Local Government Law Reform Bill

I take a call in response to my colleagues Hone Harawira and Dover Samuels. I am pleased to say we are proud to be Northlanders. The three of us work together for Northland as MPs, without letting our politics get in the way, and that is how it should be. We are three proud Northlanders. Both Dover and Hone are of Māori descent; I am non-Māori.

I want to make a point about an issue that Hone and Dover talked about today. They talked about New Zealand as we see it now, and they talked about assimilation. They talked about the fact that the common view is that Māori have to assimilate into our white society—the society we brought here 160-odd years ago. I want to make this point to both of them and also to the Committee, because I think it is a seriously important point to make. I have a mokopuna who is obviously of my blood but is also of Dover’s and Hone’s blood. She is the future of this country. She is New Zealand. She is what we are becoming. She is what this country will be. She is not assimilated into the white people of this country; we are assimilating into the Māori of this country, and as time progresses—as the ocean of time waves over this country—so too will our blood mingle.

I see a time in the future when we will all be part of the Treaty, and that is a day I look forward to. It will be the day when our blood cannot be distinguished or defined, because we are New Zealanders. The problem we have at the moment is that it is quite easy to define ourselves. But as time washes over this nation and as our bloods mingle, a lot of these issues will disappear, because people like my mokopuna will look at themselves and say: I’m a New Zealander.”; “I’m a Kiwi.”; “I’m of New Zealand blood.” They will not say: “I’m of overseas heritage.” or “I’m of Māori heritage.”; they will say: “I’m a New Zealander.” We will find that happening more and more.

I want to make another point in the Committee tonight. Dover Samuels was elected to the Northland Regional Council and, indeed, to the Far North District Council, and he is Māori. But he was not elected on a special ward; he was elected because he had the ability to represent the people, and he was recognised for that. Quite honestly, I think it is insulting to the people—who are good people—to say: “Nevertheless, we’re going to have to protect you.” I do not believe that that should be the case. Although we look at these issues in today’s environment, I say to this Parliament that we need to look ahead to what the future will bring and to what New Zealand will be in time. We should not strap ourselves with laws that in time will be a barrier to our future.