Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill — First Reading 
Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:656;Page:5703] 
Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill 
First Reading 
Debate resumed from 29 July. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Rick Barker) 
: When the bill was debated last Metiria Turei was speaking. She has 3 minutes remaining should she wish to take them. 
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Musterer—Green) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Ms Turei will be on her way. She is otherwise disposed at the moment. Is it possible for her to take her call later? 
Hon STEVE CHADWICK (Labour) 
: 
 I am certainly happy to take a quick call while we are waiting for Metiria to arrive in the Chamber. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Rick Barker) 
: No that is not possible. The call is for Metiria Turei. If she is not here to take the call the call moves to the next speaker. Should Metiria Turei turn up some time later she is free to seek the leave of the House to complete her call. If the House agrees that will be the case. This is her spot but the time has moved. 
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
: 
Tena koe e te Mangai. Tena tatou katoa e te Whare. Hoi ano e te Mangai tera e ki nei waimaria matou o te Pati Maori i te mea i hara mai tenei pire ki mua i te aroaro o te Whare Paremata i te wa o te reo Maori. Ae he waimaria pea engari tera pea ka kia he tino tikanga tenei mai i te wairua tupuna. Ki te whakaaro Maori e orite ana nga kaupapa e rua nei mo te reo mo Matariki ano hoki. He taonga tuku iho i nga atua ki o matou tupuna a tae noa mai ki a matou i enei ra. Ko te reo ko Matariki ano hoki he matauranga i ora ai o matou iwi mai i te wa i a ratou i Hawaiki tonu. Na Matariki me ona hoa whetu o matou tupuna i arahi mai i Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa ki Aotearoa. Na nga whetu ratou i mohio ai kei hea ratou ki hea ratou haere ai i nga wa katoa.  
Ko Matariki tetahi tohu nui mo te huringa o nga tau me te hokinga mai o nga rangi mahana o te koanga o te raumati. He tohu nui mo te whakatipu kai mo te hi ngohi mo te mahi manu me nga momo mahi e ora ai nga iwi i te ao kohatu. No reira he tohu mana a Matariki he tohu e kaingakautia ana e nga iwi o te motu. No reira e tika ana kia korerotia tenei pire mo Matariki me te mana o te reo Maori. Koi ano hoki tetahi tohu mana. 
Ko te kaupapa o tenei pire kia whakamana i te wa o Matariki i raro i te ture kia whai wahi ai nga iwi katoa o Aotearoa ki tenei tohu mana. Ma tenei pire e manaaki e whakanui e whakarangatira te Paremata i tenei koha a nga Maori ki o ratou hoa o Aotearoa. Ehara i te tikanga o tenei pire ki te akiaki i tetahi atu ki te whiu i tetahi atu ki te pehi i tetahi atu. Kao. Hei whakakotahi i nga iwi o te motu i runga ano i nga tikanga taketake o tenei whenua. Kua kite ke tatou i te ahuareka o nga iwi katoa e tautoko ana i nga kaupapa o Matariki. Ko te karanga a tenei pire ki te Paremata: tautokonatia manaakitia hapaitia tenei kaupapa ataahua! 
Me hoki atu o tatou whakaaro ki nga tau e toru tekau kua hipa atu ki te timatanga o te wa o te reo Maori. Ka pera tonu te whakaaro Maori kia manaakitia tenei taonga whakahirahira e nga iwi katoa o te ao hei taonga mo ratou katoa engari i tera wa o te kuware kihai i tutuki pai te whakaaro. Ka mataku wetahi kei whakakorerotia te reo e ratou hakoa ta ratou kore hiahia. Ki wetahi he kaupapa whakawehewehe i te iwi kotahi o te motu. Tena ka pau te toru tekau tau kua rata mai te nuinga ki te reo Maori ka kitea hei kaupapa whakakotahi i a tatou hei kaupapa whakaatu i te mana motuhake o Aotearoa ki iwi ke. Ko te tumanako ka pera ano a Matariki. Ma tenei pire tatou e whakakotahi i Aotearoa. Ma Matariki tatou e whakawhanaunga ki nga iwi o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa e mohio ana nei ratou ki a Makali’i ki a Mataliki ki a Matari’i ranei. Otira he tohu e ki ana no Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa tatou katoa. E mohio ana tatou katoa ki to tatou whakapapa. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Greetings to you Mr Assistant Speaker and to us all the House. Mr Assistant Speaker you might say that we in the Maori Party are lucky because this bill came before Parliament at the time of Maori Language Week. Yes we may be lucky but it could also be said that this is our destiny bequeathed by our ancestors. The Maori view is that these two issues the language and Matariki are very similar. They are treasures handed down from the gods to our ancestors and on to us today. The language and Matariki are part of the culture that have enabled our ancestors to survive since the time they were still living in Hawaiki. Matariki and other stars guided our ancestors across the Pacific the great ocean of Kiwa. The stars told them where they were and where they were to head to at all times.  
