Eagle PaulPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Thank you Madam Speaker. What a privilege it is to speak for a short time in the House my first for 2021. Look I want to bring some cheer and encourage the previous speaker to come to the paradise of Rongotai which includes the Chatham Islands where I was over the Christmas - New Year period to see cheer to see a COVID-free community and to have some fun because things aren't all doom and gloom. What I want to do is just acknowledge everyone here in the House today particularly the new MPs. I want to acknowledge Nicole McKee a Rongotai resident of course for her long and established work in the electorate and an expectation of good things to come and working together on things. So welcome—nau mai haere mai to everyone.I want to just quickly reflect on happenings in the last couple of weeks and it does reflect the Speech from the Throne when I look at Māori Crown relations because recently we were in Waitangi—first of all I want to acknowledge the strong Labour Māori caucus because never have I seen a team of spirited but also highly intelligent and hard-working individuals who put together a much stronger partnership with the Crown. For the first time in many years—and I've been to Waitangi many times—the words when asked by some of the diplomats there were How do you sum up Waitangi?" and I thought it's warm and it's peaceful. Those are two words that I thought I couldn't claim in other years but what I saw was a strong effort from the deputy leader of the party Kelvin Davis; our Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson; and the team including Nanaia Mahuta who gave a great speech when she was talking to the diplomats there.But it goes a bit deeper than just Waitangi even though that is important. I want to acknowledge the Minister Nanaia Mahuta's work around Māori wards. I'm on the select committee that is going to be working hard over the weekend listening to those who are going to give us some feedback. Look I'm expecting some lows but I know being from local government that it is high time that we address some of the legislation I've heard today. We need to be bold and we need to do some things that we wouldn't normally do. We're going to do things like address some of those racist things that are there. Some don't see it as that but it is in my view. Communities will still get a say but I think it's time for communities to deeply reflect with their mana whenua with Māori and go "How do we create a new New Zealand Aotearoa for our patch of this country and let democracy rule with Māori at the table making decisions too?"The other point I want to make just briefly is around Matariki. I remember the former Mayor of Wellington coming to me and saying "Hey look in June 2018 and four years later in 24 June next year there will be the first Matariki. That's highly appropriate." That took some time too. I think that's being bold because I was told at the time by many that it couldn't happen it wouldn't happen we couldn't afford it—there was every reason put on the table for why this couldn't happen but it did and it will and I want to just acknowledge the work that's gone on in there and I'm looking forward to it. I know that the recent celebrations here in Wellington from Waitangi Day with our mana whenua Taranaki whānui and those on the Chatham Islands—the Moriori and Ngāti Mutunga are also supportive of the work we do and I'm looking forward to working with them in 2021. Kia ora."