Henare PeeniHon PEENI HENARE (Labour): I stand in opposition to the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. I want to take some members on a little history journey. First I acknowledge my whaea Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. I've heard many members in this House in particular on the other side of the House do the He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata he tangata he tangata." They're quoting my and Mariameno Kappa-Kingi's tupuna Meri Ngaruto who actually if you dig a little bit deeper beyond the facade that members in this House often use you will find what she's speaking to is whakapapa connection: the ability to know where you are from to understand where you are going. I want that to sink in to members in this House because I've heard it on the political stumps during election I've heard it at all of the whānau events that I've seen members at. But that's what it means and that's why it is important that we oppose this bill.This evening we've heard from the Minister for Social Development and Employment; who we haven't heard from is the Minister for Whānau Ora. Whānau Ora is important to the wellbeing of families across this country. That's why it's called Minister for Whānau Ora: whānau family; ora wellbeing. I want to know whether or not the Minister will front up to the people who oppose this bill who have made their position clear as day to that Minister and indeed to this Government that section 7AA should not be repealed. The Minister for Whānau Ora—and I was the Minister for Whānau Ora in my time—acknowledged that we could do things better. Ngā Tini Whetū was born through a partnership to ensure that we can continue to support our tamariki Māori to stop them from going into the systems we don't want them to go into like Oranga Tamariki like the legal system. It was a kaupapa designed to make sure we can support our people our way: connected to their culture connected to their whakapapa. What this repeal bill does is it doesn't compel the Government nor does it hold the Government to account when it comes to the care of tamariki Māori.We keep hearing that "Oh well it's the need for all tamariki" simple maths for that side of the House. Most of those tamariki are tamariki Māori and every single one of them have a whānau. They have a whakapapa they have a marae a maunga an awa. Tonight what's happening is an absolute travesty. We've heard from the other side of the House who continue to say "We will use the evidence and we make evidence-based decisions." Well the evidence is quite clear that repealing section 7AA in the Oranga Tamariki amendment bill this evening isn't evidence-based. It needs to consider the years and years of evidence the many reviews that have been undertaken under the previous National Government and under the time when Labour was Government to make the system better.This is definitely a step in the wrong direction. I expect it from the ACT Party. I do. I'm not surprised by that. That's their ideology. That's their dogma. But I want to call out the National Party the Minister for Whānau Ora and make sure that they are held accountable too. This isn't just an ACT Party thing; this is a National-led coalition Government taking our people backwards. We want to see that Minister and the many Ministers front up to our people and explain to them why they're taking them backwards. There are a number of other avenues where these could have been discussed and perhaps even the Opposition clearly debated through and one of those is in Cabinet. I wonder—and our people are asking the question—did the Minister for Whānau Ora stick up for our whānau? Did other Māori Ministers in that Cabinet discussion stick up for our whānau? Quite clearly they did not. Very soon—very soon the National-led coalition Government supported by the ACT Party and the New Zealand First Party are going to have to front up to our people. There are a number of hui coming up. They were happy to come to all the other hui—they'd better start coming to the hui coming up so that they can front up to the people answer the questions. I can tell you Mr Speaker in the seconds that I have left: that side will be held to account.I'm going to say it one more time: "He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata he tangata he tangata." —speaks to whakapapa speaks to connection. I'm ashamed when I think of all the times that I've heard members in particular on that side of the House use that quote and misquote it."