Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Methodist Church of New Zealand Trusts Bill — First Reading 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Methodist Church of New Zealand Trusts Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:654;Page:2977] 
Hon LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
: 
Kia ora talofa lava and warm Pacific greetings. I am really honoured to stand in this House and speak in support of the Methodist Church of New Zealand Trusts Bill. I particularly acknowledge the hard work put into this bill by the Methodist Church of New Zealand—I thank all the Methodists—and I thank my parliamentary colleague the MP for Christchurch Central Brendon Burns for sponsoring it.  
I will reiterate how important this bill is. We know that precedents have already been set with the Catholics Anglicans and Presbyterians but the main aims of the bill are to provide an appropriate mechanism for varying charitable trusts of the Methodist Church where the original objects or purposes are now impossible impractical or inexpedient to carry out. By reason of the limited assets of those trusts or reasons of expense it is desirable to provide an additional means of varying those trusts other than the means provided by the Charitable Trusts Act 1957. The second—and the most important—aim is to expand “the objects or purposes of trust funds or trust property relating to Methodist orphanages or Methodist children’s homes.” due to changes in policy and law relating to the care of our children and young people. 
I thought it was also important to reflect on the context in relation to Methodism in Aotearoa New Zealand. Methodism actually started back in 1822 when the Rev. Samuel Leigh who was a pioneer for the Methodist Church came to open the Wesleyan Methodist Mission. From 1973 Maori Methodists have become largely autonomous and as tangata whenua the Methodist Church has been very respectful in accommodating the Treaty of Waitangi. In addition to that there has also been the Pasifika part of the Methodist Church where there is huge and dramatic growth in Samoan Tongan Fijian and Rotuman congregations all round New Zealand. That context in relation to the Methodist Church is very very important. 
The latest census data shows that the fifth-largest Christian denomination in New Zealand is Methodist and we have 53 Methodist churches all round Aotearoa New Zealand. What is really important is to acknowledge the role of churches and faith institutions. I am very proud to be the interfaith spokesperson for Labour and to honour over 3 million people who in the last census signed up to saying they belong to a faith or denomination. That spirituality is very important in people’s lives as is the role of the churches and the enormous contribution they make in supporting families and children who are in most need. Churches are the glue that holds communities together. It would be a terrible shame to waste their much-needed resources for this important work on a legal technicality. 
I encourage all of our people here to please support this bill. I know there is cross-party support for it. Just to end on Brendon Burns’ words: “The alternative regime for varying and widening the purposes of charitable trusts and the ability to transfer certain funds to the Methodist General Purposes Trust Board will allow the Methodist Church to more efficiently use funds donated to it for its charitable purposes in the New Zealand community.” Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker.