Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:617;Page:12712] 
8.  
METIRIA TUREI (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: What representations if any will he be making to the Government to address the opposition to the foreshore and seabed legislation expressed by yesterday’s hikoi? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I have spent a lifetime advocating for Maori to Governments. I respect every everyone’s right to hikoi and I acknowledge that there are strong feelings amongst not only Maori but non-Maori who took part in the hikoi. I will continue to listen and work in Government for Maori to find solutions. 
Metiria Turei 
: Does the Minister still agree with his joint statement of June 2003 made with other Maori MPs that “the Land Wars are over so the consent of tangata whenua is required before customary title can be extinguished.”; if so does he consider that this consent has been given? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: The Land Wars are over and this is a testing and challenging time. We expect to work through listen to Maori and ensure that their voice is heard in this legislation. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: Did he offer to meet with representatives of the hikoi yesterday? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes. Yesterday after discussions the day before I invited the organisers of the hikoi to meet with myself and the Deputy Prime Minister to present their take. They chose not to for now. The offer remains open to those who genuinely want to ensure our people retain the kaitiakitanga o Tangaroa the guardianship of Tangaroa. 
Pita Paraone 
: Can the Minister confirm that the political party with the second highest number of Maori represented in this House has worked constructively with the Government on the foreshore and seabed legislation for the benefit of all New Zealanders—Maori and non-Maori? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes I can. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: How can this House or Maori have any faith in a Minister who stands here and tells us that he is prepared to listen to Maori views but is then quoted as saying that what hikoi protesters have to say is a whole lot of prattle? We note that he would rather hold on to his ministerial perks and privileges than cross the floor to vote as his constituents would wish him to do. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: As Maori we are far better than that member. Certainly I know where the prattle comes from and that invention came from there. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek leave to table a  
New Zealand Herald 
 article in which the Minister of Maori Affairs describes the hikoi protesters’ comments as a whole lot of prattle. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that  
Herald 
 article. Is there any objection? There is. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There is a convention in this House that if a member wishes to table a document he or she should wait until the question is over. I thought it was a convention that most members respected. Twice today we have had that convention flouted and I would ask you to re-examine it. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will rule on that point. I do ask members to respect that convention. It is not a rule but it is a convention and I think it is a very sensible convention. We have the question and then we have the tabling. I think the member is perfectly justified in raising the matter. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Does the Minister remember this phrase in the Resource Management Act 1991 passed by the National Party which concerns the protection of Maori interests: “The relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands water sites wahi tapu and other taonga”? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I remember it clearly and I have lived begrudgingly with it and the nonsensical compliance on the tangata whenua done by that lot. 
Metiria Turei 
: Why will the Minister not stand by his earlier statement that: “The Maori caucus is clear that customary use flows from customary title and if the title is lost the rights of tangata whenua become privileges granted by the Crown.” and vote against the foreshore and seabed legislation? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: We are reading a bill today and a whole lot of things were signed at that time. We are happy with it and we are going forward with it for the benefit of Maori. 
Metiria Turei 
: Why did the Minister say about the hikoi: “Most of the people don’t even know what crossing the floor means” when most people on the hikoi know that crossing the floor means standing up for your principles and people? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That is not the full context in which I made that comment. “Crossing the floor” means voting for Don Brash and we will not be doing that. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Firstly I apologise for breaching the usual protocols of the House as Mr Peters pointed out before. I am attempting again to table a document in which the Minister of Maori Affairs— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document again. Is there any objection? There is.