Boyack RachelRACHEL BOYACK (Labour—Nelson): Look I'd really like the previous speaker Simon Watts to actually read the bill because if you read the bill you'll notice that it doesn't require any local government territorial authority to implement a Māori ward. All it says is that they need to consider it. Our local government authorities already undertake a representation review every six years. I might just talk to the Nelson example recently where they undertook their representation review and they moved from an at-large system to a ward system. So we've moved from having 12 councillors elected at large to wards. So we've got two wards in place and then the Māori ward and then three councillors who will be elected at large and we've moved to an STV system. And actually this change is actually something that our local council really wanted. Thirty five councils—Simon Watts: Well who'd you ask? Tell me the names. Who?RACHEL BOYACK: Well I've just been chatting to the mayor so off you go.Simon Watts: Oh you've been chatting to them!RACHEL BOYACK: You obviously haven't talked to her as recently as I have. One of the things that we found out is 35 councils have moved to having a Māori ward. They have chosen to do that. That's around half of our councils. All that bill actually says—if you read the bill—is that you need to consider a Māori ward alongside all the other considerations. Consider" is the word; not force not ramming through. So just read the bill before you wax lyrical.So the other the other thing is I would encourage that member to go to places like Gisborne go to places like Wairoa go to some of the places that have implemented a Māori ward and give them that speech and hear what they say to you. I understand from the Minister that this is a matter that has been raised with him on his many travels around the motu. You can't just chat to somebody at a conference and think you've spoken to the council. Our Minister is going around and having proper robust consultative meetings with these councils and this is one of the matters that has been raised with him. It's an excellent bill. It makes three very small changes. One is around ensuring that councils have to consider to have a Māori ward. One is around ensuring that Auckland has adequate numbers of councillors to govern that city properly. It's not just a business Mr Watts. Auckland Council is probably the largest organisation that we actually have in the country in terms of its turnover and it doesn't have the ability to add councillors to ensure it's governed properly and represents its communities. And then the other matter of course is when people do end up having unjust decisions when there's a tie. It's a minor minor issue but it has been an issue in a couple of cases and it's good for the Governance and Administration Committee to look at it. So I sit on that select committee and I'm really looking forward to hearing from councils—really looking forward to hearing from councils.Simon Watts: Come on come on come on—keep going! Come on! RACHEL BOYACK: Oh mate we'll have many chats at select committee I'm sure we will. But what I encourage you to do Mr Watts is read the bill. There's no forcing here; it is only around ensuring that these councils consider putting in place a Māori ward. And I'm delighted that around half of our councils have done so—have chosen to do so. That the elected members on those councils have chosen to implement those wards. And on that note Mr Watts and House: I commend this bill to the House."