Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
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Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill 
Second Reading 
Hon LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
: 
 I move  
That the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill be now read a second time 
. Kia ora talofa lava and warm Pacific greetings. As the local member of Parliament for Mana and the member in charge of this local bill on behalf of the Porirua City Council it is with much pleasure that I rise for the second reading. 
At the time of the first reading in June this year I was called away suddenly to Samoa to attend the funeral of the Samoan head of State the late Malietoa Tanumafili II. I am therefore grateful to my colleague and the member for Otaki Mr Darren Hughes for carrying out the necessary duties in this House in my absence. I also wish again to acknowledge before this House the descendants of the Stace family and the supporters of this bill who are present and following the proceedings of Parliament today. This bill has now been reported back without amendment by the Local Government and Environment Committee and I thank very much the chair Stevie Chadwick and all the members of that committee for their careful and efficient consideration of the bill. 
This bill resolves management problems relating to one of the more historically significant Pakeha burial sites in New Zealand. The bill confirms the vesting in Porirua City Council of the Pauatahanui Burial Ground. It also provides for the status control and management of the burial ground into the future. Legislation is the most efficient way to confirm the council’s ownership of the burial ground to dissolve the associated trusts and to extinguish the interests protected by a caveat. 
The burial ground is an important part of early European history both of Pauatahanui and of the wider Porirua district. It was mentioned in the first reading debate that Pauatahanui is also an important and sacred place for tangata whenua. Again I wish to affirm acknowledge and recognise the important cultural heritage the burial ground and surrounding land has for local Maori. A pa of well-known Ngati Toa leader Te Rangihaeata once stood proudly on the site surrounding the burial ground. Te Rangihaeata was forced to abandon his pa under siege from British forces on 1 August 1846. He fled north to Battle Hill and British soldiers moved on to his pa. Thomas Hollis Stace and his family arrived from Tasmania 7 years later in 1853 and purchased the 113 acres of land at the head of the Pauatahanui inlet. The site of the burial ground was given by Thomas Stace by deed of trust dated 6 December 1856 with the first interment taking place in 1860. 
Today if members were to visit the burial grounds they would see many beautiful roses. For those members in this House who can see them samples are here with me. Many of them were planted by our pioneers and early settlers from cuttings brought here from Britain and other parts of Europe. They are beautiful they are colourful and they have fragrance and they continue to maintain that link from the settlers’ original homes and countries to their homes in New Zealand today. The roses have been nurtured for decades by small and dedicated groups of the Pauatahanui Burial Ground local volunteers. They have committed their time their energy and their love to this task. Many of these volunteers are present here today and I thank them for their dedication and their commitment and for penning histories and stories and working on this issue to keep the life journeys legacy and history alive not only for the peoples of Pauatahanui and our wider district of Porirua but for our country New Zealand. 
For the benefit of the House the Pauatahanui Burial Ground is located between Paekakariki Hill Road and St Alban’s Church. I want to mention that the great-grandfather of our Assistant Speaker Ross Robertson is buried in that cemetery in one of the unmarked graves. It is important to fully acknowledge both these Maori and Pakeha histories behind the burial ground. 
The Porirua City Council has conducted a comprehensive round of consultation on this bill including consultation with the Stace family and local iwi. Both have indicated that they are happy with the intent and objects of the bill. I note also that the select committee in its report commended the Porirua City Council for its thorough preparation of the bill and particularly for the establishment of good relationships with Ngati Toa. 
The select committee received 14 submissions all of which were in favour of the bill passing. I say thank you to all who wrote submissions and to all who appeared before our select committee. The committee considers it desirable that the council the Pauatahanui Residents Association Ngati Toa and other parties maintain their ongoing relationship and dialogue and I know that this will happen. 
To Maori the appropriate and respectful burial of those in our community who have passed on is of immense importance. It is important to both Maori and Pakeha that the mourning tangi and burial processes are recognised and that the mana of the person who has passed away is observed. These things are also important to me as a New Zealander of Pacific descent. Professor Albert Wendt once said: “Inside Us the Dead” and “Our Dead are the splendid robes our souls wear” which acknowledges our sacred genealogies and our ancestry we all share today. This is why I am pleased that this bill will protect the burial ground and the memory of those who lie at rest within it forever. 
