Katene Rahui: Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Katene Rahui: Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:671;Page:18232] 
RAHUI KATENE (Maori Party—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 Kingi Tawhiao Potatau Te Wherowhero left us the immortal words “Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi”—without foresight or vision the people will be lost. At this time in the third reading of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Bill it is important that we consider those words as we evaluate all the checks and balances that have been built into the Act. Have we provided sufficient opportunity for the vision of the people to come forth? Throughout all of the powers created under the bill to ensure a focused timely and coordinated recovery effort is there also flexibility—and importantly willingness—to allow for the natural foresight of all our people to shine through? Have we listened? Are we prepared to listen and learn? 
The bill specifies that the powers legislated for in Parliament today are mainly reserve powers to be used only if they are necessary. It also stipulates that checks will be in place to guard against the inappropriate use of the powers given to the Minister and to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. Like other parties in this House the Maori Party cannot emphasise enough just how critical it is that these powers are exercised only in accordance with the purpose of the Act and only if reasonably necessary. 
I guess if there is one overriding consideration that might guide us all in our deliberations it will be to reflect on the simple yet bold tribal proverb that Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu suggests for the recovery of Christchurch: “Mo tatou a mo ka uri a muri ake nei”—for us and our children after us. It was in this sense that the Maori Party has appreciated the very clear endorsement from Ngai Tahu for this legislation as an important step in pursuing the vision of Christchurch becoming a global city with a strong vibrant community that provides for our grandchildren and their grandchildren. It is essential that we consider the bill as one step along the journey of a long lifetime plan. The earthquake was not a usual event an event to which the normal powers of local government authorities could be applied to reorganise and rebuild. 
How will any of us ever forget these last 2 months of our lives? Our lives have been interrupted by an event of such a catastrophic proportion that even now it is hard to believe that it happened. The physical disruption to our lives the ongoing frustration of normality disrupted has been on a massive scale. As has been said previously the earthquake of 22 February 2011 has altered the course of history for Christchurch and for our nation. But the crumbling bricks and mortar the devastation of homes in ruin and the ongoing impact of the demolition of buildings as severe as these effects are all pale in comparison with the inconsolable grief of families mourning for those lost in the quake. We remember the extraordinary outpouring of anguish that washed over us all as we attended a tangihanga observed a 2-minute silence at the national memorial services and simply listened and watched and read the very real human stories of heartache. 
But now we must move forward remembering to honour all those who lost their lives. There is no question that the powers being conferred on central government through both the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and the responsible Minister are extraordinary. But we agree with Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu that extraordinary powers are warranted by the extraordinary circumances: “A narrower set of powers would result in an inevitable amount of case by case management of the recovery effort creating delays uncertainty and contributing to community frustration.” So the Maori Party is backing the bill as we believe that it is essential in order to establish a clear overall direction for the recovery efforts. We agree with the necessity of producing a mandatory recovery plan for the Christchurch commercial business district within 9 months of the bill’s enactment and that the recovery plan should then be read into statutory plans. 
I have been impressed by the work of the disability sector and the advocacy and leadership of the Minister for Disability Issues Tariana Turia in recommending that the Christchurch recovery effort presents a unique opportunity to ensure that Christchurch is a truly accessible city for disabled and older people. So we are pleased that Minister Brownlee has agreed to the Hon Ruth Dyson’s amendment. 
I want to talk about representation which is perhaps the most critical factor underpinning the recovery of Christchurch. Ngai Tahu made the point in their submission that there is a distinction between statutory participatory rights and community leadership. There must be a collaborative working relationship between the authority and community leadership that is close open and generates innovation. The purpose provisions of the bill are explicit in their direction that community participation must be planned for in order to restore the social economic cultural and environmental well-being of Greater Christchurch communities. The community forum and the cross-party forum are fundamental to the way in which these relationships will be activated. We must act in ways that demonstrate the saying “He waka eke noa”—a canoe that we are all in with no exception. 
There can be no exceptions. The need for this bill to work cannot be understated. We must in this Parliament provide the appropriate measures to ensure that Greater Christchurch and the councils and their communities respond to and recover from the impacts of the Christchurch earthquakes. As Ngai Tahu put it so eloquently “the community is the recovery. The identity strength and vitality of Christchurch is in the hearts of our people.” We must not falter in the steps we take. Our future as a city as a nation will depend on the quality of the relationships and the collaboration with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority local and central government and the wider community. 
The Maori Party supports this bill as we support every effort of all the parties involved to plan for the rebuild process and to make the appropriate decisions that will help to protect and preserve the well-being of whanau.