Turia Tariana: Debate on Prime Minister’s StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTuria Tariana: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement[Sitting date: 28 January 2014. Volume:696;Page:15542. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Māori Party): Mr Speaker may I formally acknowledge you and all other members at the onset of this important year a year in which I hope we can genuinely work together for the best interests of all who call this land home. For many political commentators the year begins with the annual pilgrimage to Rātana Pā. I acknowledge therefore the enduring legacy of Tahupōtiki Wīremu Rātana the significance of his teachings encompassed in the Ture Wairua and the ongoing relevance of his message for Ture Tangata. The message of Ture Tangata of course deals with te mana motuhake the concerns of tangata w’enua for our land claims and our rights and responsibilities as embodied in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It is a very strong basis for establishing our priorities for the year and it is always pleasing when those coming to the pā acknowledge those dual objectives of our nationhood.This year however Winston Peters chose the moment to attack the Māori Party for what he labelled apartheid policies. I cannot let such an outrageous claim stand and I have deliberately waited for this first speech in the House this year to remind all politicians of our moral and ethical responsibility in the use we make of language for effect. For the record the crime of apartheid as stated by the 2002 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is defined as inhumane acts of crimes against humanity “committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systemic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other”.In South Africa the Government implemented a regime of apartheid with penalties such as fines imprisonment and whippings. In 1960 a large group of black citizens in Sharpeville refused to carry their passes and in retaliation the Government declared a state of emergency for 156 days leaving 69 people dead and 187 wounded. Thousands of individuals died in custody frequently after gruesome acts of torture. How then does this crime against humanity apply to the introduction of Whānau Ora?Whānau Ora is about empowering and enabling families to set their own priorities to focus on outcomes. Common themes in w’ānau plans include better lives for children employment housing and homeownership education and skills development and health and cultural wellness. Presumably this is the nature of what Mr Peters labelled sociological objectives which are of no interest to Māoridom at all. Although it is pleasing to note that in a different waka Mr Cunliffe stated that he would listen to the voices of Māoridom as to where they want to take Whānau Ora in the next breath he admitted that he would not be keeping the policy going as it is suggesting that Whānau Ora is not something Labour would limit to Māori and that Labour wants to extend it to community service agencies and NGOs around the country.This too must be challenged. Whānau Ora is available to any family—any family—who wants to support and accept responsibilities and obligations to one another. The days are gone when progress is measured by what others do to families in the name of development. Whānau Ora is not about being done to or being on behalf of others. Whānau Ora contrary to the view above has been openly embraced by New Zealanders of all cultures and creeds and is about families standing confidently and being capable of taking care of their own. Call it transformation. Call it liberation. This is about a revolution of the masses to set their own direction. I really implore our political colleagues to think seriously before they jump in and attack merely for the sake of gaining traction on the hustings.I would ask this House to think back to the debates around section 59 of the Crimes Act where the use of violence as a means of disciplining children was outlawed or more recently in the wonderful coalition of minds that came together for tobacco reform to ensure improved health outcomes for all New Zealanders. Both of thesepolicy initiatives were championed by activists lobbyists health professionals families children’s advocates academics and communities. They came together to mobilise the masses in the interest of change. So when I look at the 160 providers that have entered into Whānau Ora and most important the 33000 New Zealanders who have been touched by the impact of positive approaches for w’ānau and families I know that we are observing a new form of political activism driven by results and by widely felt support.When people attempt to denigrate their efforts or think they can look from afar and want to meddle in the lives of participating families who have worked so hard to build their collective capacity it makes no sense to me. These same people who for years have created dependence on the State cannot think that people can restore self-belief in what they can do for themselves. Our efforts this year will continue to strive for the highest results to make the lives of New Zealand families and w’ānau better. We will not resile from that pursuit of excellence at every encounter our families have with the State.I for one fully support the Government’s mission of five out of five children succeeding in schools. I have no tolerance for accepting mediocrity when the future of our children is at stake but I do not believe that simply pouring more personnel into the school grounds will necessarily bring the results. A chorus line of school nurses social workers cafeteria caterers and the like will not make the difference we need unless we actively enable our families to be in charge of supporting their children in their educational pathways. The Māori Party has consistently spoken up about the key priority to address income disparity and we are relentless in our call for Government business and the private sector to take seriously the campaign for a living wage.Finally I want to address the myth-making that is associated with our role as a partner in Government. Our founding president matua Whatarangi Winiata always challenged the members of the Māori Party to lift our sights high to do everything possible to herald improvements for all those who call Aotearoa home. Our current president Naida Glavish has continued this theme with a message that the days of doing the haka outside the fence are over. We have an absolute responsibility to anyone who places their faith in kaupapa Māori as a framework for this nation and we will not let their aspirations be left to flounder by choosing to sit defeated on the Opposition benches.Our reason for being is to apply every mechanism possible towards strengthening our w’ānau to do for themselves and I make no apology for the investment that we have been able to negotiate in a stronger future. I am proud that through our work we have achieved an extra $47 million to support trade training places for 3000 Māori and Pasifika peoples and an additional 400 cadets in the energy infrastructure and telecommunications industries. I am proud that we fought for an extra $100 million to insulate homes of low-income households—especially those with children with high needs—increased resources to reduce rheumatic fever a warrant of fitness trial for Housing New Zealand properties and 2000 vege gardens. I am particularly pleased at the wide range of initiatives that we have championed to change social attitudes and increase the participation of disabled peoples in all aspects of life and the progress made in enabling Māori and Pasifika families to confront and address family violence in their midst and there is much more. The point is that if our greatest fault is that we have stepped up to make a difference for our constituency by working with this Government then so be it.Returning to Rātana I want to end by talking about the absolute standout performance in the Rātana talent quest by a young Tūwharetoa singer called Jackson Owen who will in a couple of weeks’ time be making his way to Florida to start hismusic career. Jackson was discovered when his w’ānau uploaded on YouTube tracks of him singing. If the last 24 hours have told us anything with backing and support even a humble schoolgirl can overnight become a two-time Grammy award winner. Would it not be a great day when our combined efforts could reach across the House to make sure that every child experiences success that every w’ānau knows the meaning of mauriora in their lives? That is a campaign that I am determined to uphold.