Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori / Māori Language Bill

Kia ora tātau katoa! I move, That the Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori / Māori Language Bill be now read a third time. E hoa mā kātahi te rangi ātaahua ko tēnei. Kātahi te rangi whakahirahira ko tēnei! I puta te kōrero inā tatanei, i te ata nei mō Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa, ka mutu, kua tukuna te kōrero mō Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill. Anei tātau i tēnei ahiahi, ko Te Reo Māori te kaupapa. Nō reira, ka nui te mihi ki a tātau e hoa mā. Hara mai ki Te Whare Pāremata.

He rā nui tēnei mō Te Reo Māori. Koinei te wā tuatahi kua eke mai tētahi pire i roto i Te Reo Māori me te reo Pākehā ēngari, ko Te Reo Māori te reo ka whai mana i roto i ngā nekeneke o te wā. He mea nui tērā kia taea ai e tātau o Te Whare Pāremata, te kōrero i Te Reo Māori me te mōhio anō hoki, ko Te Reo Māori te reo matua i roto i ngā ture, i ngā āhuatanga katoa. Tuarua, ko Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori e kī ana te kōrero, he reo whai mana i roto i ngā nekeneke ō roto i te ture ēngari, ō roto i ngā āhuatanga katoa, Ao Māori, Ao Pākehā.

Mēnā ka hoki tāua ki te tau 1987, i tae mai tētahi Minita ko Koro Wētere tana īngoa, ko Te Minita mō ngā Take Māori i taua wā. I tae mai ia ki konei me tana kī atu, he hiahia nōna ki te whakatakoto i tētahi Reo Māori ki roto i Te Whare Pāremata. Tīmata ia i tana mihi, ki te pērā ēngari ā wā poto ka tū mai tētahi ki te whakahē i tērā āhuatanga. I tū mai tētahi ki te kī atu ki a koe, Mr Speaker, anei tana kōrero: “I wonder whether you, as distinct from the rest of us, know what he is saying. Do you have a translation before you so that you can rule on the content of his speech?”. Mēnā ka rongo i tērā kōrero, ka rongo tonu te āhuatanga o te kawa o wētahi ki tēnei mea o te kōrero i Te Reo Māori ēngari, ko te mea pai, ē, nō ngā tau kua hipa tērā āhuatanga! Te tikanga, te tikanga! Ko te tau 1986! Kua rerekē tērā āhuatanga i tēnei wā.

Nō reira, nei au e tū ki te whakaiti i te mea, kua riro māku tēnei kaupapa e kōkiri ki roto i Te Whare Pāremata i tēnei rā. He nui te mahi! He nui te mahi i te roanga o ngā tau. He nui ngā kōrero i kōrerohia i roto i ngā wānanga, i ngā hui. Ka hoki ngā mahara ki tētahi hui mō Te Reo Māori i Pōneke nei. Ko Tā Tāmati Reedy, ko Te Koingo Reedy i roto i tērā hui. I pātai rātau i te pātai mō te oranga o tō tātau Reo. Me pēhea hoki! Ā, ka mutu ka puta te kōrero, titiro ki te ture mō Te Reo Māori. Whakahōungia, whakaora anō rā mō tēnei wā tonu nei. Kōrua tahi, anei te whakatinanatanga.

Nō reira, he aha ngā painga ō roto o tēnei pire? Tuatahi ko ngā reo e rua, pēnei i tāku e kōrero nei, tuarua ko Te Reo Māori te reo whai mana, te reo matua. Ka toru, ko te mana o Te Reo ka whakairia ki roto i tēnei o ngā pire, he reo taketake o Aotearoa, he taonga o Te Iwi me Te Māori, he reo e ngākaunuitia ana e te marea, e Te Motu whānui tonu. Ka whā, he reo whai mana i tēnei whenua. E hāngai ana tērā ko te āhuatanga o Te Whare o Te Reo Mauri Ora, he rite ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

He wāhi ki Te Karauna, he wāhi ki Te Iwi Māori. Nō reira koinei taku harikoa! Ko ōna maihi, ki te taha ki Te Ao Māori, Maihi Māori! Ka riro māna anō rā e kōrero. Ko Te Maihi Karauna, māna anō rā, mā Te Karauna tonu e kōrero. Ēngari ko te mahitahi, ē, nā runga i te āhuatanga o te nohotahi o Te Karauna me Te Iwi Māori, arā, ko Te Mātāwai tērā i te tēpū kotahi, ko Te Rūnanga Reo tērā, māna anō rā e whakatau i ngā āhuatanga katoa mō Te Reo Māori. Ko te tūmanako mō te painga, kaua mō Te Reo Māori ēngari, mō ngā tamariki, mokopuna e hiahia nei ki te kōrero i tō tātau Reo. Nō reira, kai te harikoa, ka taea e Te Maihi Māori te hanga i tōna ake rautaki. Waiho ake mā Te Karauna anō rā tōna taha e whakatika.

Nā, kia whai wāhi ki te kōrero mō Te Mātāwai. Ko Te Mātāwai, 13 pea ngā tāngata ka noho nā i tērā o ngā kaunihera. Ko tāku īnoi ki Te Ao Māori, āta titiro ki te hunga ka noho nei i Te Mātāwai. Kaua e haere tika tonu atu ki tētahi e kōrero Māori ana. Āe, he painga o te kōrero Māori, te matatau ki te kōrero Māori ēngari, arā, anō ētahi, rangatahi tonu ētahi. E mōhio nei ki te whakariterite i ētahi rautaki mō Te Reo ā-iwi, ā-hapori, ā-marae. Nō reira, kia kaua tātau e hereherea ki tētahi reanga i tōna kotahi, ka mutu ki te tāne i tōna kotahi. Me whai wāhi anō rā wā tātau wāhine, otirā, wētahi o wā tātau rangatahi e matatau nei ki ēnei āhuatanga i roto i Te Mātāwai.

