Bennett David: Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBennett David: Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 09 March 2016. Volume:711;Page:9577. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East): E Te Mana Whakawā tēnā koe e ngā mema o Te Pāremata ka mihi ki a koutou e te iwi noa e Te Whare nei tēnā tātou katoa.[Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker and acknowledgments to you to members of Parliament to the tribes in general to this House and to us all.]You will have to forgive the accent. I am not on the Māori Affairs Committee but it gives me great pleasure to speak on behalf of the Government in regard to the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill and to acknowledge our coalition partners who have done such fine work especially the Minister for Māori Development in making this bill happen. Over many years the Māori Party has delivered for the Māori communities of our country and for our wider community as well and I think that is shown through the practical things that have come through in legislation like this today—I am getting a photo! I would like to congratulate and thank all members of this House. I think that the way everybody has spoken has been a credit to this Parliament and to the traditions of this House.As a European I never learnt Māori. In the 1970s and 1980s we were never taught it at school and I think that is a great disservice to our people of all backgrounds. We do not feel as comfortable as we should in the Māori communities because we do not know the language. We should know the language a lot more. Every New Zealander Māori or European or Asian or Pasifika should know more Māori than they do know. That is something that this Parliament should do something about because our generation missed out. Hopefully future generations do not have that problem and they will actually grow up in a community where they can actually partake in it as full members of the community understanding the language because language is so vital to any community.The stories of the past I think are tragic and should never have happened. That shows ignorance and misunderstanding and I am sure all members of this House are very sorry for anything that has happened to the language in the past.But I want to take a step forward looking forward to the language in say 100 years’ time. If you look in this House in 100 years’ time it will not be the same people in here necessarily representing the same demographics. You will have a much bigger population from an Asian base. You will have a much bigger population of mixed European and Māori heritage who maybe do not have the opportunity or have not had the opportunity to learn the language that they should have. I think we need to look at the Māori language in the future because in 100 years’ time we will look back at the Māori language as one of the defining parts of being a New Zealander. If we do not have that in all aspects of our society then we will be a lot poorer as a country and will lose the language—in essence preventing it being what it should be which is a treasure for all people not just a treasure for Māoridom.I think this bill is a great step in that process. I wish all the best to those who will be involved in making the language a reality. It is something that is important not only for Māori but also for all parts of our community to make sure the Māori language is treasured and also enhanced so that we have a better understanding going forward. Thank you.