Maipi-Clarke Hana-Rawhiti; Brownlee GerryHANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE (Te Pāti Māori—Hauraki-Waikato): Tēnā rā koe e te Pīka otirā tēnā rā tātou e te Whare. As te Wiki o te Reo Māori approaches I want to take the time and reflect on how far we've come the current political landscape and where we should be heading instead.I did have a pre-planned kōrero. However it has completely gone out the window after today's Māori Affairs Committee. Today we had the briefing and hearing of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Te Mātāwai and I didn't realise how confronting and emotional it would be. Now you would think that it would be common that I was asking questions in te reo Māori to te reo organisations in the Māori Affairs Committee room. But unfortunately it is not common. And it made me reflect on what should be common in our society and in this country. It should be common to speak Māori in this Parliament. It should be common to have Māori representation in councils like Māori wards. It should be common not rare.As a first-time language speaker it hit me real hard at how far we've come to get to this moment the generations of hurt and suffering we've endured as a people to get to this point. And yes ironically as simple as a question may sound asking it in te reo Māori it was not. It was the response from the quiet humble but proud smiles across the room as I asked these questions that fuelled my soul. And as cliché as it sounds this is the medicine to the current political landscape we have right now. It was hard for me to not raise my voice and sometimes not pūkana and add in a haka or two here and there but I just simply spoke Māori. No matter how big and small you know your language and culture. We are so proud of you. The impact of these small smiles spoke 1000 words of our tūpuna in that split moment that I wish I could bring into the House with me and into these the debating chambers.Whina Cooper once said Take care of our children. Take care of what they hear take care of what they see take care of what they feel for how the children grow so will be the shape of Aotearoa." As a mokopuna at times I have been left speechless and distraught in these debating chambers listening hearing and feeling the long list of legislation that's been put against us: section 7AA fast track section 27 in the court justice disestablishing Te Aka Whai Ora Māori wards first-home buyer grants gang legislation removal of Māori names in Government removal of Te Mana o te Wai removal of three waters removal of smoke-free laws the disestablishing of Te Arawhiti and we haven't even reached the Treaty Principles Bill yet. And this isn't even touching on the cost of living crisis. The majority of this legislation has been rushed through urgency without public consultation. And when we are given the opportunity to speak under urgency I get attacked for stickers. Ironically in my head I keep asking myself "When are we going to have an adult conversation?"One of the biggest highlights I have been able to do in this role—although being in it for a short amount of time and although in Opposition—is delivering pātaka throughout my whole electorate of Hauraki-Waikato where our electric team has been able to deliver free kai free winter essentials warm clothing and free health necessities and sanitary products for our constituents and for wāhine. These are the key issues and needs that our people are desperately seeking throughout this country. And as I said before when are we going to have these conversations? It feels like we are globally hot and locally not. That is the situation that I currently feel that we are in.Although the political landscape that we are in the current recent events should be a testament to where we can move as a country—Eliza McCartney Olympian speaking te reo Māori in Paris; Kai Kara-France UFC champ was asked "How do you have 13 first-round wins?" He answers by saying "Cos I am Māori." We've even seen King Charles write a speech in te reo Māori in official Matariki greetings. It should be common to see these athletes Olympians and everyday New Zealanders in Aotearoa accepting and acknowledging our culture. We have watched the world embrace our culture customs and heritage so we do expect that and we demand that from this Government. Tēnā rā tātou.The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.SPEAKER: I declare the House in committee for consideration of the Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill Corrections Amendment Bill and the Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Amendment Bill."