Kapa-Kingi MariamenoMARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI (Te Pāti Māori—Te Tai Tokerau): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora. Meinga hoki! [Is that so!] The parties of the Government have doubled down on the extermination agenda for Māori. [Interruption] My use of that word—just hold tight—my use of that word made a lot of you uncomfortable and I'm glad to hear it. The repeal of section 7AA is a targeted extermination of our babies—hold tight: don't have feelings yet—exterminating any ounce of culture identity and any sense of their Māori selves.What many don't have the cultural intellect—despite any other intellect—to understand is that a Māori person is different to a Pākehā. Moana Jackson and He Whaipaanga Hou said: A Māori person is shaped by cultural forces which are unique to their being Māori and is subject to influences which are consequent upon that sense of Māori-ness." So I speak to all the Māoris in this room: let that sink in—let that sink in. And if you don't you've declared to the whole House who you actually are.The consequence here is cultural extermination—killing the wairua of Māori babies so they just fall—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): Ms Mariameno.MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI: Sorry I'm just trying to speak over—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): We're debating a bill here and debating the bill is not attacking the Opposition. Can we speak to the bill please?MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI: I'm—yes of course. Yes so I'll carry on. Thank you Mr Speaker. The consequence here is cultural extermination—killing the wairua of Māori babies so they just fall in line and go into Pākehā making things easier for makers of law.Let's not pretend section 7AA is about race or segregation. It's about power: a power which can only be maintained where Māori believe from the day that they are born that we are less than. It matters not the exact deals the shameful Government have conjured up using our kids as chess pieces. What matters is that those in power think that they can mess with our mokopuna and get away with it. The very fact we are discussing this repeal at its first reading today exposes the mass injustice by this and all Kāwana [Governments].This repeal reflects the lie fed to us that we are not good enough to look after our own and we are better off handing our flesh and blood to Pākehā. The painful irony is that our babies have been physically harmed in State care and thereby turn to crime as salvation. E te Kāwana [To the Government] you are criminalising our babies. Meinga hoki rā. [Is that so.]To say that culture and identity are being valued more than tamariki welfare is a bold-faced lie. This repeal does not point to a single shred of evidence. There might be feelings and stories—that's not evidence—that prove section 7AA has lead to decisions which have unduly favoured whakapapa and placed tamariki Māori in harm's way. Even the title of the bill is tactically sterile and underplays the seriousness of the matter. More accurately it should say "removal of Māori" and perhaps then more of us would oppose this repeal.I've committed over half my life to social work with whānau hapu and iwi.Hon David Seymour: Probably better you're in here.Rawiri Waititi: Twit.MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI: When Puao-te-ata-tu was released I was on the front lines. I am doubtful however the Minister or any of the Government have taken the time to read that seminal report otherwise we wouldn't be discussing this repeal. I'm just to ignore the nonsense on the left—they can't help themselves. Section 7AA moves us towards direct Māori involvement in social welfare policy practices—the key priority of Puao-te-ata-tu. But this Government is not interested in analysis logic or facts. The Minister's own officials advised against the repeal in sync with the Waitangi Tribunal.When section 7AA was introduced the Human Rights Commission applauded the provision. It recommended the duty be strengthened to a direct obligation to form strategic partnerships with iwi. An indigenous model of care is and will always be the answer for our tamariki Māori. While this idea is not revolutionary I know this new generation of Māori are—and they will see our mokopuna Māori returned into our care in their lifetimes.Although this Government strives to further alienate our children from themselves Te Pāti Māori will not stand by and watch—we have never and we never will. I say again—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): The member's time has come to an end."