Harawira Hone: Local Government (Protection of Auckland Assets) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Harawira Hone: Local Government (Protection of Auckland Assets) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:656;Page:5719] 
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Kia ora. I am happy to report that a great majority of the submissions to the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee took the same view as the Maori Party in acknowledging the importance of mana whenua in local government and of ensuring that tangata whenua have an equitable say in decisions that affect them through Treaty-based representation on local bodies. I am also happy to say that the Maori Party is proud to return our support of the people of Auckland for the Maori seats by standing alongside them in opposing any sale of council assets. The Local Government (Protection of Auckland Assets) Amendment Bill sets it out quite simply stating that no Auckland authority including the Auckland Transition Authority set up this year shall dispose of any parks swimming pools libraries or public housing assets. It attaches a comprehensive list of some 41 assets that the bill seeks to protect including such assets as water supply transport port and property. 
At the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee hearings Maori submitters spoke with one voice about the need to involve tribal representatives in overseeing kaitiakitanga responsibilities—guardianship roles—over their respective taonga. We are all aware of the concerns that Maori have consistently raised about the failure of local government to address its Treaty responsibilities and we hope that in restricting the sale of Auckland local body assets local government can also get to grips with what we mean by concepts like rangatiratanga kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga and figure out how to honour the rights and responsibilities of mana whenua. This bill gives us a great opportunity to get things right in terms of the health and well-being of our environment by enabling whanau hapu and iwi as kaitiaki to propose shape and help implement measures to keep our natural resources healthy safe and intact for future generations and also to ensure that all lands and resources remain in domestic ownership rather than in the hands of foreign speculators. 
Let me also take the opportunity to speak to associated issues in respect of this bill in particular the level of representation that the Maori Party is championing for the Auckland Council. I understand that there are doubts about the level of democratic participation in the process by which mana whenua seats might be elected in Auckland but I would also like to think that in the interests of enabling Maori living in Tamaki-makau-rau to participate freely and openly in a process to elect councillors to the Maori seats we will find a process that enables those doubts to be set aside. The principle of mana whenua is an important aspect of our society and one that I am pleased to say is universally supported by all parties in this Parliament including ACT. From that point I would hope that enabling mana whenua becomes the important issue rather than discounting the process by which it is achieved. 
Maori do not participate in local government elections. That is a simple truth. Indeed in 150 years of Auckland City there have been only eight Maori councillors. The question is whether we allow that sad record to continue in a city that is the centre of the greatest Maori population in the world. The answer of course is that we should not. So what do we do about it? Well given that mana whenua is important to the development of the future of Auckland the only issues are: one to establish an open and transparent process that enables candidates who meet mana whenua criteria to contest the election; and two to establish an open and transparent process that enables Maori to vote for those candidates. I know that everyone thinks this issue is done and dusted already but the truth is that it ain’t over until it is over. The Maori Party has been working strenuously on this proposal and we will continue to do so until we achieve a solution that ensures the most democratic outcome by encouraging more and more Maori to participate in the electoral process. 
Finally I raise— 
Hon George Hawkins 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think the member should be brought back to the bill itself. The bill has nothing to do with the seats. It is all about the assets of Auckland. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Eric Roy) 
: I think the member speaking for a constituency has made his views quite clear. I understand the points he has made. The point of order is not upheld. 
HONE HARAWIRA 
: Tena koe. Finally I raise an idea for consideration about how we can ensure the full participation of Maori in governance arrangements including the management of those assets. In our Treaty policy the Maori Party signalled an interest in joint ventures as a means of advancing the reconciliation between iwi hapu and the Crown. In a similar fashion we see public partnerships with collectives of hapu and iwi as an excellent way of ensuring the protection of local body assets for the whole of the population of Auckland in a way that is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We are happy to support this bill. We look forward to Mr Twyford taking steps to ensure that local government acknowledges the authority of mana whenua as the bill goes—if it goes any further—through the House. Kia ora tatou.