Ko tētahi wāhanga i kōrerohia whānuitia i roto i te pire nei, ko tētahi kupu whakaū o Te Karauna ki Te Reo Māori. Ko ētahi ka kī mai, ē, me tuku i tētahi kupu whakapāha. I rongo ake au i te wairua o tērā hiahia ēngari, nā runga i tāku kawe i tēnei kaupapa, ā, kua hāngai tonu taku kōrero ki te kī atu, me te whakaae mai o te katoa o Te Whare, ā, me tuku i tētahi kupu whakaū, āe, i hapa Te Karauna, i hē Te Karauna i ngā tau kua hipa ake, nā reira, ka tau mai ngā uauatanga ki te hunga kōrero Māori. I puta te kōrero i wepua ētahi, ē, kua whakaaetia mai e Te Karauna ki tērā, kaua ki tērā momo āhuatanga ēngari, e te ture anō hoki, e tika ana tāu ēngari, ko tā Te Karauna e kī ana, āe, āe! Nāku tērā hē, ā, he hiahia nōku ki te whakatikatika i ngā huarahi katoa kia taea ai e te hunga taiohi, otirā, te hunga hiakai mō Te Reo Māori, te whai i tērā huarahi. Nō reira kei te harikoa nā runga i tērā āhuatanga.

Mēnā ka hoki au ki te ōrokohanga mai o tēnei o ngā pire, me mihi rā ki taku tuakana ki a Pita. Ē, tērā i noho nā i taku tūru i ngā tau kua hipa ake, anā, kua eke hei Tā, ko Tā Pita Sharples tērā i kōkiri i tēnei kaupapa. Kai taku rangatira ahakoa kāre koe i konei ko koe tērā i ārahi nei i tēnei kaupapa, ko tāku ko te whaiwhai haere i ō tapuwae. Kia whai wāhi au ki ētahi o ngā mema o Te Paepae Motuhake. Ko rātau te hunga i noho nei hei taringa, hei mea takawaenga, me kī, mai i Te Minita ki te hapori. Nā, i haere rātau ki Te Mata o Te Whenua. Ko Tā Tāmati Reedy tērā, ko Pānia Papa, Hana O’Regan, Cathy Dewes, Rāhora Shortland, Toni Waho, Pem Bird, te uri o Ngāti Manawa, ā, tae atu ki a Te Kahautū Maxwell. Kai aku rangatira, koinei te mihi o te ngākau, ko koutou tērā i whakatakoto i tētahi huarahi hei whāinga mā wētahi atu.

Taku ekenga hai Minita i puta te whakaaro, ā, kāti, me toro atu au i taku ringa ki ētahi ki te āwhina i a au, ki te whakatika i ētahi panonitanga, i ētahi paku hapa i roto i te pire i tēnei wā. Nōku te waimarie i whakaae mai, e Rāwinia Higgins kei taku tuahine, ka nui te mihi ki a koe. Ko koe tērā i noho tata nei, noho piri nei ki tēnei pire, ka nui te mihi ki a koe, Te Wharehuia, ko taku pāpā kai tāwāhi koe me aro mai ō taringa ki tēnei kōrero. Ka nui te aroha ki a koe, kia kaua tētahi āhuatanga māuiui nei e pā ki a koe i tāwāhi ēngari, ko koe tērā e noho nei hei koroua mō tēnei rōpū. Kai te tuahine Charisma, kai te kite atu i a koe i runga ake nei. Tiare, ko taku taokete anō hoki a Ruakere, ka nui te mihi ki a koe.

I te wā poto, me mihi anō rā ki te hunga whakamāori i tēnei o ngā kaupapa. E hoa mā, kei te mōhio tātau, arā, anō ngā uauatanga ēngari i eke. Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou, otirā, ki te Parliamentary Counsel Office, ē, ka nui te mihi ki te wahine i kaha nei ki te whaiwhai haere i tēnei kaupapa ki tōna taumata. Kai te tuahine, tēnā koe, tēnā koutou, otirā, ngā mea o te tari o Te Speaker. Ki ngā mema o Te Komiti Māori, ka nui te mihi. I noho tata nei koutou ki tēnei kaupapa ahakoa ōna uauatanga i te tīmatanga mai, i aro mai koutou, i kōrero tahi tātau mō ngā painga o tō tātau pire, ka nui te mihi ki a koutou, otirā ki a koe, Cath Nesus, ko ia tētahi o ngā āpiha i kawe nei i tēnei kaupapa, kua tata Cath! Kua tata! Taihoa ake nei, 15 o ngā kaikōrero ā, kua eke!

Taku kupu whakamutunga, ko te hunga e noho nei, ko ētahi o rātau, me kī, i te tīmatanga mai o te orangatonutanga o tō tātau reo. Kai te kite atu i a Kahurangi Iritana e noho nei, otirā, ā, ko ētahi, kāre e pai kia whakahua īngoa kai mahue ake tētahi. Ēngari ko tāku ko te kī atu, mei i kore koutou i kōrero Māori, mei i kore ngā Reo Irirangi Māori, mei i kore a Whakaata Māori, ē, kua āhua ngoikore te whaiwhai haere ake i tō tātau Reo. Nō reira, nei te mihi o te ngākau ki a koutou, otirā te hunga kua ngaro atu i te tirohanga kanohi. Kai te kōrero au mō ngā mea pēnei i a Ngoi Pēwhairangi mā, Te Ātaarangi, Te Heikōkō mā, kua ngaro rātau! Ka tangi ake i te mea, kua kore rātau e kite i tēnei pire ēngari ko ngā tamariki, ko ngā mokopuna kai konei! Koinei te mihi o te ngākau e hoa mā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora tātau katoa.

[Acknowledgments to us all! Friends, what a beautiful day this is. What an important and significant day this is! This morning the debate pertaining to Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga, and Ngātikahu ki Whangaroa took place, along with the introduction of Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill. And here we are this afternoon speaking about the Māori language. And so I salute you all, my friends. Welcome to Parliament.

This is an important occasion for the Māori language. This is the first time a bill has been presented in both the Māori and English languages, but the Māori language will take precedence. And, crucially, it enables members of Parliament to speak Māori, with the understanding that Te Reo Māori is the primary language in all law and in all aspects of life. Secondly, Te Pire mō te Reo Māori asserts that the Māori language has legitimacy in the law, whether in Māori or Pākehā society.