I again say thank you to all the people—the volunteers the select committee and groups—who have assisted with getting the bill to this point. I just want to correct the reference to Ross Robertson’s great-grandfather. It is actually his great-great-grandfather Walter Robertson who is buried in Pauatahanui. I thank you. 
JOHN CARTER (National—Northland) 
: 
 It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to speak to the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Billand to say that National joins with the rest of Parliament to support the passing of this bill through the rest of its stages today. There are a number of lessons that Parliament and indeed the country can learn from this legislation that is before us today. The first thing is that I want to congratulate the community the council and all those involved on the way they have brought this bill together. I must say that it is a true compliment to a community that is united. Those involved deserve every compliment that this House can give for bringing this piece of legislation in such a way that not only is not controversial but indeed has moved all of us on the Local Government and Environment Committee who had the privilege to sit listen read and study it to want to give it our support. 
I am reminded that earlier in the week before we had a bill promoted by the local member for Palmerston North Steve Maharey which was indeed very controversial. It got to the stage where he had to withdraw the bill because the community was not able to bring its thoughts together. There is a lesson for all of us when we are asked to bring bills to the House to get to understand how it can happen and how a community can work together. So in my view it is a true compliment to that community in that regard and a lesson to be learnt by this Parliament today. 
The second thing is that I want to compliment the community particularly those who are directly involved on the way in which they have attended the cemetery. The cemetery is beautiful; there is no question. Not only is it a place where people rest in peace but it is a place of beauty for those who can attend it. I am sure that the descendants of those who attend the graves get a great deal of pleasure out of visiting that cemetery. I am sure that a number of the public no doubt go and view it because of its beauty. Again it is a true compliment to all those who have been involved and who have made submissions. Again they need to be complimented on the endeavours they have made to bring it about. 
The cemetery has a history and it is one of great interest. I think that is the third point that I want to make. Although the tangata whenua obviously have an interest in this it is a compliment to them and the way in which they are prepared to work—and have worked—with the community to bring this bill together rather than create any controversy at all. They too have put their efforts into making sure the respect that needs to be shown for this area is shown and that as a consequence this bill can move forward in the pleasant and peaceful manner it deserves. 
I acknowledge the comment that was made Mr Assistant Speaker about your ancestors and I want to say that I recently had the opportunity to represent this Parliament and this country at the commemorations at Passchendaele where I found a grave of a long deceased uncle who had given his life in the service of this country. So I understand to some extent what it means to find one’s relatives. It was a sad and poignant moment for me to see my great uncle’s name on the wall as one of those who was lost and not found but who was acknowledged. So today it is fitting I guess that I have the opportunity to speak to this bill. 
There is not a lot to add other than to say congratulations to those who have asked for this bill to be vested in their tender care—as it is tender care that they have shown over the years. The reason the cemetery is in such a lovely condition is that the community does genuinely care for it. It gives me great pleasure to be able to speak today as a member of Parliament and as a member of the National Party in joining with other parties to extend my congratulations and support for this bill and to see it move forward. 
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY (NZ First) 
: 
 As we consider the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill it is worthwhile reflecting that history really is a wonderfully tangled web. This afternoon we consider the fate of the Pauatahanui Burial Ground and the history involving this piece of land. It is of real interest to me that another piece of history has been revealed here today with the revelation by Luamanuvao Winnie Laban that the great-great-grandfather of our present Assistant Speaker Ross Robertson is buried in this burial ground. 
I want to talk about the strand of history during the 1830s and 1840s. On the site of the burial ground there was a pa located within the rohe of Ngati Toa. It belonged to Te Rangihaeata who has an important part to play in our history because he was Te Rauparaha’s son-in-law. It was the killing of Te Rangihaeata’s wife that caused the rage that ended up in what has become known as the Wairau massacre an incident of not insignificant import to New Zealand. So the strands are connected. 
