Carter John: Local Electoral (Repeal of Race-Based Representation) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Carter John: Local Electoral (Repeal of Race-Based Representation) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:639;Page:9880] 
JOHN CARTER (National—Northland) 
: 
 I want to speak to this bill and to explain why the National Party has brought this bill into the House and I want to do it in the context of Northland. It is ironic that in an area like Northland—in many of the areas particularly in the far north and the Hokianga—the citizens are predominantly of Maori descent. Indeed I think in the far north now the make-up of 60 percent of the population is of Maori descent. [ 
Interruption 
] My colleague Hone Harawira says he is doing his best along with a number of his whanau. Therefore it is ironic that a place like Northland would even need to contemplate a bill like this. In fact one of the ironies I guess given that Hone has spent a great deal of his life speaking for the minority is that if this bill is not passed then I assume that he will want to introduce a bill to ensure there is proper representation of non-Maori in the far north on local government—if he iintends to stick to his convictions and I know he does. 
Hone Harawira 
: He has many convictions. 
JOHN CARTER 
: He has many good convictions might I add. But I make the point that race-based representation is absolutely unnecessary. There is only one local authority to my knowledge that has taken it up—the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: That was done before this legislation. 
JOHN CARTER 
: That is right. So it has not actually been picked up. But actually the representation is causing problems and it is now causing problems amongst Maoridom in that local authority as well. It has become the case that this bill has now become essential to assist and I hope that the House feels that it can support it. 
One of the ironies is that because of laws like this where maybe the intention was right but the outcome is wrong Maori can often become disadvantaged by it. I am one of those people who is a strong believer in saying that if I take what I know of the far north and indeed of Northland that Maori have the ability to stand on their own feet. They are just as good at putting their point of view as anybody else. They are quite capable of getting the support of the people whether they be Maori or non-Maori. In Northland we pride ourselves on the fact that we have good representation right across the whole region. It is not based on race it is based on the fact that people have ability and are capable. 
Indeed when I was a servant in the Hokianga as the county clerk the local authority there had a predominance of Maori councillors—not because they were Maori but because they were people who were supported by the people. They did not stand there and say: “You have to vote for me because I have Maori blood and I have some reason that I need to have extra support.” They were good competent and capable people who were able to express their view and to put their point of view across and attract the support of the people of the Hokianga. I have seen the same thing happen on school boards in Northland. I have seen it happen at a number of elections. 
One of the good things that I feel happens in Northland is that whoever it is who is standing for whatever position that person is not judged on whether he or she is Maori or non-Maori but on his or her ability. This bill is all about that. I hope that the House has the good sense tonight to support it. What it shows is that our nation is growing. It will show if this bill is supported that we have come to recognise that people regardless of their race have ability have the opportunity and can contribute to our nation. All of us should be encouraging that to happen. I hope that this bill gets passed tonight. I certainly will support it.