If we go back to the year 1986, Koro Wētere, the Minister of Māori Affairs, arrived here and stated his desire to speak Māori in Paliament. And so he began his greetings in Māori, but another member quickly objected. That member rose to speak to you, Mr Speaker, and this is what he said: “I wonder whether you, as distinct from the rest of us, know what he is saying. Do you have a translation before you so that you can rule on the content of his speech?”. If you could hear those comments you would hear the distaste that some people had about the Māori language. But, fortunately, that was the situation in the past. It should be in the past—in 1987. It is different now.

So I stand humbly because I am advancing this bill in the House today. There has been much work over many years. Much was discussed in conferences and other meetings. I remember a conference about the Māori language here in Wellington. Sir Tāmati Reedy and Lady Te Koingo Reedy were present at that conference, and they posed a question regarding the survival of our language. What can be done? Furthermore, a determination to consider amended legislation for the Māori language was voiced. To the two of you, here is the fruition of those discussions.

So what are the gains in this bill? Firstly, it is in two languages, one of which I am speaking. Secondly, it provides primacy to the Māori language. Thirdly, the mana of the language will be enshrined in law as an indigenous language of New Zealand, a treasure of tribes and of the Māori people, and a language that the entire country is committed to. Fourthly, it provides legitimacy to the language and likens it to the house of an everlasting language, similar to the Treaty of Waitangi.

There is a part for the Crown and a part for Māori. So that is why I am delighted. It has two maihi strategies, one, the Maihi Māori, pertaining to the Māori language—that is the responsibility of Māori. The Maihi Karauna is the responsibility of the Crown. However, it enables cooperation between the Crown and Māori through Te Mātāwai, which operates in both strategies. Hopefully it is beneficial not only for the Māori language but for children who want to speak our language. Hence the reason I am elated that the Maihi Māori can formulate its own plan. Leave the Crown to address its own side.

Now I will speak about Te Mātāwai. There will be 13 members on the board of Te Mātāwai. I urge the Māori people to carefully consider the appointment of members to that board. Do not appoint someone just because they can speak Māori. There are benefits to being a fluent Māori speaker, but there are others to consider, such as our youth. They know how to organise strategies around the language with regard to the iwi, the community, and the marae. So we must not confine the appointments to only one generation, or only to males. Our knowledgable women and youngsters must also be appointed to Te Mātāwai.

One particular part of the bill that has been debated extensively is the Crown acknowledgment of the Māori language. Some have stated that there should be an apology. I felt the spirit of that desire. However, because I am responsible for this bill, I am adamant—with the consensus of the House—that an acknowledgment is delivered. Yes, the Crown made mistakes and committed wrongdoings in the past that suppressed Māori language speakers. It has been said that they suffered corporal punishment. The Crown accepts that is what happened—and, yes, you are correct: it will be recognised in law. The Crown also accepts responsibility for its wrongdoing and has stated its intention to provide improved pathways for the youth and students of the language to pursue. And so I am delighted at that development.

If I may return to the genesis of the bill, I must salute my elder Sir Pita Sharples, who was the previous Minister of Māori Affairs and who was the initial sponsor of the bill. To my leader, even though you are not here you lead this matter. I am only following in your footsteps. I would like to acknowledge the members of Te Paepae Motuhake advisory panel. They travelled around the country and heard submissions and served as intermediaries between the Minister and the community. Sir Tāmati Reedy, Pānia Papa, Hana O’Regan, Cathy Dewes, Rāhora Shortland, Toni Waho, Pem Bird of Ngāti Manawa, and Te Kahautū Maxwell were some of the members of the panel. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the esteemed panel members who provided a pathway for others to follow.

When I became Minister, I reached out for support to make amendments and slight corrections to the bill. To my good fortune they agreed to help. I want to thank my sister Rāwinia. You have worked closely with the bill and left your imprint. Thank you very much. My uncle Te Wharehuia is overseas and I urge him to listen to this speech. I have much empathy for you and wish you good health while you are overseas. You sat on the panel as its elder. To Charisma, I can see you up in the gallery, along with Charlie and my brother-in-law Ruakere. Thank you very much.

I would like to take a brief moment to acknowledge the team who translated the bill. My friends, we understood there were many difficulties, but you accomplished the work. Thank you very much. I also want to thank the female representative of the Parliamentary Counsel Office, whose efforts ensured the success of the bill. I thank you and your team. To the officials of the Speaker’s office and members of the Māori Affairs Committee, much appreciation to you. You worked closely on the bill despite the difficulties encountered at the beginning, you remained focused, and we spoke together about the benefits of our bill. I thank you hugely for that. But now to you, Cath Nesus, one of the officials who bore the brunt of this policy—almost there, Cath! It is close! It will not be long! There are 15 speakers to go and it is done!

My final comment goes to those seated before us, some of whom, should I venture, were at the forefront of efforts to save our language. I see Kahurangi Iritana, along with others, even though I know it is not polite to mention names in case someone is left out. But I do want to say to them that had you not spoken Māori, had it not been for Māori radio and Māori television, addressing our language would have been somewhat powerless. And so a heartfelt acknowledgment to you collectively, but at the same time to those lost from view, in particular Ngoi Pēwhairangi, Te Ātaarangi, Te Heikōkō, and others. They have gone! I lament because they will not see this bill. But the children and grandchildren are here! This, then, is an appreciation from the bottom of the heart, fellow colleagues, so well done, and my thanks to us all.]

Tēnā koe, tēnā tātau, e Te Minita tēnei te mihi atu ki a koe. He rangi whakapiki wairua tēnei, e tika ana. Ahakoa kāre i konei tō mātau nei kaikōrero mō tēnei pire, a Peeni, e tika ana me whakatakoto ō mātau nei whakaaro mō ngā momo āhuatanga e pā ana ki ngā wāhanga katoa o te pire nei. Ka nui te mihi atu ki ngā kaikawe i Te Reo Māori, rātau katoa, rātau i haria mai te petihana ki mua i te aroaro o Te Pāremata. Rātau i tīmata i ngā kōhanga reo, aua kaupapa ngā kura kaupapa, ngā wharekura. Rātau i tīmata i Te Ātaarangi me ngā wānanga Māori, ō tātau nei koroheke, kuia rūruhi. Rātau i kawea tērā tino hiahia, he oranga i roto i tō tātau nei Reo Māori, me ōna tikanga! Nō reira, ka nui te hoki o ngā mahara ki a rātau katoa. Kāre au e tino hiahia ki te whakahuahua i ngā īngoa katoa kei waihotia tētehi ki waho!

