Sharples Pita: Ministerial Statements — Earthquake—Christchurch Earthquake Christchurch—Extension of State of National Emergency 
Sharples Pita: Ministerial Statements — Earthquake—Christchurch Earthquake Christchurch—Extension of State of National Emergency 
[Volume:670;Page:16955] 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
:  
Tena koe Mr Speaker. Tenei au e tautoko ana i nga korero kua korerohia e aku hoa mema o te Whare Paremata nei i tenei rangi. Na reira maku e mihi atu ki nga iwi ki nga ropu ki nga tangata katoa e kaha ana ki te tautoko ki te awhina i a ratau i tenei parekura i Otautahi. Katoa mai ahakoa he mema Kawanatanga a ratau kaimahi nga mema kaunihera me nga kaimahi nga apiha nga ropu katoa nga ropu tauira wananga nga tangata whaipamu nga hoia nga watene nga takuta nga nehi nga tangata katoa i tae atu ki reira e whakawatea ana kia tae atu ki reira ki te tautoko ki te awhina i nga tangata i tenei wa pouri mo ratau i Otautahi. 
Na reira e tika ana kia tukua te mihi ki a ratou katoa; me nga whanau nga ropu o Aotearoa nei whanui i tuku putea i tuku tautoko i whangai i nga mea kua puta mai i Otautahi ki nga marae ki nga taone. Ahakoa ko wai ratau kua huakina a ratau kuaha kia manaakihia enei tangata e pirangi i tenei wa ki te haere ake mai i Otautahi ki tetahi atu wahi. Na reira e tika ana kia mihi atu ki a ratau katoa e mahi ana i reira. 
Kai te tangi tonu ki a ratau nga tini aitua ratau kua mate ana i tera parekura. E kore e mutu nga korero nga tangi nga roimata nga hupe mo ratau. Na reira koutou nga mate haere okioki pai mai i te mohio kai te tangi te motu ki a koutou i tenei wa. Na reira haere haere atu ra. Nga whanau pani anei ra matau ka tangi mai koutou ka tangi atu matau katoa. Anei ra matau e tautoko ana i a koutou i tenei wa pouri. I tenei taima ka mohio koutou ki te koi o tenei mea te mate. Na reira tenei matau e mihi atu e tautoko ana i a koutou i tenei wa. 
[ 
Thank you Mr Speaker. I endorse the sentiments expressed by my fellow members of this House today. So I acknowledge the tribes the organisations and all the people who worked hard to support and assist them in this disaster in Christchurch—all of them be they members of the Government and their staff members of the council and workers officials all organisations university student groups farmers army personnel wardens doctors nurses all those who got there and those who made themselves available to get there to support and help the people in this hour of gloom in Christchurch. 
It is apt that they are all recognised including families and organisations from throughout New Zealand who contributed in terms of funding who gave support who fed the ones who appeared in Christchurch at marae and towns. Regardless of who they were their doors were opened up to help those people who wanted to leave Christchurch at this time for other places. So it is fitting to acknowledge them all working there.  
We continue to mourn the vast number who perished in that disaster. Stories laments and the shedding of tears and of mucus for them will never cease. So to you the dead depart and rest well there in the knowledge that the nation mourns for you at this moment. Go farewell. To the bereaved families here we are as you mourn before us we all mourn for you in this time of darkness. At this time you are experiencing the sharp pain of death. We acknowledge and support you in this moment of time 
.] 
We mourn with the families of Otautahi and throughout New Zealand who have lost loved ones in this tragedy in Christchurch/Otautahi. We particularly farewell their loved ones and we leave the message with those families that as they mourn and are orphaned so is New Zealand. We share our tears and our mucus with them at this time which is a sad time for them. 
I congratulate everybody involved down there and everybody involved outside of Otautahi: all those armies we talk about—the students the farmers and the real army—the policemen the officials the non-governmental organisations the workers and everybody who is down there working. We are so proud of them. I acknowledge also that the cities and the towns have received people. They have opened up their doors their schools and the like to take in people hopefully for a short-term break but for whatever they desire whether it is long term or short term. To the millions of New Zealanders who are fund-raising who are hosting people and who are crying with them we just thank them for their support. They are showing the special character of New Zealand at this time. 
I acknowledge the overseas rescue teams. We will not forget those people who have come over here immediately and brought their teams to help us in our time of crisis. I also acknowledge local organisations like the Red Cross the Salvation Army and the police. All those organisations of ours have given a mammoth effort down there. 
I am pleased as the Minister of Maori Affairs to report that on day 2 Maori gathered at Rehua Marae and set up a hub from which they could distribute services organise information and so on. That was at a time when they knew not the extent of the damage the liquefaction and so on. Now all the marae of Otautahi are available. They are centres for help and for overnight stays in some cases. They are the hub of Maori activity. 
I am very pleased with the tribes of New Zealand who are fund-raising: a radiothon raised $65000 and fishing has raised $100000. People are coming to the party because they know that this is a whole of New Zealand effort. I convened three or four iwi hui. The iwi were so glad to be able to contribute in several ways. Doctors and nurses have been sent down there to work. It is a great effort on behalf of New Zealand. 
I congratulate Ngai Tahu. I believe they have come to the party really strong. We have committed a lot of our Te Puni Kokiri resources and leaders of the organisation down there. They are working hand in hand. They have set up a hub together so that they can work together. That has to be a good thing for Christchurch whanui. I acknowledge the wardens many of whom have damaged homes and are quite poor. They chug along in their cars—I am not sure about their registration but they get there—and they do some liquefaction movement or something like that. That is a great thing. 
I say this finally: despite the thousands of tonnes of liquefaction the physical destruction of the central business district the 10000 homes that have to be destroyed the 100000 homes that need repair and despite no power no water and no wharepaku—no toilets—for many and no communication for others the thing that is strong in my mind is the psychological effect this earthquake has had on many of our relations and friends in Christchurch. They still feel the need to sleep under the table; they do not go upstairs. Others sleep fully dressed with their shoes on and so on. That is the effect of this tragedy. I know though that with the support the care and the love that all New Zealanders will share with the people of Otautahi we will move on beyond that and build a new strong city. Tena koe.