Tirikatene Rino: Oaths and Declarations (Upholding the Treaty of Waitangi) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Tirikatene Rino: Oaths and Declarations (Upholding the Treaty of Waitangi) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 07 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6410. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
RINO TIRIKATENE (Labour—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. Mihi atu ki a koutou e te Whare. I am very proud to stand and wholeheartedly support this bill the Oaths and Declarations (Upholding the Treaty of Waitangi) Amendment Bill. I would like to at the outset mihi to Te Ururoa Flavell for bringing this bill to the House. Ka mihi atu ki a koe e te rangatira. This bill gives everyone the choice to add the words to their oath or declaration: “I will uphold the Treaty of Waitangi;” as an alternative ending. It is such a small measure and that is why I cannot understand why people do not want to support this because this is actually part of who we are as Aotearoa. This is what all of us Maori parliamentarians have been striving for mai ra no. To have these seven words added at the conclusion of our oaths and declarations should be a given. It should be inclusive of everybody. I would encourage everyone to really support this bill. It is disappointing to hear the remarks from New Zealand First and from certain members opposite because this is not denigrating or degrading the oath. It is definitely not a stunt. It is not about demeaning or not having any substantive merit. If anything it strengthens the conviction that we should all have when we come into this Parliament. 
I remember—well we are just coming up to our first anniversary shortly for us new members of Parliament—the excitement that we all had when we filed through here to deliver our oaths. We could elect to do either the oath or the declaration. We could also do it in Pakeha or Te Reo Maori so that has been progress. There has been choice in those two aspects. That is why I just say that this measure which gives the additional choice to add those additional words should be commended by this whole House. It is disappointing. I feel for my whanaunga there Tau Henare for being whipped into the position that he has to take with voting with the opposition. That is the nature of this place but it in no way demeans anything that he does because we know where his heart is. We know where his heart is and his conviction for our people and for the Treaty in terms of his whakaaro and his ngakau. So I mihi to him for his korero. 
I would just like to add: what do we mean by an oath? If I go back to my Sunday school days when I was a child the oath was a solemn agreement. It is important that when two people come to an agreement if you put an oath behind it you are witnessing and sanctioning that you are committed to do what you are saying you are going to do and you call on God to judge and avenge to dish out some punishment or a sanction if you do not do what you say you are going to do. That adds a bit of fire and brimstone to what you are agreeing to do. Likewise for those who do not want to go for the religious sanction well they can always opt for a declaration. But the main thing is that oaths and declarations are very important personal commitments that people make. The most important commitment you can make is to swear an oath. If we could broaden the oath to include the Treaty it would be great. It would show the progression that we have made as a country over the past 30 years. 
Eighty years ago in this very House my grandfather when he was an independent MP—he came in representing Southern Maori—presented a petition signed by 40000 Maori and Pakeha right throughout the motu seeking to have statutory recognition of the Treaty. We have seen great progression over the past 80 years and especially in the last 30 years with the modern-day Treaty settlement process. That is why it is very disappointing that the Government has signalled that it will not support this measure to give people the choice to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi when giving their oath and declaration. I would just like to say one thing: Treaty settlements do not mean that Maori are going to go away. If anything it is strengthening Maori right throughout the motu and so maybe this bill might not be passed this time round but I can tell this House that in time progressive steps will be made. I tautoko this bill. Kia ora ano tatou.