Harawira Hone: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
Harawira Hone: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:657;Page:6537] 
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Chairman. Tena tatou katoa e te Whare. This is one of my last chances to speak on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill and I say thank you very much for all the support for the Maori seats from the Labour Party members and the Green Party members as well. It has been consistent and strong and it has been that way right through this whole debate. In fact I thank everybody for carrying that issue because it is something that means a lot to us in the Maori Party. 
I am surprised that I am disappointed by what National has done. I am surprised because I always expected National to do it anyway and I really should not have been surprised by it. I am not disappointed in the actions that have been taken by Mr Rodney Hide although I think his arguments lack logic a sense of caring and an understanding of the issues that are at play in respect of the Maori seats. 
I am comfortable with taking away from the debate all of the assumed emotional issues and keeping it on the principle of one person one vote. I just make the point that if Maori seats were established in Auckland those Maori seats would be voted for on exactly the same basis as a ward seat in Papakura Rodney or anywhere else in that only the people eligible to vote for that particular seat would be able to vote for it and having voted once they would not have an opportunity to vote for anybody else. Clearly the argument that has been put up about it being a case of one man one vote is a spurious argument. I made the point last night although in a much more jocular manner that the fact that Rodney Hide got into this House with five members in his party when in fact his party received 10000 fewer votes than another party that did not get anybody in suggests that the principle of one man one vote does not apply to this place particularly in respect of list seats. 
David Garrett 
: Check the Electoral Act. 
HONE HARAWIRA 
: Yes I can check the Electoral Act but it makes the point very clearly that the MMP system that we have is not about one man one vote but about the opportunity to enable as many different sectors of our society to be represented in this House. If that is the case Mr Garrett is putting up then that is exactly the same argument we are putting forward for why there should be Maori seats in Auckland. They operate effectively in this House now. 
I am comfortable with the view that as members of the Maori Party we are free to speak openly and honestly on every issue that comes before this House even the ones that we know we will vote for but do not like. We are free to do that. I think that Auckland will miss the opportunity for that kind of contribution and that kind of debate and the whole country will be weaker by it. 
Auckland is the jewel in the crown of the South Pacific. It is the greatest Polynesian city in the whole world. It certainly has the greatest Maori population in the world. I take on board the comments from some of the Labour members that at some time in the future we need to have seats that recognise our Pacific heritage. I am entirely comfortable with that view and I think that in a mature growing and positive society we will get there. 
But first of all we start with tangata whenua. That is the reason why the Maori Party supports having mana whenua seats on the council. It is not about having only one particular tribe being able to pick. That was what was originally asked for but we were keen to see it broadened and in fact they were comfortable with broadening the debate so that probably even Shane Jones me Tau Henare Denise Henare and a whole lot of other people could have comfortably stood in those seats under either Ngati Whatua or Tainui. Tena koe Mr Chairman. Tena tatou katoa.