Another strand of connection that I talked about in the first reading is close to this site. On land bought by Thomas Stace is what is known as the Taylor-Stace cottage which is a Historic Places Trust building. It is actually the oldest building in Porirua. It was initially built by William and Ann Taylor who arrived in Wellington with their six children in 1840. They built a simple Georgian cottage constructed with rough sawn timber which was later to be bought by Thomas Hollis Stace who extended it. The great-great-granddaughter of the Taylors is one Cathy Davis whose husband Ernie is known to many around these buildings because he has been a senior staff member of New Zealand First since 1994 and has certainly contributed significantly to the ongoing achievements of our party. 
The further history of this particular piece of land that we are talking about the burial ground itself relates to the deed of trust which was dated as Winnie Laban said on 6 December 1856. At this particular time Thomas Hollis Stace conveyed the land that is the burial ground to five people: William Bromley Edward Bolton William Jones James Mitchell and himself. These were the people who were named in the trust. The trust had certain purposes: to permit a chapel to be built on the land for religious worship by the Protestant denomination; to permit the chapel to be used as a schoolhouse for the education of children of the neighbourhood; and to permit the land to be used as a public burial ground. One of the parts of the deed of trust was to reserve a particular part of the burial ground as a family plot for Thomas Hollis Stace and his heirs and descendants. In some respects this is part of the issue that we are having to resolve with this bill because at present the burial ground is full. It has gone through various different legal modifications since the time that it was first put under the trust but now it is full and there are no further plots; obviously there are no further plots for the descendants of Thomas Hollis Stace. 
There is no legal access to the burial ground. The entrance from Paekakariki Hill Road was closed for reasons of road safety several years ago. Consequently the only access is via the road leading to St Alban’s Church. Although the church allows its road to be used for access all parties would prefer to have a legal agreement to this effect. However because the legal title remains subject to the caveat that we are talking about and the land itself remains subject to the trust it would be difficult for the council to formalise access. The council which actually owns the land unfortunately is caught by the caveat. Furthermore as I have said there are no more plots in the burial ground available for sale. So really what we have here—as people have described—is a beautiful piece of land and an important part of our history and really this is a common-sense approach to preserving the history given the happenings over time. 
I must make the point that I endorse the statement made by John Carter about the manner in which the community has worked together in a constructive fashion to bring this legislation before the House. This is proven by the fact that the select committee made no recommendations. Select committees make no recommendations when people have put in the hard yakka and got everything right when there is nothing controversial about the legislation and when the people doing the work have the details correct. The fact there were 14 submissions all in favour of the bill and the select committee made no recommendations for any change is a reflection of the work that has been put in by the different groups within the community to bring this harmoniously together. 
New Zealand First is very pleased to be able to support the passage of this bill through its second reading and through its other stages this evening. Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. 
TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Tena tatou katoa. I am proud to speak to the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill and to honour my whakapapa relationship to Ngati Toa Rangatira through the connections that we as Ngati Apa and Ngati Rangiwhakaturia have. Our hapu occupies the lands around the Whangaehu Marae on the lower reaches of the Whangaehu River which also forms the boundary of the rohe of Ngati Toa. Te Rangihaeata Te Rauparaha’s nephew consolidated this relationship by marrying Te Rangi Pikinga of Ngati Apa so our connections are ever strong. 
I am proud too that the Maori Party’s call at the first reading of this bill to enable an opportunity for the full story to be heard has been recognised in the select committee process. At the first reading debate my colleague Te Ururoa Flavell raised our concerns that this bill could be debated in this House with absolutely no mention of the mana whenua Ngati Toa Rangatira. They are such simple questions: whose story is being told whose voices are being heard and from whose perspective are the memories shared? Similarly who is missing from the record? The Maori Party will always stand to ensure that the independent view of tangata whenua is able to be heard in every debate. It is of course a great disappointment that we have to even raise that point. But as the first reading of this bill demonstrated it is still unfortunately the case that legislation makes it to this House without bearing the distinctive contribution of tangata whenua. 
Today is Ngati Toa’s day. Indeed it has been a very significant month for Ngati Toa. Just 3 weeks ago on 25 September Ngati Toa and the Crown signed an agreement to negotiate their claim on behalf of the iwi of about 5000 registered members. In speaking to the negotiation process executive director Matiu Rei said: “The scale of our claims and the serious nature of the Crown’s breaches mean that the Ngati Toa claim is a complex one. Ngati Toa was subjected to a co-ordinated military and political campaign by the Crown including the kidnapping and exile of our leaders the loss of life through military action and public executions as well as land sales under duress.” 