Matariki is also a great sign of changing seasons and the return of the warmer days of spring and summer. It was a great guide for planting crops for fishing fowling and activities like that to enable the people in the old days to survive. So Matariki is a powerful symbol valued by the tribes of the country and it is appropriate that we talk about the Matariki bill and the importance of the Maori language at the same time. That in itself is a powerful sign.  
The purpose of this bill is to empower the season of Matariki under the law so that all New Zealanders can contribute to this powerful symbol. Through this bill Parliament will respect acknowledge and glorify this gift from the Maori people to their fellow citizens. This bill is not intended to coerce anyone or force anyone or pressure anyone. Absolutely not! It is intended to unite the people of this nation on the basis of shared indigenous values. We have already seen the pleasure that people get from celebrating Matariki events. This bill invites the Parliament to support endorse and promote this wonderful philosophy.  
Let us cast our minds back 30 years to the beginnings of Maori Language Week. Maori thinking was just the same in that all people should share this cultural treasure as part of their own heritage but in those bad old days of ignorance the dream was not realised. Some people were afraid they would be forced to speak Maori against their will. Others saw it as an issue that divided the one people of Aotearoa. Well after 30 years most people have come round to te reo Maori. It is seen as a philosophy to unite us and to showcase New Zealand’s autonomy to other people. The hope is that Matariki will do the same. Through this bill we will unite New Zealand. Matariki will enhance our relationship with the people of the great ocean of Kiwa who know it as Makali’i Mataliki or Matari’i. Indeed it symbolises that we are all from the great ocean of Kiwa. We all know our origins 
.] 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: The member has 1 minute remaining. 
HONE HARAWIRA 
: Ko taku korero i te reo Maori ko te rima meneti tera ko to whakapakehatanga ko te rima meneti ano. Ko te katoa e tekau meneti. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
My address in the Maori language is for 5 minutes and the interpretation is for 5 minutes as well. That makes the total 10 minutes 
]. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: We are taking that into account. When we have an interpretation the clock stops. You have 49 seconds left. We do take into account the interpretation and the clock stops. 
HONE HARAWIRA 
: E kao. Kua kite au i te karaka i timata au i te rima karaka. I naianei kua rima meneti pahi. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
I beg to differ. I noted that it showed 5 on the clock. Now I see that 5 minutes have passed. 
] 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: The clock started at 4.58 p.m. 
HONE HARAWIRA 
: Ka pai. E toru meneti e toe ana. 
Mena ka whakamanahia tenei pire hei ture ka mana hoki te tuatahi o nga ra whakamahara i tetahi kaupapa taketake. E tekau a tatou ra whakata a-motu me tetahi ra whakata a-rohe i tua atu ia tau a kahore tetahi mea kotahi na te tangata whenua. Ko te Ra o Waitangi he whakanui i te whakahoatanga o nga iwi taketake me tauiwi. 
Hei kupu whakamutunga maku kei te awangawanga wetahi kei noho nama nga kaipakihi mo te utu i tetahi ra whakata ano. Ko taku ki a tatou waiho tera mo tenei wa. Me wanangatia te kaupapa nui i te tuatahi katahi ka huri ai ki te utu. E whakapono ana ahau he kaupapa pai ke ake a Matariki i te ra whai muri i te Ra o te Tau Hou i te Ra Mekemeke ranei hei ra tapu. Hoi no ko taku whakahau ki te Whare kia tautoko kaha i tenei pire. Tena tatou katoa. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Good. Three minutes remain then. 
Should this bill be passed the first of such days commemorating an indigenous event will be recognised as well. We have 10 public holidays plus a provincial holiday each year and not a single one has indigenous roots. Waitangi Day celebrates the relationship between the indigenous people and non-Maori.  
