Mapp Wayne: Maori Fisheries Bill — In Committee 
Mapp Wayne: Maori Fisheries Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:620;Page:15432] 
Dr WAYNE MAPP (National—North Shore) 
: 
 Yes National does have grave reservations about this bill. Its direction is excessively paternalistic. We believe that it is too complex and as a consequence we have amendments that we ask the Government to support in order to ameliorate the worst effects of the bill. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: And if the Government turns down your amendments will you still support the bill? 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: That is a serious question that has to be addressed because in the second reading we voted for it and for the preamble. We did so reluctantly but the problem is that we have now had a decade of litigation negotiation and discussion. The Government presented this inadequate bill but unfortunately it is the only bill out there that represents a compromise—a compromise that is very much the lowest common denominator. 
It is our intent to improve this bill and to give iwi who are empowered—who have a proven commercial track record—the ability to manage their assets directly. After all what the bill proposes is for the commission to have control of the offshore quota which is at least half of all the assets it will manage. I simply cannot understand why the Government does not see the logic in our intent—that is to provide a reasonable and fair proposal to enable iwi to do that. Our proposals will not fundamentally destroy the system proposed here but they will provide an evolutionary pathway out. 
That is our major objection to the bill. It takes us some way—it does get the assets to the iwi at least in relation to the onshore assets. It enables a certain level of continuing commercial viability for the offshore assets but then it stops. 
This bill is as Mr Brownlee said intending to provide a forever situation but we know from past experience that that is wrong. We know that almost certainly we will have to come back to this whole issue and provide a new pathway for dealing with the offshore assets so there is an effective way of getting those assets to iwi. Right at the moment they are locked into Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd and at best there is a review. Well frankly that is inadequate. Sure it is better than the current situation. One would not deny that. It is at least a move along the path and it is for that reason that National is voting for it. 
But it is an interim measure at best. The Government portrays this bill as a finality but in reality we all know and Maori up and down the country know that at best it is an interim measure. Maori really want control of their offshore assets. The only way they can see a pathway to ever getting that is to support this measure so that the next step can then be embarked upon. 
It is disappointing that Government members have not got up to speak tonight. Where is the contribution from Maori members to this debate? It is of vital interest to Maori up and down the country and it is at times like these that we expect the Maori members to contribute. 
This Government says that the Maori seats are necessary. It should prove it by having its members debate an issue that is fundamentally affecting Maori. If there were ever a case for the Government to prove the relevance of the Maori seats this would be it. Yet what do we have? We have silence. That of itself shows us why the National Party position of abolishing the Maori seats is so cogent because on the really big issues we have a deafening silence from the Maori members. 
I see Nanaia Mahuta sitting opposite. It looks as if she wants to take a call. Well where are her colleagues?