Despite the omission of Ngati Toa from the first reading of this bill this history forms an absolutely essential context for this bill to vest the Pauatahanui Burial Ground in the Porirua City Council. Although the cemetery is now of special significance to the Hollis Stace family and the descendants of early pioneers buried there it is also the site of land that was alienated from Ngati Toa by Crown coercion in 1847. The history of the Hollis Stace family’s association to the land is a remarkable one dating back to 1856. But inevitably the question must arise: what is the history of this land prior to it being purchased from the New Zealand Company in 1856? 
I want to pay tribute to Ngati Toa for sharing their precious history with the Local Government and Environment Committee—a history in which Ngati Toa bore the full assault of a state of martial law and suffered the consequences of military attack by British Imperial forces in which lives were lost. It is a shameful history that this House has a right to hear lest we forget. The telling of their story is now of course stained with history repeating itself given the events of recent days. Ngati Toa recount their experiences in their submission. They tell how Te Rangihaeata was forced into exile his supporters were captured by the Crown and publicly executed by hanging while others were banished to Tasmania to be held as prisoners until their deaths. These were innocent people who were never given the opportunity for a trial. Justice was denied. 
It was at the time immediately preceding the Hollis Stace purchase of this famous pa site that Te Rauparaha was kidnapped by Governor Grey and held captive for 18 months again without being charged with an offence. While the leader was held captive Grey held Ngati Toa Rangatira to ransom by demanding their lands in exchange for their leader. 
The Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill could have been another episode of writing Maori out of history but we in the Maori Party are not prepared to let that happen. Ngati Toa Rangatira will never let that happen. So they came to the table and reminded the select committee that Matai-taua Pa which is now the site of the burial ground is what they describe as being “pivotal to Ngati Toa’s wider Treaty claim. It represents the last bastion of Ngati Toa resistance to the British Crown.” 
In the ultimate manifestation of manaakitanga Ngati Toa have the generosity to support this bill recognising that it will provide for the ongoing protection and acknowledgement of important cultural heritage. They speak of the urupa as a “sacred site to Pakeha as the final resting place of many early settlers to the Porirua district”. This was a point that most of the 14 submitters reiterated many of them being direct descendants of the settlers who are buried in the cemetery that is at the heart of this bill. 
The Pauatahanui Residents Association brought together these concerns by describing the unique value this bill offered in establishing procedures that would enhance genealogical research and provide for retrieval and storage of records and in doing so preserve and maintain the history and heritage of this place. But as Ngati Toa identified and indeed as the Porirua City Council and other submitters confirmed the site at the centre of this bill is regarded as wahi tapu to Ngati Toa. Such a site of special significance is considered to be so by virtue of its history as the pa of Te Rangihaeata—Matai-taua—and because of its significance to other iwi that predated the arrival of Ngati Toa. 
The requests from Ngati Toa Rangatira are humbling in their simplicity. They asked that if signage were to be developed for the site that it be done with the full knowledge and consent of Ngati Toa. They want to know that any earthworks and repairs made to the burial ground will be discussed in consultation with Ngati Toa. They are happy to confirm council ownership by means of this legislation in order to ensure that the burial ground is properly cared for and maintained in perpetuity. Most important of all they seek to support the possibility for both the Maori and the Pakeha cultural heritage of this site to be preserved by means of this bill. 
We too in the Maori Party want to ensure that the protection and management of the burial ground serves to treasure the opportunity to give expression to the unique histories that have shaped this sacred site. We want to pay tribute to all of those who have spent considerable time maintaining this burial site on behalf of the descendants of those people buried there. We will therefore support this bill. 
Bill read a second time. 
