Hide Rodney: Treaty of Waitangi (Principles) Bill — First Reading 
Hide Rodney: Treaty of Waitangi (Principles) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:629;Page:1433] 
RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) 
: 
 I thank everyone for their contribution. I especially thank the National Party for supporting this bill. The ACT caucus is totally united behind this bill and with National Party support I calculate that we have 50 votes in the House. I have 5 minutes to drag another 11 votes across; indeed I am hopeful of getting the full 121. 
If we cannot define what rights Maori have then they have none. I was very interested to hear the Hon Mark Burton give a lecture on jurisprudence. He was a member of a Cabinet that voted to take away the ability of Maori people to have their day in court. I understand perfectly why he would be against defining the principles of the Treaty. He is absolutely against Maori people having rights. He is against anyone having rights because he is a socialist. So I understand perfectly where Mark Burton is coming from. Gerry Brownlee made a good point when he said that when he heard the principles being read out he heard not one right for Maori in any of them. It was all about how a socialist Government would run one’s life. 
Hon Mark Burton 
: Absolute rubbish! 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Mark Burton says that is exactly what he wants because Labour knows best! I am quite pleased in a way that Mark Burton is not supporting this bill because then I would have to go back and check my premises. I came across to Mr Pita Paraone and I say to him that to be honest I expected better. He has always made a good contribution to this House and he has always stood up for principle. Hearing his speech tonight made me realise what a poodle New Zealand First has become. New Zealand First has become a total poodle. Winston Peters in Opposition demanded month after month for the principles of the Treaty to be defined. New Zealand First has the opportunity to have the principles defined—indeed to make a contribution—and Pita Paraone has said: “Oh no Labour has told us to vote against it.” So “Poodle Paraone” will do so. That is what has happened here tonight. New Zealand First has completely crossed the floor and gone over to Labour. 
I heard Mr Tanczos speak and I understand where he is coming from. I want to make one thing clear: I do not carry any guilt. I am proud to be a New Zealander. I am proud of this country. I am proud of what I have achieved. I do not want to hear Mr Tanczos suggesting in any way shape or form that I carry any guilt because I do not. I am actually a very very proud person and I try to do my best. 
I thank the Maori Party for its acknowledgment of my courage in bringing the bill to the House. It is actually just a matter of writing it putting it in the ballot box and getting the ballot pool. So it was not all that brave. The Maori Party wants to continue the debate yet tonight it is voting to shut it down. If we do want to debate what the Treaty means and if we do want to debate what the Government’s role should be then we should vote to have the debate and send the bill to the select committee. The Maori Party is saying to the people of New Zealand tonight—and indeed to its supporters—that there is to be no debate. Well maybe Rodney Hide has it wrong but this is a vehicle for that debate to be held and the Maori Party is voting to shut it down. Again I look across at New Zealand First and I say this: New Zealand First will go down in history— 
Hon David Benson-Pope 
: It’ll go down all right! 
RODNEY HIDE 
: David Benson-Pope agrees. It will go down in history as the party that sold Maori rights down the river with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. When New Zealand First had the opportunity to define the rights and principles that are embodied in the Treaty it ducked for cover because Helen Clark and Heather Simpson told it to do so. 
I have one final thing to say to Mita Ririnui. He said if we had one Sovereign it would be a principle of conquest he said if we have a principle of property rights it is all about privilege and plunder and he said if we have a principle where everyone is equal before the law then it is a principle of assimilation. To hear Mita Ririnui make those statements made me realise that there is a big gulf between the Government side of the House and the Opposition side of the House. Why do we have to get rid of this Labour Government? Because it does not fit with the values of New Zealand.