Mahuta Nanaia; Rurawhe AdrianLOCAL ELECTORAL (MĀORI WARDS AND MĀORI CONSTITUENCIES) AMENDMENT BILLFirst ReadingHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): I present a legislative statement on the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill.DEPUTY SPEAKER: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I move That the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the bill. At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 15 February 2021 and that the committee have authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting (except during oral questions) during an evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 193 and 196(1)(b) and (c).Last week many of us were at Waitangi celebrating the 181st anniversary of the signing of our founding document Te Tiriti o Waitangi. That document signalled that New Zealand's constitutional basis was going to be informed by our bicultural origins.I want to turn to this bill and it is an idea whose time has come. You will hear in this House tonight many people over there say that there is not enough time in select committee. But I can remember in 2002 under the Local Government Act when the 5 percent poll provision was put into legislation how challenging it was to get unanimity across the House to remove a discriminatory law. But here's the thing: some years later when we became Government last term I got a letter from Local Government New Zealand and in fact it was one of the major priorities that they brought to my attention. I had to trawl back through my records and find that letter. On 22 March 2018 the then president of Local Government New Zealand David Cull wrote to the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern the Rt Hon Winston Peters and the Hon James Shaw as the respective leaders of the coalition confidence-and-supply Government asking that the poll for Māori wards and constituencies be removed. I note this particular comment in his letter: As noted these poll provisions apply only to the establishment of Māori wards and constituencies. That they do not apply to other wards and constituencies marks the provision as discriminatory to Māori and inconsistent with the principle of equal treatment enshrined in the Treaty of Waitangi. Either the poll provisions should apply to all wards or they should apply to none. The discriminatory nature of these polls is not acceptable." Tonight we are rectifying that by ensuring that we can put through the House—yes under urgency but again it's an idea whose time has come—the move to remove this discriminatory poll.So as this matter will go to the Māori Affairs Committee we anticipate that there is already a broad knowledge amongst our society about how inhibitive that poll has been to introduce Māori wards into many districts. In fact we only need look to New Plymouth District Council in the six-year journey that they undertook under the then Mayor of New Plymouth Andrew Judd who took it upon himself to educate many New Zealanders about why this poll was discriminatory. Since that period of time a number of communities within a number of council districts have argued for the removal of this discriminatory poll and the reason why is simply because time has moved on.We only need look at the natural disasters that have occurred when civil defence has been invoked when we think about the western fires when we think about the Kaikōura earthquake and when we think about the Christchurch earthquake and how iwi Māori mobilised to support local government in order to respond—they were quick to put their hand up. When we think about the COVID-19 response Māori and iwi organisations were quick to put their hand up with local government to say "We can help our community; we are long-term contributors to the wellbeing of our community." When we think about leveraging and the opportunity that Treaty settlements provide for regions to really rethink what regional growth and opportunity looks like in an integrated way there is ample opportunity to ensure that Māori participation in local government decision making and in partnering can support the broader outcomes of regions and communities and districts. That's why we're pushing through this particular bill.This hasn't been an easy issue so I don't want to sugar-coat anything because the debate that has occurred over the last six years has told us that there are some really strong views in some parts of our community who do not want to see Māori wards and constituencies in their area. But I hazard a guess that it's a small part of those communities because there is much more openness to ensuring greater inclusion and participation in local democracy than ever before. I wouldn't be swayed by many of the fearful comments that are coming from the other side of the House.When we moved to develop this approach I foreshadowed certainly in the last term that were we to be in a position to enable these changes to go through we would make that happen. I reaffirmed that again once I took on the role as the Minister of Local Government in this term.I'm proud to say that no longer over an 18-year period will it be difficult for councils to establish Māori wards and constituencies—24 have tried; three have succeeded: one by resolution that's my own council Waikato Regional Council; one through special legislation which was sponsored by the Hon Mita Ririnui and that was very toxic debate in this House. But they have evolved into a place where there is far more cooperation and partnering in the Bay of Plenty than they could have ever imagined when the debate to have Māori seats was had and now recently the Wairoa District Council. There are several councils who are awaiting the decision that we will make as a Parliament.Now the question was asked: "Why are we pushing this through urgency?" Quite simply it's to ensure that those nine councils who are currently due to hold a poll will not have to bear the costs of holding a poll once this legislation is confirmed. So let me just note in the House who they are: the Kaipara District Council Gisborne District Council New Plymouth District Council Northland Regional Council Ruapehu District Council South Taranaki District Council Taupō District Council Tauranga City Council and the Whangarei District Council.By enacting this particular measure within the time frame that I'm promoting it will then remove the onerous costs on councils to have to hold a poll and the decision at council will stand. Now we all elect our local representatives based on our judgment of their ability to think of the common good as councillors sitting around the table. None of that will change—none of that will change. In fact those councils who are working really well have dynamic and important conversations for the greater interests of their communities and their region. Having Māori wards and constituencies will not change that particular outcome; in fact I believe it will enhance it.I point to the letter that I received in particular from the Mayor of Nelson City Council Rachel Reese who said—I quote—"We need all members of our community to see themselves represented by those who hold positions of leadership." Major challenges currently facing local authorities include climate change and the impact of COVID-19 on our communities' health social and economic wellbeing. Local authorities can draw upon the principles and values of Te Ao Māori and how we respond to these challenges. Having Māori representation around council chambers is an important way to strengthen our ability to do this.I have many many more letters here in front of me—for example from the Race Relations Commissioner who said that the provision is discriminatory; from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council; from the Northland Regional Council; and there are several more who are standing in line saying the time has come. We are not thwarting any democratic process. This is a debate that has been around for a very long time. What we're enabling is for councillors who are elected to represent the interests of their electorate to not be thwarted through a discriminatory 5 percent poll provision that could overturn their resolution at the council table. It's an idea whose time has come. I'm proud that we're taking these steps to push through a change that has been long awaited. Do you know what? I'm more proud of the many mayors and councillors who have lobbied me over the last four years to say "Let's just get on with it there's too much to do to dilly-dally." Let's get on with it. Thank you.So can I commend the bill to the Māori Affairs Committee and trust that they will hold robust discussions with submitters. I commit the bill to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to."