Turia Tariana: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — Second Reading Procedure In Committee 
Turia Tariana: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — Second Reading Procedure In Committee 
[Volume:657;Page:6350] 
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Tena tatou. I would like to acknowledge the work of the officials and members of the select committee and all of those who made submissions. Over two decades ago an esteemed group met in Auckland to hear the Orakei claim. That group consisting of the Chief Judge Eddie Durie the late Bishop Manuhuia Bennett the late Sir Monita Delamere Professor Gordon Orr Professor Keith Sorrenson and the Hon Georgina te Heuheu who met to consider why Ngati Whatua had lost their land. All sorts of explanations had been put forward from native inexperience to modern technology to the suggestion that Ngati Whatua were a dying race and needed to divest themselves of their trappings in order to progress. None of these reasons satisfied this esteemed group. In its report the Waitangi Tribunal concluded that Ngati W’atua was: “a tribe that initiated and aided substantially the establishment of Auckland on its land that stood by the Crown in moments of great crises that held fast to law and order despite every vicissitude put upon it and which suffered the most dreadful consequences and then through no fault of its own—and great fault on the part of others …”. 
The tribunal’s report is part of a rich archival history that records the context surrounding the gift of Auckland to the Crown. Ngati W’atua is reputed to be the first iwi to promote British settlement following Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Its members probably regret that now. All this was done on the basis that eventually Ngati W’atua would share in the economic benefits of the establishment of the head of State amongst their people. One might think a partnership might bring with it an honourable relationship. The Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill would have provided a perfect opportunity for the honourable intentions of Ngati W’atua to at last be recognised. 
The legislation to establish the governance structure of the Auckland Council could have provided for a specific mechanism to represent and present the values of mana w’enua. The royal commission handed this mechanism to the Government on a silver plate. Its recommendation sought to establish a Treaty of Waitangi standing committee elected from the Maori roll for every local and regional council; to have specific numbers of seats for both mana w’enua and non - mana w’enua Maori on local and regional councils; to have Maori represented within the governance structure as well as within an autonomous forum outside the governance structure the regional mana w’enua committee; and to ensure there were tribal representatives who oversaw kaitiakitanga of their respective taonga. 
However as the record now well and truly shows and the select committee has endorsed there will be no Maori seats established on the Auckland Council despite substantial support from submitters to the select committee and indeed submitters to the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance. Such a decision calls into serious question the fundamental basis of the parliamentary democratic process—that is to reflect decision making of the people for the people. Even though a substantial proportion of the 2538 submissions recommended it—as indeed did the 3537 submissions received by the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance—no provision is made for Maori representation. We supported the royal commission’s report. I say to Mr Jones that I am proud that we supported mana w’enua because it was mana w’enua who aided and initiated the establishment of Tamaki-makau-rau. Such was their generosity not that of all the taura here who live there now. 
Indeed the select committee recommended that Maori representation is best decided by the people of Auckland via the provisions of the Local Electoral Act 2001. Letting Auckland decide has not exactly been successful up to now. As our colleague Tau Henare expressed so clearly Maori political representation signifies progress; eight Maori councillors elected on to the Auckland City Council in the last 150 years does not. Maori political representation is not only consistent with current provisions in the Local Government Act 2002 it is also about upholding the nation’s constitutional foundations. The Maori Party believes that dedicated Maori seats uphold the relationship established between our people and the Crown through the Treaty of Waitangi including the partnership established with the mana w’enua of the Auckland region. 
During the select committee process Ngati W’atua Nga Rima o Kaipara noted a historical request from rangatira Paora Tuhaere in 1860 calling for unity between Maori and Crown in governance. So in respect of this humble call from the people we will be putting forward a series of five amendments to lay in the House as options to invest in decision making by mana w’enua and to strengthen Maori representation on the super-city council. The amendments are as follows: two mana w’enua seats with candidates put up by the mana w’enua and voted on by all Maori; two mana w’enua seats whereby the candidates sign a w’akapapa declaration that is voted on by all Maori; two Maori seats voted on by all Maori; one Maori seat voted on by all Maori; and finally ensuring the Local Electoral Act 2001 provisions are lawful if Auckland Council members or electors want to establish Maori seats. 
The reality is that the w’anau hapu and iwi have a good deal to offer at the governance table for the Greater Auckland region. The National Urban Maori Authority came to the select committee demanding that the legislation acknowledge the Treaty obligations by ensuring Maori participation not only at the council level but also in every ward and every large council area cascading down on to the board and acknowledged through the totality of administration. This is about opting in being inclusive and being able to participate. It is about Treaty justice and social justice. Justice must be the guiding ethical ideal for Parliament its members and its committees. We must summon the collective courage to create new laws in order to set new and just precedents to resolve enduring issues of concern to the nation and the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill should be a pathway forward to do just that. 
Finally I will refer again to the importance of this bill and the opportunity that it could have afforded us to create a representative democracy a democracy built on the founding document of this country te Tiriti o Waitangi. Such an aspiration is probably best summarised in one of the submissions to the select committee from Ariel Armstrong of Papakura and I will quote from that submission: “It is long past time when New Zealand acknowledged Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the most meaningful way by ensuring that Maori voices are heard at the most important tables. Our historic debt to Maori particularly in regards to the role played in the history of Tamaki-makau-rau needs to be recognised. It would reflect our country’s heritage build our society as a whole and position it for the next century.” 
Voting on our five amendments is one way that we can right the wrongs demonstrate that we have heard the views of the people and ensure that Maori voices are heard at the most important tables. Na reira tena koutou katoa.