Finlayson ChristopherHon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I was just doing my House duties sitting in the House minding my own business reading my Treaty of Waitangi negotiations folder for tomorrow's work—including a very interesting reference to a meeting with a professor from Oregon to discuss the Whanganui River and Urewera settlements which are becoming rather well-known overseas for their innovative approach to Treaty questions—when I heard the debate on this particular issue so I thought that I would give a brief speech to comment on it because in a word although I have huge respect for Marama Fox who is an excellent colleague with whom I enjoy working I do think the bill is unnecessary. It always seems to be my miserable fate to follow Pita Paraone on these matters and he may recall—in fact hearing the great man speak made me run out to the lobby to obtain the debate on his bill the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Deletion Bill of November 2007. He looks a little bit quizzical but I remember it very well and maybe I could get him to read the excellent speech I gave on the subject which can be found in Volume 643 of Hansard—I know Mr Faafoi will be fascinated to read it—at page 12880 where I set out very clearly an excellent and succinct summary—Kris Faafoi: I've already got a copy of it. I use it to go to sleep.Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: —of what the principles of the Treaty were. Yes it is very good. If ever you are feeling tired or jetlagged go to page 12880 in Hansard and you will be riveted. But there you are. The principles are actually reasonably well-known and so Mr Paraone's constant complaint about the principles not being well-known is with the greatest of respect to my friend a little bit off the mark but there we have it. But I just want to go back to the wonderful day when we are all sworn in as members of Parliament and we enjoy that particular ceremony and as Attorney-General when I go down to the swearing-in of a judge I enjoy the ceremony where the Oath of Allegiance is taken. Everyone stands up takes the oath or the affirmation and they say I … swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second Her heirs and successors according to law. So help me God."—or if you are an atheist no "God". I think that that is all very well but the fact of the matter is we need to focus on that phrase "according to law." because part of the law of New Zealand is in fact the Treaty and part of the Treaty of course is that we accept that there are principles of the Treaty that we regard as important and I am forever going around the country apologising for breaches of those principles of the Treaty over the years—most recently at a fantastic ceremony in Dannevirke where I apologised for the breach of the principles of the Treaty in relation to Rangitāne o Tāmaki nui a Rua and Rangitāne o Wairarapa. I did not see Catherine Delahunty there. I am sure she would have been invited. In fact I like to see Catherine Delahunty at these functions because I know that she is very experienced as a Treaty educator and has a great interest in these matters and that is splendid when she is able to attend. But the fact of the matter is that we say "according to law." And by necessary implication we read into that the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles. So the short point is that I respect Marama Fox and I look very closely at this issue but if we incorporate a particular reference to the principles of the Treaty frankly to use the old phrase—and I am sure I say this for the benefit of Kennedy Graham who understands the phrase—we are simply piling Ossa on Pelion and it is basically a waste of space. We do not need it. When we swear that oath—when judges swear the oath they are swearing allegiance to the Treaty and its principles that they will conduct themselves in accordance with those principles in public life and that is a very good thing. So that is the short answer. I know that there is a lot of noise that goes on with these things but at the end of the day we as members of Parliament have to be logical and we can agree that the principles are very important. Because of my efforts in 2007 we know what those principles are—Sue Moroney: But you can't swear allegiance to them.Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: —and I would say to Sue Moroney to stop whining and simply concentrate on the words because words do matter. It is simply unnecessary. It is simply unnecessary it is otiose and it is piling Ossa on Pelion."