Ko tāku nei me tūpato tātau ki te peke ki runga, inā, ka nuku atu te tūāpapa o te hiahia o tēnei pire. Me mataara tātau! He roa te wā ka tae ki tēnei wā kia kite i tētehi pire i Te Reo Māori. E koa ana te ngākau! Ka hoki ngā mahara ki te wā i tae mai taku tupuna a Mahuta ki tēnei wāhi. I aua wā, ā, ahakoa kua mōhio pai ia he wāhi mō te whakature i ngā āhuatanga mō Te Motu, he roa te wā ka tatari ia mō te whakapākehā me te whakamāoritia o ngā mahi o tēnei wāhi ka haria atu ki waenganui i a mātau o Te Iwi. Nō reira, he rangi whakahirahira, he rangi whakapiki wairua tēnei!

Ka hoki ngā whakaaro ki ētehi pou o tēnei pire. Tuatahi, e ū tonu au me whakapāha Te Karauna, e ū tonu au ki tērā i roto i tēnei pire. Ka hara mai a Tauranga Moana me ō rātau nei take katoa i mua i te aroaro o Te Pāremata ēngari, karekau he wāhanga e pā ana ki Te Reo Māori. Koinei te wāhi tika! Ko tēnei pire te wāhi tika hei whakapāha mā Te Karauna ki ngā Iwi Māori katoa puta noa i Te Motu mō ngā mahi i mahitia e ō tātau nei kura. Ka hoki ngā whakaaro ki ngā momo kōrero a ngā kaumātua me ō rātau mamae ki ngā āhuatanga o ngā kura i ō rātau nei wā. Nō reira, e ū tonu au ka tae ki te wā kia kite i tētehi whakapāha a Te Karauna i tēnei pire.

Tuarua, e pā ana ki te whare. I pātai au i te pātai he aha te hanga o tēnei whare? He whare Māori, he whare Pākehā rānei? Ko te whakautu a Te Minita he whare hou! Ko Te Maihi Karauna, arā, Te Maihi Māori me te tāhuhu o Te Mātāwai. He whare hou hei whakaora ai i ngā hiahia e pā ana ki tō tātau nei Reo Māori, ā, ka tika! E tino hiahia ana te kite i te tutukitanga o te hiahia.

I pātai au hoki i ngā wāhanga e pā ana ki ngā whiriwhiri o ngā rautaki Māori ki ngā rautaki o Te Karauna, me kaua e waiho mā te kotahi kia haere noa atu. Tāria te wā ka kite tātau mēnā ka taea te titiro, te tuitui i ngā hiahia o ngā rautaki e rua ēngari ū tonu au. Kua whakaaetia a Waikato ki te whakatū i tētehi rautaki ā-iwi. Ko tāku nei ka pai tērā! Atu i te tau 2025, ko tō mātau hiahia kia kite e 80 paihēneti ngā tāngata e kōrero i Te Reo Māori, Te Reo o Waikato. Me taku mōhio anō, mei kore tātau e aro atu ki ngā kura auraki, ngā kura katoa kei waenganui i ā mātau nei rohe, kāre e taea. Koinā te take he pātai tonu ki ngā āhuatanga o Te Mātāwai me Te Reo Tukutuku.

Kua kite i ngā wāhanga e whā me ngā rōpū i whakarōpūtia e Te Minita. Kei te tū tonu te whakaaro me whakamanatia aua rōpū kia āhei ai, kia tutuki ai ō tātau nei hiahia kia ora ai Te Reo, pērā ki ngā kōhanga reo, ngā kura kaupapa, ngā wharekura, Te Ātaarangi, ngā wānanga. Mēnā ka mahi ngātahi aua rōpū ki ngā mahi o te iwi ka tutuki pai ngā hiahia. Nō reira, mōhio pai koe ki ērā o ngā kōrero!

Ko te mea whakamutunga pea e pā ana ki te taha o Te Karauna, ngā Maihi o Te Karauna. I tukuna mai te whakaaro ki waenganui i tō mātau komiti whiriwhiri, me aro atu Te Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga ki ngā āhuatanga o te pire nei. Tēnā pea, he wāhanga kia kuhuna ā rātau nei mahi kia haere ngātahi. Ko te whakautu, kei waho tonu te nuinga o ngā mahi mō Te Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga. Kei te pai tērā, kei konei Te Minita hei whakautu i ērā o ngā hiahia ēngari, ki taku mōhio, ko ngā mahi nunui kei waenganui i ā tātau nei kura, hei whakamāmātia, hei whakapai ake i ō tātau nei ake hiahia, kia whakawhānui ake Te Reo Māori mō tātau katoa. Ēhara mō Te Māori anake ēngari, mō tātau katoa. Ko ngā mahi kei waenganui i a tātau, ngā kura, ngā mahi nunui, kāre au e tino hiahia ki te whakatoimaha rawa i tērā, tā te wā tēnā pea nā Reipa te mahi nunui.

Nō reira, i tino mihi rawa atu, i tino mihi rawa atu ki tō rōpū whāiti, tō rōpū tohutohu me ā rātau mahi nunui ki te haere ki waenganui ō tātau nei iwi, arā, kei waenganui i ngā hapori ki te kohikohi i ngā kōrero, ki te rapu i ētehi o ngā whakaaro kia whakahokia mai ki roto i tēnei pire. Ko te mea pai ki a au, he tino rerekē te hanga o te whakautu i tērā hiahia, ka pēwhea ai tātau e whakaora ai i Te Reo Māori? Anā, he whakautu hou tēnei, he whakautu hou!

