Ngaro Alfred: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNgaro Alfred: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:547. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ALFRED NGARO (National):Back in the year of 1952 my father came over here from the beautiful Cook Islands. He came from Aitutaki. His older brothers were already residing here; they were down in Tokoroa in the Waikato. He went down to places such as Mangakino and worked in the forestry industry down there. He stayed there for about 3 years and then made his way back up to Auckland where he resided in Ponsonby.My mother came to New Zealand in the year of 1953. She began to work as a cleaner. My parents met at the Orange Hall which was one of the dancehalls that was open back in those days—and there were other places such as the Rising Sun and the Reefcomber which they used to visit. They then fell in love and I was the result—the second of their five children who were born here. I remember growing up in Ponsonby initially and then heading out to west Auckland. The aspirations and dreams behind their emigrating from the Cook Islands to New Zealand were for the hope of a better future and a better life and more particularly for their children—so that they would do well both in education and employment opportunities and also that they would be the beginning of another generation.I am proud to be able to speak on the Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill. It is an important bill that acknowledges the journey and the stories of people such as my parents and other parents from the Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau who came here for a better life but who at the same time wish to return in their older age—as Sue Moroney said to go back not only to rediscover but to spend their final years resting back in their homeland. I must say Sue Moroney that the best place you could reside is probably the Cook Islands. I am not being biased here. I know there is a representative here from Samoa and one from Tonga. My wife is Samoan and Niuean as well. But the Cook Islands were voted the eighth best place in the world to have a holiday. It is a beautiful place. Besides being a beautiful place it is a place that has history and heritage. That absolutely is important and we see that as being important for people such as my parents when it is time to return.This bill has come out of a long period of inquiry into the importance of New Zealand’s relationship with these protectorate nations and into how we can give something back to them. I think it is also important to acknowledge the fact that there has been a huge contribution by these communities to both the citizenship and the establishment of nationhood in New Zealand. Poto Williams and I have been working with the Cook Islands community as we enter the centenary commemorations for World War I. We know that during World War I Sir Māui Pōmare went out into the Pacific and because of the protectorate relationship with New Zealand conscripted 500 soldiers into the Rarotongan battalion—which came across in three contingents—as well as 147 from Niue. They fought in World War I. Their contribution is significant and as important. So the payment formula for the Special Portability Arrangement is more generous than the general portability provisions recognising the contribution our Pacific people have made to New Zealand and the inability of Pacific countries and territories to fulfil the reciprocal obligations necessary for social security agreements.I think it is important too to acknowledge the fact that in the regulatory impact report it talks about the aspect of depopulation. As a result of depopulation we see youth we see skill and we see experience moving out of the islands. This legislation provides a great opportunity because at the age of 55 you are still able to make a contribution to the Pacific Islands and these islands need this. We know there are only an estimated 245 people—increasing by 16 per year—who will be impacted by this so it is not a lot but for those small Pacific nations it is quite significant as is their contribution.I think this bill will be important to those island nations. I was over at the South Pacific leaders forum where this conversation was had with the Premier of Niue Mr Toke Talagi. He talked about the importance of this reciprocal arrangement with the portability of the pension. The Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna also acknowledged this as well. So I think this is good for our relationships with the Pacific. I think it acknowledges their contribution as well. I think these things are important. I also just want to acknowledge my colleague in the House the Hon Todd McClay who was the ambassador for the Cook Islands and Niue from 2000 to 2007 and served them in a way that really made a difference. So I think that is absolutely important. We have a strong relationship a long-lasting relationship.I think this bill will be a good bill. I look forward to chairing this in the Social Services Committee. It could be the beginning. I know there will be some conversations in terms of how we broaden that aspect of the relationship. There are other Pacific nations that made a contribution. I think this is a start. We need to start here. We need to acknowledge that contribution. In the future there could be the possibility that it could be extended. We look forward to that ongoing conversation. I look forward to seeing this bill in the select committee to hearing submissions and to returning it back to the House. I commend this bill to the House.