Lyndon HūhanaHŪHANA LYNDON (Green): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. Reo Māori:[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]May I translate: I feel very special because Māori are once again being singled out. We're being singled out by this legislation—the Green Party have already shared that it's racist to te Iwi Māori. With over 10000 submissions presented to the Justice Committee within a five-day period—only five days that's the lack of respect that this Government has to the people of New Zealand; 10000 people and more put in submissions to the select committee so their voice could be heard 10000-plus. As I shared in my kōrero the people of New Zealand were elders they were migrants—James Meager: How many supported?HŪHANA LYNDON: —they were youth they were university—over 90 percent supported. Councillors came on. Councils came.James Meager: Read the report.HŪHANA LYNDON: Community came.James Meager: Read the report.HŪHANA LYNDON: We sat there—come on we sat for three days and we listened. And what? Maybe one or two opposed—those democracy groups that come on like Hobson's Pledge. Come on! Our people stood and they wanted to be counted. It was a beautiful way of showing that tangata Tiriti tangata whenua all united to support the unique and special voice of iwi Māori at the council decision-making table. Why is it so hard to accept that te Iwi Māori's voice is actually really beneficial? I've said before in this House it's a plus-plus. You get our tirohanga Māori you get our mātauranga Māori you get our connection into communities that they ain't ever had and you get us at the tēpu.Remembering e te whānau this is one man one vote. Māori only get one vote. If you're on the Māori electoral roll you only get to vote in the Māori ward. It's no special treatment. It's just like our Māori electorates that we have in this Whare.[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]Three days we heard submissions and I must say we worked really well to hear the submitters because it was a truncated process. The Government limited the ability for us to really have a meaningful engagement with the community. But the community stood and they were counted. Over 10000 submissions were heard and I mihi to the people of New Zealand. Marlborough—they came before us and they said Well e te whānau you know we support Māori wards and actually we support the establishment of any ward according to our own tikanga.". They established the Marlborough Sounds ward because the constituents the ratepayers came to them and said "We're special. We're unique. Our voice needs to be heard." And they did that according to the legislation.Now if councils have spent six years—you know every six years representation review. It's like a wānanga—I must say the hui are a bit tough you know because they come out onto our marae they send out surveys they hold community hui they go deep into the community to hear our voice. What they heard was tautoko.So may I reflect on Tai Tokerau because the representation reviews took place in 2021 and they talked to their constituents—they talked to their people all those ratepayer groups us as iwi Māori—and all three councils supported. It was a beautiful thing. And we had Ngā Tai o Tokerau stand we had Whangārei stand and we had Kaipara stand up. And it's been awesome to see tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti working together.[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]What is wrong with it e te whānau? And I call us whānau because ultimately don't we want the best for our community? Isn't this about the betterment of all? And for how long have Māori voices been marginalised on council? There has never been a guaranteed voice for Māori at council tables. I can only reflect on Whangārei District Council where—[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]It's very hard to overcome and be a Māori in council in the general wards.May I mihi also to Tāmati Rākena of the Far North District Council. He shared when they were debating and wanting to tautoko this and completing their submissions "As a Māori ward councillor I work for better rates better roads better water infrastructure better housing for the community—and that's not just for Māori; that's for the entire community of the Far North."[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]You've got Tāmati standing up for the betterment of all the community. Māori people want the best for all. It's a plus-plus. What's good for Māori is good for our entire community.The Waitangi Tribunal has found that this legislation breaches Te Tiriti. There was an urgent hearing heard on this. Our people again stood up. Our councillors were heard. Local government New Zealand Te Maruata—over 50 of our councils came out and they provided an open letter of tautoko. And yet—[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]Ears are closed not listening to the very loud strong voice of unity of mayors from across the country.[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]Sound councils did engage and they did make decisions not to appoint Māori wards into their councils because they engaged with mana whenua and they came to a decision saying "No we're good with what we're doing."[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]It is up to the local councils to make those decisions.Whangārei District Council came before us at the select committee. You had uncle Phil Halse—he's been in council since Adam and Eve. You've got Deb Harding who's a Māori ward councillor from Patuharakeke and Simon Mitchell CEO of Ngātiwai Trust Board. They came together to present because we in Whangārei have a Māori standing committee called Te Kārearea. They are hapū-appointed māngai to work alongside council and provide input and advice at an operational level. They supported the establishment of Māori wards in Whangārei. As Matua Phil Halse shared because he's been around a long time—he said you know it's been really beneficial. He's seen the growth in relationships. Whangārei District Council actually said that this legislation could drive a wedge in our communities that it could be divisive and could actually undermine the important relationship that council has with hapū in their district.So as I've shared: racist legislation. The Greens don't tautoko it. We put in a differing view because it's important for us to differentiate ourselves from across this Whare. Ultimately we want to see Māori wards motuhake—there now and into the future. Now we're going to be put into a vulnerable situation as Māori people where we could be marginalised in our own community with racial division—that's already coming out now. They're rallying the troops—they are rallying the troops. Those democracy groups are already dropping into my mailbox I tell you. So what I'm sharing is the fear of the risk to social cohesion the mahi tahi we've established—tangata Tiriti tangata whenua.[Authorised te reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.][Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]What's wrong with us working together in local government? Kia ora tātou."