Nō reira, i roto i tērā o ngā hiahia, ka tino tautoko mātau a Reipa ahakoa i pātai i ngā pātai, i wero i ngā wero, i whakatakoto i ō mātau nei ake whakaaro. Ko te mea nunui, kia haere tonu tēnei pire, kia whakaturengia, hei tauira, hei tauira! Tēnā pea, mēnā ka tutuki pai ngā āhuatanga katoa i roto i te pire nei, tā te wā ka tīnihia anōtia ki te whakapakari ake. He tīmata tēnei i runga i tētehi huarahi pai kia mahi ngātahi Te Iwi Māori, arā, ki te taha o Te Kāwanatanga, Te Karauna. Nō reira, i roto i tērā me hoki mai au ki te tino wairua o te rangi nei, me te tino mōhio i waenganui i a mātau ngā mema Māori, kei te ora Te Reo Māori i roto i te whatu manawa o te tangata, i waenganui i ngā hapū, i ngā whānau, arā, i ngā iwi. Mēnā kei reira tonu te hiahia, ka taea e tātau, kia ora.

[Thank you, thank you, everyone, and thank you, Minister Flavell. This day uplifts the spirit, and it is indeed appropriate. Although Peeni, our spokesperson for this bill, is not here, it is fitting that we outline our views on aspects relating to all parts of this bill. Much appreciation to all those who played a part in the Māori language—all of them: those who brought the petition before Parliament; those who started the kōhanga reo, who were involved in those schemes and Māori-medium primary and secondary schools; those who began Te Ātaarangi teaching method and Māori tertiary educational institutions, our esteemed male and female elders; and those who carried that passionate desire in terms of the well-being of this Māori language of ours and its cultural aspects. So there is a huge recollection of memories about them all. I do not really want to mention all their names lest someone is left out!

I think we must exercise caution when leaping aboard, in case the fundamental desire of this bill shifts. We must be vigilant! It has taken a long time to arrive at this moment to see a Māori language bill. I am greatly overjoyed within. My thoughts go back to the time when my grandfather Mahuta arrived here at this place. In those times, and although he fully understood it was a place where legislation of national significance was created to deal with matters that affected the nation, he waited a long time for the Māori translation of business here in English for distribution among us of Māoridom. Therefore this is an inspirational and spiritual, uplifting day indeed!

I reflect on some of the pillars of this bill. Firstly, I am committed to the view that there be an apology by the Crown in this bill. Tauranga Moana came before Parliament with all their matters, but there was not a provision at all about the Māori language. This is the right place for it. This bill is the proper place for the Crown to make an apology to all Māori tribes throughout the nation for actions by our schools. My thoughts reflect on the kinds of stories the old people related, and their hurt due to situations they experienced in schools in their time. And so I maintain I have yet to see an apology by the Crown in this bill.

Secondly, and in relation to the house, I ask the question: what kind of house is this? A Māori house or a Pākehā one? The Minister’s response was a new house, with Crown and Māori bargeboards—the Maihi Karauna and the Maihi Māori—and a Te Mātāwai ridgepole. A new house to revitalise aspirations for this Māori language of ours—how appropriate! I long to see that aspiration achieved.

I also asked about provisions concerning negotiations relating to Māori and Crown strategies, and not leaving it for one to merely go along to it. Only time will tell whether we can examine or knit the needs of the two strategies together, but I remain committed. Waikato has agreed to establish a tribal strategy. For me personally, that is wonderful. From the year 2025 and onwards, we want to see 80 percent of Waikato Māori speaking in the Waikato dialect. I am also aware that without engagement of mainstream schools, and all the schools in our regions, it will not be successful. This is why I have been diligent in questioning Te Mātāwai and Te Reo Tukutuku entities.

I have seen the four clusters and groups proposed by the Minister. The view remains steadfast that those groups be empowered to enable them to fulfil our desire for the Māori language to survive, and similarly kōhanga reo, primary and secondary Māori-medium schools, Te Ātaarangi, and Māori tertiary institutions. If those groups work collaboratively with tribal-aligned activities, the aspirations will be met. So as far as the other stories are concerned you are aware of them!

Perhaps the last point relates to the Crown’s part in terms of the Crown strategy, the Maihi Karauna. One suggestion was left among us, the Māori Affairs Committee, that the Ministry of Education should give due consideration to aspects of this bill. Perhaps there should be a provision in its role to work collaboratively. The response was that the majority of the Ministry of Education’s functions fall outside the scope. That is fine—the Minister is here to respond to those aspirations—but my understanding is that its primary functions are actually in our schools, easing and improving our aspirations for the Māori language and broadening its accessibility for all of us; not just for Māori alone, but for all of us. What with the work amongst us, schools, and those of huge significance, I do not really wish to burden us even further with that; perhaps Labour might alleviate that in due course.

Therefore, I truly appreciate your group of experts, the advisory group, and the important role it played when it undertook the task of travelling among our tribes—in other words, among communities—gathering information and seeking out views to bring back to be reflected in the bill. What I found most appealing was the innovative response to that aspiration: “What must we do to revitalise the Māori language?”. So there you are, this is an innovative response—a novel one.

Therefore, within that desire of all desires, we of Labour do strongly support this, despite the questions posed, the challenges issued as we expressed our views. The important thing is that this bill continues to move forward to be enacted as an example, a model. Perhaps in time, when all aspects within this bill are fulfilled, further amendments might be made and the bill strengthened. This is a beginning of a wonderful procedure for Māoridom to work collaboratively with the Government and the Crown, in other words. Therefore, on the basis of that, I must go back to the very spirituality of this day, knowing full well that the Māori language within us Māori members of Parliament is alive, as it is in the heart of the person and among the hapū, families, and, namely, the iwi. If the desire is there we will achieve it. Thank you.]

Tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakahaere, otirā, tātau huri noa i tō tātau Whare i tēnei ahiahi. Ko Hikurangi me Aorangi aku maunga, ko Waiapu me Waitaki aku awa. Ko Porourangi me Tahu Pōtiki me tō rāua wahine a Hamoterangi aku tīpuna, tēnei au he uri whakaheke o rātau mā, e mihi ki a tātau i tēnei ahiahi, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa!

Ā, kei te tika ngā kōrero kua kōrerohia e pā ana ki tēnei pire, he taonga Te Reo! He taonga te reo me ngā tikanga e pā ana ki tō tātau Reo, kāo! Me ngā tikanga e pā ana ki ō tātau Reo. Kei tēnā, kei tēnā, kei tēnā o ngā iwi katoa, ngā rerekētanga, ngā ātaahuatanga, ngā mita o ngā iwi katoa o Aotearoa nei. E tautoko ana ngā mihi ki a koe e Te Minita, nāhau tēnei mahi e hari, e kawe, e waha mō tēnei wā roa; kōrua ko tō rangatira i tō taha, ki a koe hoki Mārama! Ko kōrua ngā kanohi o Te Pāti Māori i tēnei wā, ā, me Tā Pita, me Kahurangi Tariana hoki i ō rāua wā! Hoi anō, ki ngā kaikawe katoa, ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa!

