Mahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 24 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19518. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato)to the Minister of Māori Affairs: E whakamanawa ana a ia kei te hangai Te Pire Reo Māori ki ngā mātāpono o Te Tiriti o Waitangi?[Is he confident that the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill is consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi?]Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Māori Affairs):Āe. Ka riro mā tēnei pire e whakaū te rangatiratanga o ngā iwi me Ngāi Māori nui tonu ki Te Māori. Atu ki tēnā māna anō e whakaū te wāhi ki te Kāwanatanga ki te āwhina i ngā kaupapa Reo Māori.[Yes. This bill will affirm the autonomy of the tribes and Māoridom at large in terms of the Māori language. And further to that it will establish the role of Governments as well in relation to providing assistance for Māori language initiatives.]Clause 12(c) notes that Te Mātāwai will “give effect … to the relationship of the Crown with iwi and Māori contemplated by the Treaty of Waitangi in relation to the Māori language.”Hon Nanaia Mahuta: What advice did he receive from officials to assess whether the bill is consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: As I have just explained it is the advice that came through all the way. This whole thing is about the Treaty relationship between Māori and the Government. We have an iwi in all Māori. We have got letters here from six iwi—the biggest in the country—supporting the bill.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Will he support my motion to have the bill referred to the Waitangi Tribunal in order for the tribunal to report on whether the provisions of the bill are contrary to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi; if not why not?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: Kāhore. Kei te whakarongo au ki ngā rangatira Māori me ō rātou whakaaro e pā ana ki tēnei kaupapa. Ko rātou ngā rangatira i runga atu i Te Reo ēhara mā tēnā Taraipiunara. Nā reira kāre au e pīrangi kia tuku ki mua i a rātou. Āna i kite koe i tēnei ata ko tēnei Whare ka taea e tātou ki te whiriwhiri i ngā kaupapa taumaha uaua kei roto i tēnei Whare.[No. I am listening to Māori leaders and their views in regard to this matter. Beyond the language they are the leaders and the onus is not with that tribunal. Therefore I will not allow it that responsibility. Yes indeedyou saw this House and how we were able to deliberate matters of a serious and difficult nature in the House this morning.]Hon Nanaia Mahuta: In light of that response can the Minister direct the House to the submissions that support the proposals in the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: You will find right throughout the bill the references to the Treaty what it stands for and how it is represented there but particularly in clause 12(c) where it explains it.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Twice I raised the point with the Minister whether he could identify exactly the advice that he received—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. With regard to the first question when the member sought information as to where the advice came from that was satisfactorily answered. I think to be fair to you on the second question regarding whether the Minister can point to any submissions the Minister may not have accurately heard that question so I am going to ask you to repeat that particular question.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Can the Minister advise or direct the House to the submissions that confirm the detail of the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill and the clauses that he is pointing to?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: What I will refer to are the 21 hui that were held throughout the country and the letters from people like Rāhui Papa chief of Waikato-Tainui Ngāhiwi Tomoana from Ngāti Kahungunu Sonny Tau from Te Tai Tokerau ā me ērā atu Api Mahuika me ā rātou kōrero e tautoko ana i tēnei pire nā te mea e kawe nei i te kaupapa o Te Tiriti o Waitangi [and others like Api Mahuika with their supporting statements about this bill because it addresses the matter relating to the Treaty of Waitangi].Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Does the Minister consider that the bill takes away the ongoing responsibility of the Crown to actively protect Te Reo me ngā tikanga Māori; if not why not?Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES: Kāhore; kei reira e rua ngā mema kua tohua e te Minita mō ngā Take Māori kia hono tonu te Karauna ki te Mātāwai ēngari ko te tikanga ko Māori ngā kaitiaki o Te Reo waiho mā rātou e whakapuāwai kai te pīrangi rātou. Koinā te tautoko o ngā iwi leaders group me ērā atu. Nā reira Māori mā ahakoa kei konei koutou i roto tērā pāti i tērā pāti kaua e whakakorengia nā te mea ko au te Pāti Māori. Kaua e whakaporotiti i tēnei. Ēhara tēnei i te takutai moana ēngari titiro ki te pire. Hoki atu ki ō koutou rangatira kōrero tahi ki a rātou.[No; two members are there appointed by the Minister of Māori Affairs to maintain Crown connection to Mātāwai but in practice Māoridom are the guardians of the language. Allow them to ensure that it flourishes. They want to do it. That is what the iwi leaders group and others advocated. And so for you Māori at large even though your presence is in that party and that party do not for goodness’ sake oppose it because I am the Māori Party. Donot protest this. This is not the foreshore and seabed situation. Examine the bill. Go back to your leaders and discuss it with them.]