In closing I say that some people are concerned about the cost to business of another paid holiday. I say to them: leave that for the moment. Let us discuss the main issue first and then address the cost. I personally believe that Matariki is a much better “holy day” than the day after New Year’s Day or Boxing Day. I urge the House to support this bill strongly. Greetings to us all 
.] 
Hon TAU HENARE (National) 
: 
 I start by posing this question: why do we try to find legitimisation from Parliament when we should be finding legitimisation in our communities? I think the idea of Matariki Day is a good one. There is so much good feeling around the issue of Matariki. It is distinctly and uniquely New Zealand. Every indigenous culture around the world recognises Matariki. It is known as Subaru in Japan—and they did not have to legitimise it through Parliament. Mr Twyford shakes his head but I do not think it is necessary—and I apologise to my Maori colleagues for the term I will use—to “tapu-ise” or whakatapu our ideas so much that we spend only one day of the year celebrating or having reverence for Matariki. I am of the opinion that the Government the Opposition and everyone else should spend time in fact the whole month— 
Grant Robertson 
: How does this argument work for Christmas Day? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: That member would not understand what Matariki is. He should shut up and listen to a real cultural discussion about Matariki and what it stands for. It is not a public holiday and it should never be a public holiday. But what we should do in this country is recognise the cultural importance of the whole of June as Matariki month. We should think about the leverage we could get from that in terms of tourism sport culture and recognition. We should think about the leverage that Wellington Auckland and every other community could get from having a Matariki month. 
All that Labour members want is another public holiday—that is all it is about to them. Labour members want another day to sit on their fat chuffs and do nothing. They want another day to sit back put their feet up and watch TV. That is all that Matariki is about to the Labour Party. Where are all the Maori members of the Labour Party right now? They are nowhere to be seen. They must be having a BBQ somewhere. Where is Shane Jones? This bill is about a cultural icon that should not be in this House being legitimised or even talked about by the idiots across the way. Members should think about the sort of leverage we would be able to garner overseas if we had a whole month of celebrations about Matariki. 
Grant Robertson 
: It’d be fantastic. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Well why does Labour not come up with an idea or two about how we would achieve that? It is pretty simple. 
Grant Robertson 
: Send the bill to the select committee. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: The member says we should send it to the select committee. Matariki has been around for a long time but in the last 9 years Labour did not come up with the idea of having a public holiday for Matariki. Now that Labour is in Opposition and does not have to make the decisions it will support this bill. Gone are the times when Labour accused the party who brought it to the House of being haters and wreckers—but that is all right because Labour apologised for that. It is pretty plain and simple that we need to grow up and have our cultural icons as days where communities celebrate in recognition of those cultural events without Parliament saying that we must have a day off and without Parliament saying to the businessmen that they must give somebody a day off. Why do we not take the responsibility for ourselves in our communities? 
Phil Twyford 
: Who thought up this line? 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Well it certainly was not the Fabians—that is for sure. It is time for New Zealand and her communities to recognise Matariki and celebrate from 1 June until the end of June and not just have another public holiday so that Labour members can sit on their chuffs and do nothing. 
CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. Tena koutou katoa e te Whare. In speaking on this Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill I start by acknowledging Rahui Katene for this great idea and for presenting it to the House. Certainly we will be supporting the bill going through to a select committee and we acknowledge the idea of proposing a truly indigenous holiday for our country. We think its time has certainly come and it is something we should be discussing as a country. 
Matariki has traditionally as others have said been a time for planting planning valuing the past and preparing for the future. An increasing number of Matariki celebrations are held throughout New Zealand for a period of a month or so as the previous speaker said. Matariki really does come across as an example of the strength and vitality of the Maori people. But Matariki is also something that is unique to this country. As I have already said we certainly support the bill going to a select committee. A whole number of issues could be discussed in a select committee if of course the Government chooses to let that happen. But it would seem from all of the speakers so far that it will not happen and that the Government is not willing to allow the concept of having a Matariki Day to be discussed. 
The bill is about more than just saying there should be another holiday. Other speakers have talked about the possibility that Matariki Day should be instead of a current public holiday. Let us discuss all of those points. Let us discuss the issue that Mr Henare raised about a month of celebration of Matariki. Let us use the bill as an opportunity to let the idea go to a select committee and to hear what people think. I think the bill is very very important. 