I ahau e tipu ana i te kāinga ki te wā kāinga o Ruātōrea, ko Te Reo anake, ki taku mōhio, e rere ana i ahau e tipu ana, ko Te Reo o Ngāti Porou. Kāre ko Te Reo Māori, ko Te Reo o Ngāti Porou, ā, me Te Reo o tēnā hapū, o tēnā hapū, o tēnā hapū, o tēnā whānau hoki. Nā reira, ka ako ahau i Te Reo i mua i taku haerenga ki te kura, ahakoa ngā kōrero mō te whakakorehia Te Reo e Te Kāwanatanga o tērā wā. I waenganui i ngā kāinga ko taku kōkā tētahi i tērā whakatipuranga.

Ko taku pāpā i hara mai mai i Te Wai Pounamu. Kāre Te Reo o Ngāi Tahu i taea a ia te kōrero ēngari, ko tōna whakahīhī mō tōna taha Ngāi Tahu i waenganui o Ngāti Porou. Nā, ka rongo ahau i Te Reo ēngari, ka ako ahau i Te Reo i ahau e haere ana ki te kura. Kei konei ētahi o ōku kōkā, ētahi o aku pāpā e whakarongo ana ki ēnei kōrero i tēnei ahiahi. Nā, i haere ahau ki te Kāreti o Ngata, tērā kāreti whakamaumahara mō Tā Apirana, i reira i ako ahau i roto i Te Reo.

Ā, ka haere au ki Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, i reira katoa ko ngā kaiako nō Tūhoe, nō Waikato hoki. Ā, kei a rātau ō rātau reo ātaahua hoki! I ahau i reira ka tuhituhi ahau i taku kōrero roa mō te tohu Masters i roto i Te Reo o Te Whare Wānanga. I tēnei wā, ka pānui ahau aku tuhituhi, kāre rawa atu ahau ka mōhio he aha te tikanga o ēnei kōrero! Ēngari, i tērā wā ko taku tino hiahia kia whakaatu atu ki Te Ao, āe, he mana tō Te Reo Māori. Nā reira ahau, ka tuhituhi i roto i Te Reo! Āhakoa kei te rongo tonu tātau ka tapepe taku kōrero, ka hauā i ētahi wā, hoi anō, koirā te tino wero ki a tātau! Kāre ko tēnei pire ēngari, me kōrero tātau i Te Reo! Ahakoa piki, ahakoa heke, ahakoa pai, ahakoa he aha! Ēngari, me kōrero tātau i Te Reo! Mehemea, kāre e taea tērā, ka mataku katoa tātau ki te kōrero i tēnei Reo ahakoa kua whakamanahia e te ture, nē? Koirā te tino wero ki a tātau katoa!

Me tāku e kī ana hoki mō te ture, kāre tēnei Reo o tātau e whai mana i roto i Te Ture. He mana anō tō Te Reo ēngari, he ture mō roto i tēnei Whare, mō te hapori whānui. Ka noho āwangawanga ahau mō tēnei āhuatanga, te kōkiri, ā, kia whai mana ngā tikanga, ngā mana whakahaere o ō tātau tikanga, Te Reo i roto i ngā ture nei! Ka noho āwangawanga ahau mō tērā! Nō te mea, kei waho i tēnei Whare ka rongo tātau katoa: “Oh, ko te mahi o Te Kāwanatanga o Te Karauna! Ka patu i a tātau i ngā tau kua pahure ake nei ēngari ka hara mai anō tātau ki roto i tēnei Whare te whai haere i tēnei ture kia whakamanahia ō tātau tikanga!”. Hoi anō rā, kei te pai tērā. He ao hōu mō tātau katoa.

Nā, mō tēnei āhuatanga ki Te Reo. Kua kōrerohia kēngia e te mema a Nanaia, te pātai pea: he Reo tēnei mō tātau anake? Ngā iwi, Te Iwi Māori? Mō tātau katoa rānei? Mehemea, ka tino whakapono tātau he reo taketake o Tēnei Ao, nō konei katoa tātau ahakoa Māori mā, ahakoa Pākehā? Ēhara te iwi Pākehā nō tētahi atu whenua! Nō konei tonu, nē? Mehemea ko te tino hiahia kia rongo tātau i tō tātau Reo, ō tātau Reo, kei te taha o ngā mahi tākaro, kei roto i ngā kura, kei roto i ngā wāhi mahi, kei whea ake rānei, ko tāku ki a tātau, me kōrero katoa tātau i tēnei Reo, kia pakari ai i roto i tēnei whenua kia pakari hoki ai te whakapāoho atu ki te ao whānui. Koirā, tētahi o ngā tino wero ki a tātau!

Nā, mōku i roto i tēnei tūranga Te Minitatanga mō Te Mātauranga, anei! Āe, tino tautoko ahau kia akonatia tēnei Reo ki roto i ngā kura katoa o Aotearoa; me ngā rawa hei whakapakari i Te Reo ēngari anō ko te wero ki a tātau, ka taea e ngā kaiako katoa te noho ki roto i ngā kura? He uaua te mahi, he uaua te mahi! I tēnei wā ka mihi ahau ki ngā Kōhanga. Kei roto i ngā Kōhanga te pūtake o te ako i Te Reo mā ō tātau kōhungahunga, ō tātau pēpi. Ka tonoa atu aku pēpi ki ngā kōhanga. Ka tīmata au i tōku ake kōhanga nō te mea ki a au, he tino kaupapa tēnei. Ka īnoi atu ki taku kōkā me taku tipuna kia hara mai mā rāua aku tamariki e ako, e whakatō ki roto i aku tamariki te tino aroha mō Te Reo nei.

