Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Question Time Questions to Members 
Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Question Time Questions to Members 
[Volume:607;Page:4489] 
4.  
METIRIA TUREI (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: What steps is he taking to protect the interests of Maori in the current General Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations and will he ensure that te Tiriti o Waitangi is included in New Zealand’s General Agreement on Trade in Services Schedule of Specific Commitments? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 New Zealand’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) commitments will not get in the way of it fulfilling its Treaty of Waitangi obligations. New Zealand has excluded from GATS coverage: “Current and future measures at the central and sub-central levels of Government according more favourable treatment to any Maori person or organisation in relation to the acquisition establishment or operation of any commercial or industrial undertaking.” This is one of the first times wording of this sort has been included in a trade commitment. 
Metiria Turei 
: Given that our current GATS commitments contain no reservation for Government measures to meet its tiriti obligations will the Minister recommend that the Government amends its GATS commitments so that it can meet its tiriti obligations without impediment; if not why not? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: The Government will continue to ensure that the initial offer will in no way override our present GATS reservations with regard to the treatment of Maori persons or organisations. 
Mahara Okeroa 
: What discussions has the Government undertaken with Maori concerning GATS? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Early this year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade along with Te Puni Kokiri met with interested Maori in Wellington Christchurch Auckland Rotorua and Hamilton. Further meetings are scheduled to take place over the coming months. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Does the Minister accept that Maori interests along with the interests of all other New Zealanders would be better served by ensuring a General Agreement on Trade in Services opened up as many opportunities as possible for us overseas including Maori service businesses; if he does not why not? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes and most certainly Maori want to be involved in opportunities off shore and on shore. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: No doubt the purpose of the primary question is to ensure that the Government has regard to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in all its dealings internationally and domestically; that being the case could the Minister now tell us clearly what the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are that he has regard to? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That member knows well: articles 1 2 and 3. I am more than happy to have an extended discussion with him outside the House. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I could not hear the answer. He said that he would be more than happy to do something. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I ask the Minister to repeat the answer that he gave. It was in order. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That learned member is well aware of articles 1 2 and 3. I am more than happy to have an extended discussion outside this House. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am not more than happy to have an extended discussion outside this House. I want an answer. I think I am entitled to an answer now. If the Minister is offering an extended discussion then clearly he is saying that he can answer the question; so could we have an abbreviated version now? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member might not like the answer. That is not my job; my job is to see whether the Minister addressed the question. He did. 
Ron Mark 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I warn Mr Mark that I will not carry this on today. We have had a ruling and that is it. 
Ron Mark 
: I do not feel intimidated by that and I will ask you for this clarification. The Minister was asked specifically to explain the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The only thing he addressed in his answer was the articles of the Treaty of Waitangi. They are two completely different things. He did not answer the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That might be the member’s opinion. I have to attest to whether the Minister addressed the question. I do not judge the quality of the answer. He did address the question. 
Stephen Franks 
: Exactly which words of which article of a very short treaty make it necessary to reserve the prospect of favourable discrimination for Maori in the agreement; and if it is not the words which spurious principle justifies that discrimination? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: If that member wishes to elaborate on how he determines “spurious” then I would more than happily address the question. The issue is that we are prepared to put effort into developing Maoris’ commerciality both in this country and off shore—those issues that are relevant to the treaty and those issues that carry commercial opportunity for Maori. 
Metiria Turei 
: Is the Minister therefore at all concerned that in the current round of GATS negotiations a request has been made to abolish the funding of Maori broadcasting; and what advice has he provided to the Minister for Trade Negotiations with regard to this request? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I have not provided any advice on that broadcasting issue but I am more than happy to discuss that matter further with the member. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Having regard to his promise to be able to discuss this matter fully outside the House and bearing in mind that the question was asked for the edification of not just myself but the rest of the members of the House would the Minister now please tell us plainly and clearly in abbreviated form what the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are about which he speaks? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I could take a whole lot of options through the total of the three articles of the treaty and there is a whole lot of coverage there that specifically aligns itself with the question that member asked. If we need to get into that detail then let us do it outside the House. 
Metiria Turei 
: Will the Minister seek to extend the current GATS reservations so that it is not “GATS illegal” to provide preferential treatment to non-commercial and non-industrial organisations such as kohanga reo and iwi-based education providers; if not why not? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: This morning I was pleased to announce that this Government signed a heads of agreement with the kohanga reo—after 20 years. The GATS has been operating since 1956 and I certainly look forward to discussing it further.