The bill itself proposes a new public holiday to celebrate Matariki on the day of the next new moon after the Matariki constellation has risen. That will vary from year to year but it is generally in May or June. Matariki is really important as part of our identity of Aotearoa New Zealand. Labour certainly supports building a strong identity for Aotearoa New Zealand. Many things already define us as a country. 
Labour has been very very proud of many things over the years such as our independent foreign policy our support for New Zealand’s creative sector and establishing our own judicial system and honours system. But a number of members will recognise that some of those things have already been undermined. Our identity is being undermined by the current Government. 
Holidays are important. Holidays benefit all New Zealanders not just a privileged few who are prioritised by the current Government—all New Zealanders. The current Government is prioritising the rich. I ask members to look at things like tax cuts and funding of private schools. We like the idea of having another public holiday. It would benefit all New Zealanders. Our record in the area of holidays is one that no one can deny. I ask members to look at Labour’s track record. Having 3 weeks of annual leave was brought in under a Labour Government. 
Grant Robertson 
: Norman Kirk. 
CAROL BEAUMONT 
: That is right—the Kirk Government. Annual leave increased in 2007 to 4 weeks. Workers being paid time and a half for working on a public holiday was done under a Labour Government. In fact as I understand it—and I could be corrected—the last public holiday that was added was initially called New Zealand Day and became Waitangi Day in 1974. So in fact we have not had a new public holiday for a very very long time. 
Public holidays and annual leave are very important for rest and recreation but public holidays are particularly important as celebrations. They are celebrations of particular events but also they are celebrations that enable communities to get together whether that is for family reunions sporting tournaments or cultural events. Those are all important things for all New Zealanders. Holidays are a time to rest and to spend time with family. 
We have a culture of long working hours. We have had increased participation in the paid workforce although we are under increasing risk of unemployment at the moment. All of those things are important and the fact that a winter public holiday is being proposed is worthy of consideration. It is a long haul from Anzac Day to Labour Day without a public holiday except Queen’s Birthday. 
My final point is that holidays can be good for business. Some members say that another public holiday would hurt businesses. But holidays can actually be good for businesses because they provide an opportunity for rest and refreshment for workers. 
Hon STEVE CHADWICK (Labour) 
: 
 I am very happy to pick up on the theme that the previous speaker Carol Beaumont was talking on so well when she ran out of time. I am pleased to speak on the Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill. I think it is time for us—especially in a time of recession when we are all looking at how to soften its sharp edges—to look at and reflect on the value of time spent with our children and time spent with our families especially on an indigenous public holiday. None of the other public holidays sit well with all of New Zealand. But here is an opportunity for us with Matariki Day to celebrate new life new growth and a new season. 
I was reminded of Matariki by my moko Manaia who came home first from his kura to tell me all about Matariki Day and the constellations the voyage to New Zealand and the planting calendar. I thought “Well done little boy!”. He was then four. Now at school he has come home with more beautiful drawings and celebrations of Matariki Day. The school went to Te Papa and had a wonderful day but his parents could not go with him. It was not a public holiday. 
I think Matariki Day is a wonderful day for us and is about the growth of our country. As the Maori Party has mentioned it has been 30 years since recognition of the Maori language came in. I remember the shock horror at the thought that we might have to speak te reo. Yet now that is seen to be nothing. In fact many cultures are celebrating Maori Language Week. 
I was a bit disturbed to hear National members say things like “Get off your butt.” “Get out to work.” “Add to productivity.” and “Stop sitting on your chuff and wanting yet another public holiday” when at this very time in New Zealand’s culture we are worried about family violence and want to build strong resilient communities. We could do no better in rebuilding communities than to celebrate a day that truly belongs to all New Zealanders. We could do that rather than sharing the vestiges of a colonial past which is actually what Waitangi Day represents and rather than sharing religious holidays. Many people now do not have a religious belief and Christmas or Easter may not mean anything to them. All of those days that we respect are part of the 3½ days of public holidays but this bill gives the opportunity for a truly New Zealand day to be celebrated. 
I think the bill is wonderful; it is aspirational. If the generations of people in this House listen to our children they will understand that Matariki is a festival day. It excites all children not just Maori children about the cycle of life the cycle of growth and the importance of family. Those are the things we should be holding dear to ourselves. 