Nā reira kua tangi te pere! Me mihi au ki Te Kōhanga, ki ngā kura, ngā kura kaupapa Māori, ngā kura ā-iwi, ngā kura auraki e kawe nei Te Reo. Ka mihi hoki ahau ki ngā Wānanga, ko rātau e kawe ana hoki i tēnei Reo. Ēngari mehemea kāre e puta atu ki te rāngai mātauranga, ki waenganui i a tātau katoa, he Reo mō te mātauranga, kāre mō tātau katoa. Nā reira, anei anō tāku, me akiaki, me whakahau tātau, kia kōrerohia tēnei Reo ahakoa he aha. Nā, ahakoa ka wareware Te Minita ki te paku mihi ki tēnei rōpū tōrangapū, e tautoko ana i ngā mahi kia whai mana ai tēnei pire. Kei te tautoko hoki Te Pāti Nāhinara tēnei mahi, nā reira, ka taea ki roto i tēnei Whare. Nō reira, huri noa ki a koutou katoa e mahitahi ana mō tēnei kaupapa ātaahua. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora tātau katoa!

[Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, but, at the same time, acknowledgments to us throughout our House this afternoon. Hikurangi and Aorangi are my mountains. Waiapu and Waitaki are my rivers, Porourangi and Tahu Pōtiki, who married Hamoterangi, are my ancestors, and I am a descendant of theirs; greetings, salutations, and welcome to you all!

The sentiments expressed about the Māori language in regard to this bill are correct. The language and its protocols are a treasure—correction—the protocols that relate to our Māori languages. Each and all of our Māori tribes here in New Zealand have their own variations, attractive aspects, and dialects; the different languages of all peoples here in New Zealand. I endorse the tributes accorded to you, the Minister for Māori Development. This responsibility was borne by you for this lengthy period; by you two and your co-leader, and you as well Mārama! You two are the faces of the Māori Party at this point in time, and Sir Pita and Dame Tariana in their time. And so to all of you who bore this responsibility, my huge compliments to you all.

When I was growing up back home, back in Ruātōrea, Māori was the only language that flowed as I was growing up. And to my understanding it was the Māori of Ngāti Porou. It was not the Māori language; it was the Māori language of Ngāti Porou; and the Māori language of that hapū, that hapū, and that whānau as well. So I learnt Māori before I went to school, despite statements made that Māori was banned by the Government of that era, and amongst the homes was my mother of that generation.

My father came from the South Island. He was not able to speak the Ngāi Tahu Māori but he was very proud of his Ngāi Tahu side in the midst of Ngāti Porou. Consequently I heard Māori while I was at school. Some of my aunties and uncles are here this afternoon listening to these contributions. So I went to Ngata College, that college which commemorates Sir Apirana Ngata; it was there I was educated in the Māori language.

I then went on to Waikato University. All the tutors there were from Tūhoe and also from Waikato—each of them showcasing the beauty of their dialects! While I was there, I wrote my thesis for my Masters in University Māori. When I read my writings now, I have absolutely no idea what these statements are saying. But at that time I really wanted to show the world that, by crikey yes, the Māori language has a status. That is why I wrote it in Māori! Even though we—us here—continue to hear that my delivery in Māori is not too flash or inarticulate at times, so what; that is my challenge to us. It is not about this bill but rather that we must speak Māori. Regardless of the ups, the downs, or whatever, it is imperative that we speak this language. If we do not do that, it will not happen! We will continue to be afraid to speak this Māori language, even though it has been enacted by law—right? That is the real challenge for us all.

In regard to the bill as well, I will say it will not enact this language of ours. The Māori language has its own place in the bill, but it is a must-have in this House and in the wider community. I remain uneasy about the speed at which our protocols and the Māori language are being enacted into these laws. I am concerned about that because outside of this House we are all hearing: “Oh, the Government and the Crown are doing it! They punished us in past years but we come back into this House once again to follow up on this bill, and to enact our protocols!”. However, that is fine. This is a new world for all of us.

Now, in regard to the Māori language, perhaps the member Nanaia addressed the question: is this a language for us only, for tribes, for Māoridom, or is it for all of us? If we truly believe Te Reo is the indigenous language of this country, we are all from here, be it Māori or Pākehā who are from another country—they belong here, do they not? If you genuinely want to hear our language and theirs as well alongside our sport, in our schools, and in our workplaces or wherever, I say to us all, let us speak this language, all of us, to strengthen it in this country and broadcast it worldwide. That to me is going to be one of the biggest challenges for us.

Now, in regard to this role of mine in the Ministry of Education. Yes, I am very much in favour of the Māori language being taught in all New Zealand schools with the resources to strengthen the language—but the challenge once again for us is whether all teachers will remain in the schools? It is a hard one to work through; it is really difficult. At this point I pay tribute to the Māori language nurseries. Learning the Māori language by our wee ones, our babies, is the root of what goes on in Māori language nurseries. I sent my babies to kōhanga by starting my own one because I considered this a matter worth pursuing. I begged my aunt and grandfather to come. I got those two to teach and instil into my children a real empathy for this Māori language.

And there goes the bell! I salute the Māori language nurseries, the primary and secondary Māori-medium schools, the tribal, and the mainstream schools teaching the Māori language. I also acknowledge Māori and mainstream universities and those teaching the Māori language too. But if it does not extend beyond the education sector and reach us all, it will become a language for academics and not for all of us. Therefore, I must reiterate, we must encourage and exhort ourselves to speak the Māori language, regardless of the consequences. Despite the fact that the Minister overlooked a small acknowledgment to this political party, it endorses the actions taken to enact this bill. The National Party supports this and, consequently, makes it possible in this House. Therefore, to all of you throughout who worked together on this beautiful initiative, well done and congratulations to you collectively. My appreciation to us all.]

I tipu ake ahau i roto i tētahi whare reo kotahi, kore e taea tōku pāpā rāua ko tōku māmā ki te kōrero i Te Reo Māori nā reira, waimarie ana mātou ko ōku tuākana, taku tuahine, i whai mātou tētahi kaiako tino rangatira, tino tohunga rawa, ko Charles Berryman tōna ingoa, te teina o Mānu Paul, nāna mātou i whakaakongia ki te kōrero i tō tātou Reo. I tīmata mātou i te tīmatanga o te haikura, reo kotahi, e 5 tau kua pahure ake nei, kotahi te mahi i pahurengia ahau i roto i te seventh form, arā, ko Te Reo Māori. Ahakoa te 51 paihēneti taku tatau i roto i te whakamātautau, kua pāhorengiakētia ahau. Koia te mea nui!

