Gudgeon Bill: Maori Television Service Bill — Second Reading 
Gudgeon Bill: Maori Television Service Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:607;Page:4915] 
BILL GUDGEON (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First has questioned the funding and programming of Maori television especially when the items that affect Maori—like education housing health and employment—should be the priority. Those are the matters that concern New Zealand First. We hear day in and day out about the statistics to do with Maori because those are the things that affected Maori in the past and affect Maori today. In the case of the Maori television channel is the transmission available in the north of the North Island likewise on the East Coast and north of Gisborne including Gisborne? What is the cost to consumers? Are they in a financial position to have that transmission? If they are unemployed how would that be financed? What is the housing situation? That sector of the community is struggling. With regard to education what is happening with the truancy situation and the skill base of Maori? What about employment and the social atmosphere out there including law and order? What will be the quality of the programmes that Maori television will utilise in order to encourage education across the board? Will this programme—if and when it gets started—and the coverage it will receive play a large part in the direction that Maori take in retaining te reo me nga tikanga or will it be strictly entertainment? 
New Zealand First believes that the money that will be spent and will continue to be spent would be put to better use by improving the environment of positive education outcomes improving housing and employment and vastly improving health. Meeting those needs should be the priority. Until those matters are seen to how will a sector of the New Zealand community survive to enjoy those treasures which we hold dear to us within the bounds of a free society? The language will truly flourish when it is stress-free. The social structure of this country has changed. New Zealand First is not against promotion of the language and tikanga but let us prioritise settle the immediate needs first then work towards those goals in an amicable manner that will benefit all. We are well aware of the Crown’s responsibility as far as the treaty goes but let us also be aware of the Government’s responsibility to the immediate needs of the people—that is to govern wisely. 
New Zealand First opposes the Maori Television Bill because of the glaring needs of this sector of the community whose statistics provide proof of where the concentration of efforts should be placed. At a meeting of the Maori Affairs Committee I asked Mr Derek Fox whether education would be included in that television programming and the answer was a straight no. I was sad to hear that. I asked why and he said that it is strictly to entertain. He said that if one needed education there is an organisation called the Ministry of Education. My question to him after that asked whether he would utilise the resources of the Ministry of Education if they were available to promote education. He answered no. What is the glaring need of Maori today? It is education. Education will contribute to Maori looking after themselves becoming independent and being independent of the State. We need to realise that when Maori have the skill base they will be able to take care of their affairs in health employment and housing and they will be able to contribute to our economy whether locally or internationally. 
I always remember the saying of Sir Apirana Ngata. He said: “Hold onto those things that are dear to you as far as our language and our tikanga is concerned as a top knot on your head but also take the weapon of the Pakeha which is education.” What do we have today? Our people who were once a proud people are putting their hands out rather than putting them up. Those are the issues that we need to face today. The millions that the Government is going to put into television will not solve the challenges and problems that our society has today. They will not and I can guarantee that in 5 to 6 years’ time—or whenever there is a review of Maori television—what will still be there will be those statistics that are always being brought up in this House. So what is the answer? Is the answer Maori television? If we ask Tongan Samoan or Chinese people about their language and why they have retained it they will say that they have retained it because they are taught it in their homes. They watch television but they have retained their language because they are taught it in their homes. 
I attended an education conference in Napier when I was a lecturer at the polytech. A guest speaker talked about how successful kohanga reo was. During the break I asked him how many of those young people still retained the language when they went to State schools or any other school. The answer was : “Very few.” I asked why and I was told that it was because the parents do not speak Maori. When children go home to their families the language spoken is English. What has been done since then? Parents have been encouraged to learn the language so that they can speak with their children at home. The parents were embarrassed because they did not understand what their children were talking about. Those things are right; they have been recorded. 
I say to the Minister that we oppose this bill. We are looking at the common sense of it and at where our priorities should lie. Once those priorities are sorted out I will support him 100 percent on having Maori television. But members should not forget what is happening out there. I was questioned yesterday in Morrinsville and I know that this issue is causing division amongst our people and amongst the citizens of New Zealand. Do we want that also? That is all I have to say. New Zealand First opposes the legislation for the very reasons I have given. I am sure that Maori will contribute to our society more positively when all those other things are sorted out.