Mahuta Nanaia: Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Mahuta Nanaia: Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:673;Page:19846] 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) 
: 
 I am happy to take a call on the Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill and I commend Grant Robertson for the types of amendments that I think had they been introduced some 30 years ago would have seen some of the most esteemed Maori academics come through. I can fathom that probably out of the 366 current fellows not 2 percent would be Maori. The reason is simply this: the entry point in terms of academic excellence and the recognition of that historically amongst Maori was really in the subject area of the humanities: our language our art our culture. Steve Chadwick prompted me to think about some of those early experts and academics and if I were to cast my mind back they would be people like Te Rangi Hiroa—Sir Peter Buck—Maharaia Winiata Maui Pomare who was a former member of this House and a doctor and who by the way introduced the Tohunga Suppression Act Hoani Waititi who died before his time Professor Kawharu and John Rangihau. Those are but some of the recognised leaders in our academic areas who have now passed on and who could have been recognised had an amendment like this been introduced. These days I think we have more contemporary figures like Mason Durie Dr Linda Smith and Patu Hohepa and there are many more. 
I think this type of amendment makes way for recognised leaders and experts who are proficient in all manner of the humanities’ subject areas but specifically there are a number of Maori who could certainly now be recognised as leaders in their field of study. I think we can embrace that as being very much a progressive move by the Royal Society. I have heard the Royal Society referred to as an old boys’ club that prides itself on its small membership and its patch protection. So I am pleased that a Labour member has sought to advance its interests in order to open up the field so to speak to be more inclusive in this area. 
I should mention by the way that if there were posthumous recognition certainly within my own tribe we would go no further than Pei Te Hurinui Jones who made a huge contribution to the wealth of knowledge and retention of tribal histories language and culture within our own tribe. He was certainly recognised with the same regard with which the people of Ngati Porou recognised the contribution of Apirana Ngata. 
Clause 10 as Grant Robertson has clarified opens up a process for recognising people’s contribution and expertise and appointing them. I have a question for Grant in terms of promoting this clause: was it in fact intended that there could be an opportunity for posthumous recognition? If that was discussed when this bill was being put together with the Royal Society could it be an opportunity to recognise posthumously those who were involved in the humanities? I think that becomes a question of some significance because the Royal Society is moving with the times. It is certainly broadening the inclusion of subject areas in terms of their role with the society and the society is recognising that more and more scholarship is being done in the area of the humanities which will help our society overall. 
I look at some of the previous awarding of scholarships in the areas of the improvement of teaching and the role of teachers in the classroom. I look at a number of funded scholarship projects at Waikato University. I know that the academics there have made a huge contribution to advance teaching practices in the classroom. In fact Te Kotahitanga is but one of the current initiatives that have been promoted through Waikato University and it has had a huge impact on improving the achievement levels of Maori within our schools and within our mainstream schools in particular. Kia ora.