Jackson WillieHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour): It's time to expose this terrible Government—particularly what they're trying to do in terms of passing the Treaty principles bill by stealth. And I'm focusing in on the ACT Party today.So a quick lesson for the ACT Party The Treaty principles were developed and passed in 1987 by Justice Robin Cooke who described the '87 lands case as perhaps as important for the future of our country as any that has come before a New Zealand Court." His judgment has become a precedent for later judgments and Waitangi Tribunal reports.I want to be clear this was a Pākehā solution a mainstream solution. This was no Ngāpuhi Māori solution; this was a mainstream solution to the injustice of Treaty breaches. And now almost 40 years later we have reactionary angry ACT supporters wanting to dump all that and remove all the obligations for the State to work with Māori.This nation is built upon a Treaty. That is a historical fact and while New Zealand is certainly a multicultural society it was founded on a Treaty with the indigenous peoples of this country. And that makes us stronger not weaker. To be clear these are not race rights; these are legal rights. We must work together in this country not against each other. Labour want to work with Māori; ACT wants to work against them.The Treaty principles bill is the most dangerous bill against Māori of the last generation. Although National are only supporting it to select committee it's already causing considerable damage which they need to take responsibility for. In fact it would be fair to say that the bill has already been introduced by stealth. For example just look at the disgraceful behaviour of David Seymour in this Government already. With no Treaty principles legislation in place he and this Government have arrogantly told Government departments to use their English names more prominently than Māori. They told Corrections to no longer have Treaty provisions in their legislation. Can we believe that? Fifty percent of Māori are in jails at the moment but this Government now doesn't want to consider the Treaty. And the most recent nonsense: directing Pharmac to stop wasting time on the Treaty. That's unbelievable when you look at the disparity in terms of Māori. Can someone tell Mr "Know-it-all" Seymour that the Treaty is part of our constitution and he and his stupid party are wrong?But hang on. There's lots of people telling him and his party that this Government is stupid and wrong. In fact former National education Minister Hekia Parata is emphatic. She says to ignore the select committee process. She's calling a boycott in terms of the select committee process. Former National Treaty Minister Chris Finlayson says "Look you can't have a referendum on this material." because it will bring out of the woodwork all the people who wrote to him and said "Why don't you get cancer Mr Finlayson and how dare you give property rights to people above their station." Former National Treaty Minister Doug Graham said he couldn't see any sense in the proposal. And it goes on and on. Jenny Shipley Jim Bolger—these are National Party people who are condemning this bill.And then we come to our people. We look at Natalie Coates our brilliant young Māori lawyer who called it "the most flagrant breach of the Treaty in modern times" Professor Margaret Mutu who said it was "an unspeakable violation". Not even the secretary of Justice Andrew Kibblewhite supports the Treaty principles Bill. To quote him: "it's a novel interpretation of article 2: there's no support for it in legislation judicial interpretation [and] expert opinion." So Mr Seymour if you're right then everyone else is wrong.In the last minute I just want to address the survivors in the gallery. E mihi ana ki a koutou i whakarangatira i a mātou i tēnei wā. He hōnore nui ki te mihi ki a koutou i tēnei wā.[I thank you who have honoured us at this time. It is a great honour to acknowledge you at this time.]Obviously I don't want to pre-empt our political leaders who'll be speaking shortly but I want to mihi to these survivors for their courage in coming forward with their stories heartbreaking stories chilling stories of their experience with the State when they were in care. Mihi ana ki a koutou. It took a lot of courage to come forward. The State should be ashamed of the treatment you have had to experience. There is no excuse in terms of what happened to you. But I want to say if I can finish that despite all the trauma and misery there's still a few shining lights. Some of those shining lights are in the audience today. They have overcome all the barriers. Some of them are very good friends. And I mihi to you for your courage. You're examples for Māori and for all of this country. Tēnā nō tātou katoa."