In Committee 
Part 1 Preliminary provisions 
MARK BLUMSKY (National) 
: 
 The Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill is a nice bill. I applaud the Local Government and Environment Committee for the work it has done on the nice bill that is before us which is why I thought I would take a call. It is interesting; the bill is a history lesson enabling us to learn about Pauatahanui and about the history of the burial grounds. It reminds us that we go overseas to travel and visit other places and we think “Wow!” about the history of Rome or Paris. We do not think that New Zealand has a lot of history because we are such a young country. But then we find out about these stories and about these little areas of New Zealand. There is significant history in New Zealand; history that we just do not know about. I enjoyed the fact that I learnt a lot about Pauatahanui and about its history. We should respect that history. 
I applaud people like Roger Beauchamp and the Pauatahanui Residents Association who care so much about the fact that this history is important not only to Pauatahanui and Porirua but also to New Zealand. They have spent countless hours and years and much energy in making sure that their space and area—this cemetery and burial ground—is well maintained. 
I congratulate Winnie Laban and Chris Finlayson. They were both given special mention when the submitters came before the select committee to talk about the bill. The submitters said how well both members worked together on the bill which I think is important. It is important as a signal to the community. 
I say “Well done!” to Porirua City Council. Something that needs to be raised in this process though is a signal to Porirua City Council that there will now be an expectation of it. Porirua City Council has made all the right noises and it has sent all the right signals that it is happy to look after the burial ground and that it will maintain it. A new council has been elected in of course. We must now put on the council that it needs to make sure in the long-term council community plan that money is set aside to make sure that the burial ground is maintained and has value added to it. 
I know from experience in my former job as Mayor of Wellington that it is easy for councils to forget doing these sorts of things and to forget to put money aside to maintain some of the older burial grounds. I know the issues we had with Karori cemetery when I was Mayor of Wellington. We probably did not do it justice put aside enough money or put a focus on having that cemetery maintained as well as it should have been. I know it became an issue for the locals and for those who have ancestors there. We need to send a very clear signal to the Porirua City Council that it has been fantastic up to now—and the community is on its side—but it cannot now forget that it has made an obligation and a commitment which very much need to be maintained. 
Other than that I just wanted to applaud the process and applaud in particular people like the Pauatahanui Residents Association and Roger Beauchamp who came along. My goodness me—do we not need those sorts of heroes in our community? Do we not need those people who just give up their time and energy and really get into maintaining these areas? They do not get thanked enough really. We are not good at it are we? I just want to take my hat off to them and applaud them. I am sure that this process has served them well. We will look forward to the Porirua City Council playing its part. I am sure it will under Jenny Brash; I am sure it will. Thank you. 
Part 1 agreed to. 
Part 2 Burial Ground 
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY (NZ First) 
: 
 Following up on the previous contribution I would like to take just a brief call on the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill. I hope that the council will reflect upon the sentiments that have been expressed in the House here tonight. Some have been expressed on the importance and beauty of the burial ground in terms of recounting our Pakeha history in this country. I think the contribution by the member from the Maori Party Tariana Turia also showed that there is a shared history on this particular site that we need to not forget. It is important that we remember that shared history. It is important in different ways to what we might call both partners of the Treaty. 
We have up in Northland in Ruapekapeka a very very important site historically and culturally. In fact it can be connected historically with the trench warfare of World War I. It is where something happened in little old Northland that actually impacted back then. There have been times when I have been to the site and I have seen that it has not been well cared for. Part of the reason it has not been well cared for is that the local tangata whenua are concerned that the spirits of their tipuna will be trampled over so they want it somewhat left. But there has also been a neglect by the council in terms of doing what has occurred here. It came through so well in Tariana Turia’s speech that people were able to sit down talk put their different perspectives on a piece of land and respect those different perspectives. 
Very very important messages are coming through this House on what we might call a very simple bill. I hope that those who have responsibility as a result of this bill for continued maintenance of the burial ground hear the voices from both sides in this particular case. Thank you Mr Chair. 
Hon LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
: 
 I take the opportunity to respond to my colleagues Mark Blumsky and the Hon Brian Donnelly and to say that the Porirua City Council—and it has a representative here sitting upstairs with the Pauatahanui Residents Association—is hugely committed to the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill. The council has committed a lot of resources and time together with the Pauatahanui Residents Association to make this bill a reality. Early this afternoon the Mayor of Porirua Jenny Brash called me to further endorse the council’s support for this good work. What is also heartening is that the council has a process whereby it is working in partnership with Ngati Toa Rangatira as well as with the Pauatahanui Residents’ Association. 
