Mahuta Nanaia: Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill — First Reading 
Mahuta Nanaia: Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:656;Page:5302] 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) 
: 
 A tena koe. Tenei e tu tautoko ana nga mihi ki a koe Rahui. Ko tenei to pire tuatahi e hari koa ana te ngakau kua whakaarohia e koe mo tenei kaupapa hei whakanui i a Matariki i roto i tenei Whare Paremata no reira tena koe tena koutou. E tu ana ki te whakamarama i nga whakaaro kei waenganui i a matou te Ropu Reipa me whakaaetia te haeretanga o tenei pire ki te komiti whakahaere kia ata whakaarohia kia ata wanangahia nga take katoa. 
Ana kua rongohia e tatou nga whakaaro o Nahinara e pa ana ki tenei. Ahua ohorere ahau ki ona whakaaro na te mea ko ona whanaunga kei waenganui i a Ngati Maniapoto e tino tautoko ana i tenei pire. Ahakoa te aha ko te mea nunui kua whakaaetia e matou kia haere tenei pire ki te komiti whakahaere ki te whakarongo ki nga korero katoa. Ka mutu tera ka whakatakoto kei waenganui i a matou me nga kaupapa e pa ana ki nga take o tenei pire tena koutou. Ahakoa kua tapa koe i tenei pire ko te pire o Matariki me kaua e warewaretia ko nga whetu katoa kei waenganui i raro i tera kaupapa a Waiiti Waita Ururangi Tupuanuku Tupuarangi Waipunarangi me te matamua a Matariki. No reira ka nui te mihi atu ki a koe. 
[ 
Greetings to you. I rise in support of the acknowledgments accorded you Rahui. This is your first bill and I am really pleased that you have thought to celebrate this with a bill on Matariki in this House of Parliament so greetings to you and your colleagues. I rise to explain that we in the Labour Party will support this bill going to a select committee so that all aspects of it are carefully considered and deliberated.  
Now we have heard the views from the National member. I am somewhat startled by his views because his relatives in Ngati Maniapoto really support this bill. Regardless of that the most important thing is that we have agreed that this bill should go to a select committee so that everything about it is heard. When that has been done then it will come back before us with all the relevant details. Congratulations. While you called this bill the Matariki bill we must never forget that it is not just about the elder sister Matariki but it is also about the younger sisters Waiti Waita Ururangi Tupuanuku Tupuarangi and Waipunarangi as well. But I commend you highly 
.] 
I certainly endorsed the comments directed towards Rahui Katene that commended her for putting forward this bill Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill for the House to consider. It is timely. It is just past the season of Matariki so it is timely that we consider this issue. 
The comments made by the previous speaker Simon Bridges were noted but it might be of some interest to him that many people in Ngati Maniapoto support this particular bill. It should get a fair and full hearing at a select committee. Labour will support this bill’s first reading and its going to a select committee which will hear all the debate on whether an extra holiday should be created and all the issues associated with it. 
I would suggest that celebrating Matariki is more relevant for many of today’s New Zealanders and future New Zealanders than perhaps celebrating Queen’s Birthday is but let us see. The debate should be had and in its full extent the bill should be reported back to the House for consideration. I know that members speaking after me will draw a comparison with and allude to other substantial issues such as the impact on the Holidays Act and working people and the idea of swapping Matariki as a public holiday for another public holiday. 
Perhaps of more interest to the Prime Minister is the extensive calendar of events that has been in operation for the last 5 years or so—and ramping up—amongst our communities to celebrate Matariki. Rahui alluded to some of those events in our rohe but I know that the New Zealand Maori Tourism Council will be absolutely thrilled at having the opportunity to give a focal point to a celebration that a number of other events in the Maori tourism calendar hinge on. I am sure that it will see fit also to offer some thoughts about how this event will bring a greater focus to the indigenous contribution to the tourism landscape and how it can add value to our profile in addition to our clean green image. So it is well done. 
Also finally Te Paki o Matariki is a cluster of stars that sit on a flag back in the Waikato-Tainui rohe—on the Kingitanga flag—for a deliberate purpose: Te Paki o Matariki in itself represents the ambition and aspiration of those who support the movement and the values of sustainability. 
It is timely also in a recession that we give mention to Matariki because it is about a sustainable way of being. That is the whole-world view that we bring in association with the values towards this particular star cluster. It is important because it recognises the heritage of our people as navigators as travellers as adventurers as people who looked beyond the horizon. But it is important also because we knew that we needed to be able to survive by our own efforts and our ability to look after ourselves. Just as much as we celebrate Matariki for the harvest yet to come and the harvest past it is an aspirational statement about our intention for this country that Matariki lead the way for a sustainable future for all New Zealanders so I certainly commend the member on that front as well. 
Finally can I mention that this bill is a great opportunity for the House to consider not just a national holiday but perhaps the framing of the future direction that our country may take. I hope the debate is not politicised to the extent that people diminish the argument by referring to Matariki as just another holiday because it is not just about another holiday; it is about framing the national identity of this country and firmly fixing our contribution as indigenous people to the framing of that debate. 
No reira ki a koe ano koutou i raro i te Pati Maori tino mihi rawa atu ki a koutou tatou katoa. 
[S 
o I really acknowledge you and those of the Maori Party once again and all of us as well 
.] 
Thank you.