ora.