Part 2 agreed to. 
Schedule agreed to.  
Clause 1 agreed to.  
Clause 2 agreed to.  
Bill reported without amendment. 
Report adopted. 
Third Reading 
Hon LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
: 
 I move  
That the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill be now read a third time 
. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in getting the bill to this point. I wish to acknowledge and thank the Stace family for their support of this bill as a way of dealing with management issues relating to the Pauatahanui Burial Ground and of ensuring it is looked after in perpetuity. 
I wish also to acknowledge Ngati Toa rangatira and to thank them sincerely for their support of this bill for their assistance to the Porirua City Council and for supplying some of the early history of the site. I wish to acknowledge the strong history that Maori share in the burial ground and in the wider Pauatahanui area. I hope this bill and the debate on it in this House have adequately reflected that history and recognised the many local Maori who fought and died in skirmishes in the area to protect their land their whanau and their livelihood. 
I wish to thank the Porirua City Council and particularly Mr Chris Linnell who should be commended for his work over the years to get the bill to this point. I note that the report of the Local Government and Environment Committee made special mention of the Porirua City Council and commended it for its thorough preparation of the bill and its wonderful relationship with the Pauatahanui Residents Association and Ngati Toa. 
I want also to acknowledge especially the hard-working volunteers—the wonderful women and men of the Pauatahanui Residents Association and other volunteers who tend the beautiful roses as well—for their support of this bill for their positive submissions and for their strong commitment to ensure the burial ground is properly looked after just as they have done for many decades. Similarly I especially thank the local Pauatahanui rose group which has cared for the beautiful roses in the grounds which date back over 150 years to the time when the first cuttings were brought there by early settlers. 
I also acknowledge my colleague Chris Finlayson of the National Party who has also worked with me on this bill. 
Finally I thank all my parliamentary colleagues for their support of this bill their thoughtful contributions to the debate and their support for the remaining stages to proceed today. This bill is the first piece of legislation for which I have been responsible and it has been an honour and a humbling experience to acknowledge the wonderful history of New Zealand for the sake of past present and future generations of Pauatahanui and to support this legislation. It has been a pleasure not only to have this bill proceed in such a timely manner but also to have all my parliamentary colleagues and members of Parliament vote in support of the bill. And also I thank the submitters for all the submissions that went to the select committee in favour of the bill. 
CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) 
: 
 May I begin by offering my congratulations to the member on her careful stewardship of the bill and if I can say so on the courteous and pleasant way in which she has kept me briefed on the bill. I think one of the reasons this bill has sailed through the House effortlessly is that the Minister took the time and trouble to keep everyone informed and adopt a very pleasant approach to the conduct of the legislation. I really do commend that approach to her colleagues when dealing with other business of the House because there are quite a few pieces of legislation that are not party political but are in trouble and if they adopted the approach of Winnie Laban I think they would find that the Opposition would be so much easier to work with. 
I also join with her in congratulating the Porirua City Council which has assumed the responsibilities for the Pauatahanui Burial Ground. The council has worked hard to produce this legislation which is exemplary drafting and I particularly refer to its lawyer Duncan Laing—who happens to be a former partner of mine a very competent lawyer—who has done a good job in drafting the legislation. 
I too in closing want to refer to the very fine people who work on the ongoing beautification of the site. It seems a bit of a contradiction in terms I suppose in some ways but this is a beautiful burial ground. It looks out to the edge of the Pauatahanui inlet up to the new houses being built on the edge of the Whitby area. It is as the Minister said a very historic piece of land and to wander through it is to see the history not only of Pauatahanui but also of the Greater Wellington area. I know that Mr Robertson has referred to some of his ancestors who are buried in this site. So it is extremely important that it be kept to the highest of standards and the good people of the Pauatahanui Residents Association and the friends of the burial ground are doing a tremendous job in maintaining a high standard. 
I think in my first reading speech I referred to the heritage roses project. After that speech someone asked what would I know about roses. It is funny but sometimes male politicians like flowers. It was said that Sir Robert Muldoon liked lilies. Well I happen to prefer roses. That cemetery is full of them; some of the old English roses—red and white being of course the colours of York and Lancaster but I never know what is the right combination. 