I also agree with the Maori Party that we do not need to worry yet about whether people are paid a day in lieu or whether there is compensation for the difficulties in the workplace. Select committees can work that sort of thing out. They have a submission process as they had on the Easter trading bill where they worked out how workers and employers should be recompensed for public holidays. 
I think this bill is aspirational for all New Zealanders. I thought the National Government wanted to have a bright future for all New Zealanders. This bill gives parties across the House the chance to not pan the proposal for a Matariki Day but to send the bill to the select committee and let it hear submissions from people across New Zealand: workers employers families and groups that care about building a New Zealand identity that is strong that we can be proud of and that is aspirational for our children. The bill is the perfect tool. It was exciting to see that Rahui Katene’s bill was successful in the ballot. I was very sad to hear that this Government which talks about having high aspirations and high family values is panning the bill which provides the first opportunity for New Zealand to celebrate nation rebuilding. I am proud to be in a party that supports the referral of this bill to a select committee. 
RAHUI KATENE (Maori Party—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 I came to the Chamber today in the hope that our nation had evolved to a point at which we could stand together and say that a distinctly New Zealand identity is important. I put Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill into the ballot because it reflects and resonates with so many New Zealanders. Matariki has been taken up enthusiastically right throughout the land as a time for coming together with family and friends a time for festivities a time for connecting all people together in the spirit of the Maori new year. Matariki has been manifest in festivities throughout communities and more formally with the endorsement of key Government agencies such as Te Papa Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori and a host of district councils and local government bodies. 
Matariki in its essence is a navigational star to guide us in our journey forward. The Maori Party was only too happy to put forward this bill to show our commitment to move our nation forward. We want to place on the record our appreciation to the Greens the Labour Party and United Future because they had in their mind the vision of a nation in which kotahitanga is an aspiration that we can all share. I thank those parties and the speakers who have taken a stand for their insight and intelligence in investing in opportunities for debate. The spirit of unity and optimism was evident in the korero that has taken place in this Chamber today and a fortnight ago. It was an enormous disappointment that neither the National Party nor the ACT Party could back this bill. It is a sad day when we are divided in the Parliament about something as fundamental as our cultural identity. 
From the way some speakers approached this issue it seemed that Matariki was becoming bigger than  
Ben Hur 
. I want to bring the debate back to why we want to support and promote the concept of Matariki as the time in which we celebrate the unique place in which we live. There are no days in the official calendar in which we have a stand-alone holiday that celebrates the distinctly New Zealand identity that is ours. Matariki Day would do that and being placed in the midst of the winter period it provides a vital breathing space a period for revitalisation and rejuvenation during the colder season. Some of the holidays we currently have bear further scrutiny. The Queen’s actual birthday is 21 April yet we celebrate Queen’s Birthday in June. We have a day off on Boxing Day—a day marked by the giving of Christmas boxes to service workers in the United Kingdom. We have a day off on the day after 1 January. I do not know what that celebrates but we have it. And of course we have the traditional days to mark Christian events or to acknowledge Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The last thing I will suggest is that we pit Matariki Day against any of the 11 public holidays and make a competition of which event is the most significant. We do not want to be part of any initiative that pits Matariki against God or the Queen. It is not a case of either-or. 
But I also believe that the wider picture of how we celebrate public events and holidays is worthy of further debate than we have been able to achieve in the 65 minutes allocated for this issue. Also the point raised that our 11 public holidays compare poorly with other countries such as Italy with 16 and Japan and Spain with 14 is worth considering more. 
A fortnight ago Mr Tremain stood in this House and shared the proverb: “Whakataka te hau ki te uru”. He spoke with passion about the potential those words offered: “Let the red-tipped dawn come … a promise of a glorious day.” Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill offered us that promise: a time to celebrate the coming together of a nation. We regret that two parties were unable to support the opportunity to bring the people together to celebrate Matariki Day but although the die is cast the debate is certainly not over. The Maori Party will continue to speak out and speak up about the value of a distinctly New Zealand identity. Kia ora. 
A party vote was called for on the question  
That the Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill be now read a first time. 
Ayes 59 
New Zealand Labour 43; Green Party 9; Maori Party 5; Progressive 1; United Future 1. 
Noes 63 
New Zealand National 58; ACT New Zealand 5. 
Motion not agreed to.