Sharples Pita: Appointments — Ombudsman 
Sharples Pita: Appointments — Ombudsman 
[Volume:636;Page:7020] 
Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 I would like to support the motion to appoint Melwyn Smith as the additional Ombudsman Kaitiaki Mana Tangata for Aotearoa. The distinctive role that the Ombudsman plays in our community was brought home to me in various roles that I have played in chairing Maori cultural committees in prisons sitting on review committees on security within prisons and of course as a member of Parliament through complaints received. The role of being at the receiving end of complaints is an incredibly challenging role with the Office of the Ombudsman receiving up to 6000 complaints a year. It is a role that is disproportionate but absolutely vital for the protection and safeguarding of indigenous rights. If one needed any evidence why one has only to look at the raft of reports that we the Maori Party have presented in this House which describe the status of Maori people in all spheres. 
Earlier this year the United States departmental report on human rights practices in New Zealand was issued by the Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labour. The human rights report listed the following issues under prison and detention centre conditions as occurring during the 12-month period ended June 2005. Prison overcrowding was a problem juveniles spent more than 600 detention nights in police cells 11 inmates from Paremoremo prison behaviour management regime were awarded compensation for breaches of their rights under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and management failings in the “goon squad” allowed the unit to develop an inappropriate militaristic culture. The report concluded that Aotearoa was in particularly bad shape as a result of the disproportionate societal problems for indigenous people. This is the bread and butter work that our Ombudsmen are faced with day in day out. 
We know as well that there are many and varied reasons why a person would go to the Office of the Ombudsman for support and there are many examples where the Ombudsman has investigated complaints on behalf of Maoriwananga and so on. Kahungunu academic Moana Jackson suggested that the Ombudsmen could be both an appeal body and Ombudsmen for Maori in their dealings with the police. As well as that the Ombudsman will deal with Maori in the context of school boards trustees tertiary students social service agencies and any number of Government organisations of any nature. 
I do come as a bearer of good news though. When I started preparing for the debate my research took me to the report of the Ombudsman for the year ended 30 June 2006. In the very first section of that report—indeed the editorial—it states: “It is very pleasing to note that the office is at last making some substantive progress in developing our ongoing interface with Maori. We have received strong support from a number of Maori organisations. We are attempting as opportunity permits to make formal Marae visits to be followed up by informal advice and discussion with individual Maori on matters of concern.” 
The focus that the Ombudsman’s office promotes is not about power over anything or control at all costs. The emphasis is on ensuring that the office is not an alien institution—another agency that helps those who already know how to get help while excluding those who do not. This is an office with a difference—an office of the State that seems to genuinely care about the way in which it can relate to a diverse range of New Zealanders. 
The Maori Party is happy to endorse the appointment of Melwyn Smith on two counts: firstly transparency and accountability. Melwyn Smith’s track record is that it was his view that to ensure the public confidence in any changes arising from the Auditor-General’s report on unlawful advertising expenditure last election the review job should be given to an independent body. His responsiveness to Maori is second to none and this aspect has encouraged us to look favourably at his appointment. There is the commitment of the Chief Ombudsman John Belgrave and the movements made within the office to demonstrate strategic support and the longstanding involvement that Mr Smith himself is associated with in Maori affairs. We have much pleasure in supporting this appointment. 
Motion agreed to.