Carter John: Tariff (New Zealand - Thailand Closer Economic Partnership) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Carter John: Tariff (New Zealand - Thailand Closer Economic Partnership) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:626;Page:21407] 
JOHN CARTER (National—Northland) 
: 
 I am interested in the response of the Minister in the chair Jim Sutton. He made a very fleeting response to the comments made by my colleague Lockwood Smith by myself and by others in reference to the issue of the treaty article in the legislation. I make one comment to Mr Dail Jones who talked about riding horses. I suspect that it is a while since he has ridden a horse and I doubt whether he could ride one out of town. He talks about being consistent. Well we have already said we support trade agreements so we will support this trade agreement. There are parts of it that we do not like—one that we have referred to is article 15.8 of the treaty and we will make sure that we keep talking about that. We want New Zealanders to know the inconsistencies that there are with this Government. 
But I say to the member who talked about getting on a horse and then riding it out of town that the way one does that of course is by becoming the Government after the next election which we are looking to do. When we are the Government we will take this horse with regard to the treaty stuff right out of town. It will be addressed at that time. We have made it very clear that those sorts of things will not appear. My colleague Lockwood Smith quite openly said that we made a mistake during the 1990s by including these sorts of clauses in agreements. [ 
Interruption 
] That is right but what the Labour Government does not like to hear is our admitting that we made a mistake. 
There is nothing wrong with that. People respect people when they stand up and say they did something but it was not right—that they got it wrong and they will address it. That is the problem with this Government. It is not prepared to stand up and say that it has made a mistake. It is not prepared to stand up and say that it has got this wrong. 
The Minister Jim Sutton tried to say that both he and his colleague Trevor Mallard were right and that my colleague Lockwood Smith was wrong. Well I ask the public to match this. I will read out article 15(8) of the agreement again for their edification: “… measures it deems necessary to accord more favourable treatment to Maori in respect of matters covered by this Agreement including in fulfilment of its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.” The important part of that statement is “more favourable treatment to Maori”. Let us remember that this is the Minister Jim Sutton’s agreement. At the same time the Minister Trevor Mallard is saying that there are no extra rights or privileges under the treaty or in the policy of the New Zealand Government for Maori. So how can Mr Sutton say that both he and Mr Mallard are right when there is absolute inconsistency between what they are talking about? 
First of all they should stand up and say they have got it wrong. Secondly they should then stand up and tell us why they are suggesting that Maori in this country need special rights and assistance. As I said my two granddaughters—one of Maori descent and one not—are equal and and are both fine New Zealanders who will make a great contribution to this country. One sure is not inferior to the other and neither are the people of Northland and the Maori of New Zealand. They are fine New Zealanders. Certainly like other people in this country some amongst them need help and assistance. National will be right there to give that assistance but we will not be condescending and we certainly will not entrap them into a welfare life that ends up binding them forever to the breast of the State. 
We oppose that. That is not what we intend to do unlike this Government which makes such silly statements that are meaningless and that no one can explain. When the Minister Jim Sutton gets up and says that we have to do that to honour our obligations to the Treaty of Waitangi and when members of all the Opposition parties have asked time and time again for the Minister or anyone in the Government—Prime Minister Helen Clark or Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen—to explain what it means they cannot do it. We do not need silly stuff in the legislation.