SpeechHARETE HIPANGO (National): Kia ora. Thank you Mr Speaker. Look I stand and speak on something that I know very little about other than taking a keen interest this afternoon to read the report from the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee and also some of the debate notes—actually they were notes provided from the library in terms of a debate pack. So following on from my colleague Hon Judith Collins who spoke first for the National Party to this bill this evening—Ms Collins is our spokesperson for research science innovation and technology. I'm spokesperson for Māori development so again as I've done previously on many bills before the House and debates I look at this through a Māori lens. So with the report that was provided by the select committee and also looking at the bill itself my eye has been drawn to the specific provisions in relation to the Treaty of Waitangi Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to the engagement with a Māori context and perspective to this.So the select committee report encapsulates ensuring that there is that inclusion that inclusiveness specifically at clause 8A of the bill. Again of particular note is the commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi or as referenced within the select committee report the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi. My legal eye will draw me to the legal principle of what's known as contra proferentem. At clause 8 of the bill—clause 8A—there's the juxtaposition in terms of the reference. It's been referred to as Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi. So for those who have a knowledge of what that principle or rule of contra proferentem is—and I'm going to bring up my phone which is going to digitally recognise my face as recognition for me to be able to access to it. And I'm of a generation that this is all quite alien and something that I've yet to learn about. So coming to learning about for the benefit of members in this House this evening and members in the public the contra proferentem rule—it's a rule of contractual interpretation which provides that where a clause is ambiguous then the preferred meaning should be the one that works against the interest of the party who drafted the clause. So I raise it as an issue because I've noted and detected with different pieces of proposed legislation bills that have been brought before the House there is an inconsistency in terms of the incorporation of reference to the Treaty of Waitangi or the principles of it. And the contra proferentem rule from a legal perspective gives priority to that party who didn't draft the legislation or the contract or the agreement.So turning to the Treaty of Waitangi this legislation is making reference and giving priority to the interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi and the meaning of that. Now members of the public and members of this House may not be cognisant of that but in terms of consistency of how this is applied within legislation or the bill which will in time be legislation that's something that I think this House and members of the public should have their attention drawn to.On that note too in looking at the material that had been sourced from the library I note that the submitters—and I looked at the 4000 submitters and I looked through to see if there'd been any particular submissions made by Te Mana Rauranga which is the Māori Data Sovereignty Network. It may have been; I'm not sure that it was but I'm picking up on the comment from my colleague Ms Collins that this bill in its current form has been designed and has been scrutinised so that it's fit for purpose at this particular time. Māori data sovereignty is a keen issue that will draw the eye of those who are there to ensure the protection of Māori data and the sovereignty and the collection the protection the utilisation of it. So it may be that in time this bill although it's fit for purpose at this time will need to be redesigned to incorporate the fact that the particular interests and issues of Māori data sovereignty have not been properly encapsulated within this bill. On that note the National Party commends this bill to the House.