Hawkins George: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
Hawkins George: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:657;Page:6437] 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Labour—Manurewa) 
: 
 I want to bring something completely new into this debate: Pansy Wong. I have not heard from the Hon Pansy Wong in this debate at all. In fact I do not think I have heard her speak since she was re-elected. I have not heard her since she got into Cabinet. It is interesting to note that there are only a couple of National members here. We have— 
Hon John Carter 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. As you know the member has been here long enough to know that one cannot refer to the absence of members. I would ask you to ask him to correct that. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I am very pleased to see some National members here—very very pleased. It does not take long to count them up. There are one two from Auckland. We have two from Auckland. I am interested to see that Dr Jackie Blue who sat on the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee is here. She has been about as active as the statue of King Dick out in Parliament grounds is. In reality the National members are not taking calls now and we have to ask why they are not. I think they are treating this Parliament with contempt. 
I challenge Pansy Wong to come here to the Chamber as the member for Botany and to say something. She does not say anything about women’s affairs yet half the population of Auckland are women. One would think that she would be here to represent the viewpoint of women in Auckland but is she? Not at all. I think that Pansy Wong should be ashamed of herself. I challenge her to take the next call to get up and have a go because she also represents a group of people who are a big and significant part of South Auckland: the Asian community. We know that the National Government is not acknowledging working for and speaking on behalf of Pacific Islanders. The member for Maungakiekie Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga is not saying a thing. We have Pansy Wong on behalf of Asians not saying a thing. 
On looking around the Chamber I have to say it is great that this Parliament has someone like Su’a William Sio to represent the Pacific Island community and the Mangere electorate. He is not too scared to get up and say what really matters. You see these people will lose representation when the changes come in—the Pacific Island group the Asian group—and where are those members? Where is the member for Maungakiekie? Where is the member for Botany? They should be jumping up immediately and having a say defending people and defending the bill. Well perhaps it is a big ask; one cannot defend the indefensible. Maybe that is why those members are not having a say. 
But in reality when we look at wards we see it is possible—and I suspect highly likely—that the National Government will go for big wards because that will suit its purpose better than having wards where Pacific Islanders Asians and Maori people could get in. My electorate has more Maori people in it than any other general seat and they are disappointed that the National Government has turned its back on the Maori people. I blame John Key for that. John Key and his Government have a Minister like Pansy Wong who says nothing just nods her head and lets things go through. When you come to Parliament you come to represent your people and you cannot do that from your Beehive office. When you are the Minister of Women’s Affairs you cannot do that job by saying very very little. You have to be upfront in defending the rights of women in Auckland. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker) 
: Before I take the next call I would remind members that the Chairperson does not do much. The references to “you” are out. I do not sit in a Beehive office doing those things.