Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: General Debates 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: General Debates 
[Volume:615;Page:11311] 
LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
: 
 Kia ora talofa lava and warm Pacific greetings. I am pleased to speak after the ACT list MP Muriel Newman. We have listened to a range of views this afternoon about “need not privilege”. Let me pin the tail on the Government’s policies that address need and not privilege. Labour’s policies were outlined on a pledge card and we have delivered and are continuing to deliver on those policies. Our country is in good economic and social heart. I would also like to add my perspective as a woman of New Zealand and a woman of the Pacific to say how politics and representation ensure that needs policies and programmes go together. 
I came into this House in 1999 as a list member of Parliament because of the MMP system. Subsequently I won the general seat of the Mana electorate. MMP is a system that has ensured that the voices of people previously excluded can now be heard in Parliament. There are 120 members in Parliament. In the case of women for example there are now significantly more women in Parliament since MMP. In 1993-94 under first past the post 21 women were elected to Parliament and in 2002 34 women were elected. There are now 19 Maori members of Parliament three Pacific Island members and two Asian and ethnic minority members. All people have some representation in Parliament because of MMP which has provided a fairer wider representation. There is no quota system. Political parties have each chosen a list of prospective MPs who reflect New Zealand society. 
MMP is a system that meets the need to have a fair representation in Parliament of our pluralistic society. The first-past-the-post system tended to entrench privilege; MMP has led to greater equity and greater fairness. This Government has many examples where needs have been addressed through policy or legislative change. Maori and Pacific entry to medical training and Pacific Island recruitment to early childhood teaching are examples. As well equal employment opportunities encourage women to aspire to middle and senior management positions. These policies and programmes encourage those groups—which have been previously excluded—to enter a profession. That does not lower standards because all must pass on final exams and achieve merit to the same standard but it ensures there is greater fairness equity and representation among graduates and in professions. 
Evidence shows that the increase in numbers of graduates from groups in the health education and business sectors has led to greater participation and positive outcomes for those groups. A lot of my inspiration as a member of Parliament came from women like Sonja Davies our Prime Minister Helen Clark and my mother. Throughout their lives they have modelled a leadership of service action fairness opportunity dignity and security for all. 
I am proud of this Government’s performance in our nation’s leadership. We have delivered on our policies through our pledge card. Let me give members an example. The first pledge was: “Work with all sectors to create an innovative growing economy with more jobs”—and now businesses are flourishing and the unemployment level is down to an all-time low. 
I want to speak about my passion for being a member of Parliament and a member of the Labour Party in this Government. It came from a desire expressed by many communities of New Zealand to have Pacific women represented in New Zealand and also to celebrate a society of diversity and representation built on those foundations of fairness opportunity and dignity. 
Nation building is about strong diverse and thriving communities. I use the metaphor of ’ie toga in the Samoan language where the fine mat is woven by many hands. It has many strands weak and strong but all are colourful. It is in our weaving together including the weak fibres that we give strength to our unity. Nation building requires us all to ensure that all peoples can participate in the society and governance of this nation. We all have something to contribute. 
This Government has shown leadership in addressing the many needs of our different peoples. Our Government works in partnership with all communities to address their needs. We have passed our legislative programme and policies on need not privilege and we have demonstrated that through actions and results. Labour has provided leadership and partnership growth and innovation fairness and security opportunity for all and strong public services. We are building a strong confident nation.