Tamihere John: Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Tamihere John: Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:627;Page:21932] 
JOHN TAMIHERE (Labour—Tamaki Makaurau) 
: 
 E tu ake au ki te tautoko ki te mihi i mihia mo nga rangatira mo nga uri o Rauru Kitahi a kei te mihi nunui ki a koutou kei te mihi nunui ki a koutou. Kei te tautoko i te mihi i mihia mo nga tipuna o ratau me nga tipuna o koutou Nga Rauru Kitahi no reira haere haere haere atu ra. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
I rise to endorse the greetings extended to the chiefs and descendants of Rauru Kitahi. A huge and immense tribute to you all. I endorse the tributes paid to your ancestors Nga Rauru and to ours as well and so to all of them farewell farewell farewell 
.] 
I want to deal with three issues in relation to firstly the treaty principles as outlined in the legislation; secondly the property rights expressed in the legislation; and thirdly Nga Rauru Kitahi’s cultural and spiritual rights expressed within the legislation. 
I first of all turn to Nga Rauru Kitahi’s cultural and spiritual rights embraced within the context of the legislation. At 2 p.m. every day when the business of this House starts members track into the Chamber sit down and listen to the Speaker administer a prayer—a prayer to a supreme being; a prayer to suggest that we should have wisdom and a whole range of other things— 
Pita Paraone 
: It’s not in law. 
JOHN TAMIHERE 
: There we go—Pita Paraone says it is not law. It is not in law because it pervades everything about the law that is embraced in this House. 
Pita Paraone 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. When people refer to other members of the House they should have the courtesy to pronounce their names correctly. For the benefit of that member my name is actually “Pita Paraone”. 
JOHN TAMIHERE 
: It is also translated as “Peter Brown”. I will use “Peter Brown” for him because it is far easier to say and because that is what it really is. 
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: The member knows that he must refer to a member by his or her correct name. 
JOHN TAMIHERE 
: So when we track in here the very essence of this House in terms of the concept of Christianity pervades most things that we do led off by that prayer. The fact that certain people here believe they come from Adam and Eve—good on them; right that is great. But at the end of the day this House now has a right to recognise Maori rights and Maori issues and that is what treaty settlements are about. They are not about pouring ourselves into the mould of others any more. New Zealand First knows that. It has six Maori members supposedly led by one but they do not want to admit that. The reality is that Nga Rauru Kitahi has a right that has been expressed here. 
I go to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the way in which the great Maori speaker on behalf of the National Party expresses himself. I have never known a member to stand up in this House and not have any knowledge whatsoever of the subject matter of the legislation talked about—and Gerry Brownlee expresses that very well. Even with the meandering moaning all-over-the-place member Wayne Mapp even in the tortuous requirements he presents in this House every time he stands up to speak at least there is a modicum of some sense in it. The member who is the National Party spokesperson on Maori showed not only a distinct lack of knowledge of education but had not done any work on this legislation whatsoever. That is a disgrace. 
Bring on Georgina te Heuheu! I note that she will not take a call in the third reading debate. I note that she does not accept National voting against this legislation and that is a fact. 
I shall move on to property rights. As for Mr Stephen Franks and his well-moneyed mates in the ACT party who will be around another 12 weeks I wanted to say and express quite clearly that when it is not their property they can have a go at it; when it is their property they will have a go at it. I suspect he is wearing the Destiny ribbon. Brian Tamaki is the only one who will save Stephen Franks. 
The reality is and I shall conclude on this as we move on that I am grateful for the support of New Zealand First. It is great that its members can talk absolutely against the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and then vote for it. It is great that United Future will also support this legislation the Greens are supporting the legislation Labour is and we now know that it is a dirty election campaign because National will not and that is an absolute disgrace.