Shane Jones 
: What did Shakespeare say? 
CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: I do not think Shakespeare would have a lot to say about the Pauatahanui Burial Ground but he certainly would approve of the efforts of the people who have done a great job in ensuring the site will be preserved for future generations situated as it is next door to that beautiful Anglican church in Pauatahanui. As a humble list MP who is happy to do some work in the Mana area and to be working with Winnie Laban who as I said has always been so pleasant and inclusive I happily join with her in indicating that the National Party will be supporting the third reading of this legislation. 
Hon BRIAN DONNELLY (NZ First) 
: 
 First of all I just want to bow to the greater recollection of history—particularly about the relationship between Te Rangihaeata and Te Rauparaha—that Tariana Turia has than myself. She was correct; Te Rangihaeata was of course the nephew of Te Rauparaha. 
When I mentioned a hope that the council would hear the voices in the House in terms of the maintenance of both the heritages of the area there was no hint in that statement that the council does not and will not adhere to that. Rather I was trying to say that what we have here is in fact a model that should be picked up on around the rest of our country in terms of the way things should be done. 
Chris Finlayson has said that even politicians may be interested in flowers. Actually some former rugby league players in the House are interested in flowers too and I am quite happy to invite the Pauatahanui rose group to come up to Ngunguru and look after my ones because in Northland they take a fair bit of looking after. The Pauatahanui Burial Ground must be a wonderful site—and certainly I have heard of it—and a lot of that has come about because of the work the rose group has put in over many many decades. 
I want also to congratulate the Pauatahanui Residents Association on its celebration of history. It recognises the importance that history has to us as human beings and that it is there for us to be able to see feel touch and smell rather than just something within dry textbooks. I think that is incredibly important and as I say and as Tariana Turia has said the same applies to the history of Ngati Toa. It is of great importance to them that the site is maintained in such a way that people can actually get a sense of history happening. 
I congratulate Luamanuvao Winnie Laban. Obviously she has put in an enormous amount of work to get this bill through but also the fact that it has gone through with the full support of the House is due to the manner in which she goes about things. As Chris Finlayson said often that non-adversarial inclusive way has better outcomes and enables goals to be achieved somewhat better than the adversarial culture that is in fact the Westminster culture and is still very very much a part of this House. I think we should move away from that as much as we possibly can particularly given we are now in a world where what we do in this House is projected into the households of our families and our young people etc. Again I congratulate Winnie Laban; she has obviously done a marvellous job. 
Without further ado I say New Zealand First is very very pleased to be able to support this legislation in its third reading. 
JUDY TURNER (Deputy Leader—United Future) 
: 
 I stand on behalf of United Future to take just a very brief call in support of the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill. We are very thrilled to see the bill progressed so speedily. I congratulate the Minister Winnie Laban on the work she has done on this. 
I have to say that when I was flicking through the commentary on this bill it took me back to a circumstance that I myself was involved in. I lived all my childhood on a farm just out of Raglan and directly over the road from our farm was a hill that had once housed a country church which I have some very very early memories of attending. The church was demolished with a memorial left in place. My paternal grandparents are buried in the cemetery there and my father as a local farmer was the sexton appointed by the local district council years and years ago. The only plans for this cemetery were ones that we found in the mess of my father’s office after he himself died and had requested to be buried there. We scrambled up to the top of this hill with this map. We had to try to figure out which way around the map went because typical of country gravesites there were lots of unmarked graves and because dad did not think to leave us any suggestion as to where there might be a spare plot for him. 
When one visits these places one finds that the rich sense of history is just amazing. My parents had been active members of that community. My grandparents had been farming in the area and beyond and there were family names that dated back all around the district. It was just absolutely amazing in the middle of our own personal sadness to wander through this cemetery and remember names that I had heard my parents speak of for years and years and see the family connections. 
I understand the value of cemeteries like the one we are dealing with today. They are rich in history and I am thrilled to see the way that the families involved—such as the Stace family—and those in the authority who have sought to find some resolution to this situation have gone about this. We are very happy to support the third reading. 
Bill read a third time.