Nā reira, kei te mōhio ahau ngā piki me ngā heke o tēnei mea te ako i Te Reo Māori. E mōhio ana ahau i te whakamā ki te eke ki runga i tō mātou marae me te kore mōhio he aha ngā kōrero e whakahaerengia ki runga i te marae. I rongo hoki ahau te whakamā o tōku pāpā e eke ana i te marae, kore i te mōhio, me pēhea ia. Ko te mea tino nui rawa atu, pouri rawa atu, ko ōna mātua, tōku koroua rāua ko taku kuia, tino matatau rawa rāua ki Te Reo. Ko rāua ētahi i pōhēhē ko Te Reo Pākehā, te reo mō te ao ēngari, waimarie ana ahau kia whiwhi i tētahi mōhioranga i āianei ki te kōrero i tō tātou Reo.

I te tīmatanga o te pānuitanga tuarua i tīmata a Marama Fox me āna kupu “Hareruia, hareruia!” mō tēnei pire. Nāku i mea atu, ka whakataihoa ake ahau i aku hareruia kia kite rā anō i ngā hua o tēnei pire. Kua mutu te wāhanga māmā noa iho, arā, ko te tuhinga o tēnei pire. I nāianei ko ngā mahi pakeke, ngā mahi uaua, kia whai hua tēnei pire mā o tātou tamariki, kōhungahunga, rangatahi me ngā hapori Māori, me kī, ēhara mō ngā hapori Māori anahē ēngari mō ngā hapori whānui kei roto i Aotearoa ahakoa Māori, Pākehā, a wai atu rānei. Mehemea ka ora tō tātou Reo me kōrero te katoa.

Mehemea kei roto i tēnei pire ngā kupu “He taonga Te Reo Māori”, he taonga mō Te Motu whānui. Ko tātou ngā kaitiaki, kāre e kore, ēngari, mō tātou katoa o Te Motu tēnei taonga Te Reo Māori i te mea, nā Te Minita a Hekia i mea mai “Me kōrero Te Reo ahakoa kei hea, ahakoa ki a wai!”. E pai ana tēnā kōrero ēngari, mēnā e hiahia ana ahau te haere ki roto i te toa kei roto o Kaitāia ki te hokohoko āku mea, mēnā kore e taea e te tangata kei tua o te counter ki te kōrero Māori mai ki ahau, e kore e taea e au te kōrero i Te Reo i ngā wāhi katoa. Nā reira, koia tāku e akiaki ana i Te Motu whānui kia tautokongia tēnei pire.

E tika ana he mea pai kua tuhia te pire ki roto i ngā reo e rua, Te Reo Māori me Te Pākehā, ā, he mana tō Te Reo Māori ki runga ake i tō Te Reo Pākehā mehemea, he raru i waenganui i te whakapākehātanga. E pai ana tēnā! He mea tika ēngari koia tāku i kī ai, e pai ana wēnā āhuatanga ēngari, ki te kore tātou e kite wētahi hua kei roto i ngā tau e tū mai nei, he maumau taima! He maumau taima te tuhia tēnei ki roto i Te Reo Māori mehemea i roto i te 30 tau, e kore e taea e ō tātou tamariki te pānuihia tēnei ture.

E tautoko ana ahau i ngā kōrero o te tuahine nei a Nanaia e pā ana ki te whakapāhatanga. Tētahi o ngā kōrero a Te Karauna mō te kore whakapāha ki te iwi Māori mō te wēputanga ō ō tātou tamariki kei roto i ngā kura ko ngā pire Tiriti ka kāhorengia. Kei roto i aua pire he whakapāhatanga ēngari i te ata nei, e toru ngā pire Tiriti, tā Tauranga Moana, tā Ngāti Pūkenga, tā Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa. I roto i aua pire e toru ngā whakapāhatanga mō te muru whenua, te raupatu whenua, wērā āhuatanga katoa ēngari, horekau he whakapāhatanga kei roto i aua pire mo te wēputanga o ngā tamariki kei roto i ngā kura, me te raruraru kua pā nei ki tō tātou Reo. Nā reira, koia tāku e kī ana mehemea e pai ana ki te whakaae i wēpuhia ngā tamariki i roto i ngā kura, e pai ana ki te whakapāha mō aua hara o ngā kaiako, o te ture. Nā te ture i whakamanahia. I pai kia wēpuhia ngā tamariki e kōrero Māori ana.

[I grew up in a monolingual household. Neither my father nor my mother could speak Māori; however, my older brothers, my sister, and I were fortunate to have an excellent teacher, an absolute expert by the name of Charles Berryman, the younger brother of Mānu Paul, who taught us to speak our language. We began monolingual at the start of high school; 5 years later the only subject I passed in the seventh form was Māori language. Although I got only 51 percent in the exam, I passed it. That was the main thing!

So I am aware of the ups and downs in regard to learning the Māori language. I know about being embarrassed when I go on to our marae and do not know what is being said in the talk during the proceedings. I also felt the embarrassment of my father in that situation in terms of not knowing and not knowing how to deal with it. The most significant and saddest thing about it was that his parents—my grandfather and grandmother—both of them, were absolutely fluent and native speakers of the language. They were two of those who mistakenly thought the English language was the language of the world, but I was lucky to get some understanding now about speaking our language.

At the start of the second reading Marama Fox began with the words “Hallelujah, hallelujah!” in regard to this bill. I said to her that I would be cautious about my hallelujah until I see what the outcomes of this bill are. The easy part is done—in other words, writing the bill. The more onerous and more arduous task now is to ensure that this bill realises outcomes for our children, preschoolers, youth, and Māori communities—let us say not just for Māori communities, either, but for the wider communities in New Zealand, be they Māori, Pākehā, or whoever!

If our language is to survive, everyone must speak it. If the words “The Māori language is a treasure” are in this bill, then it is a treasure for the nation at large. Without a doubt we are the guardians; however, this treasure, the Māori language, is for all of us, the nation, because Minister Hekia said to us “Speak the language regardless of the place and to whomever!”. It is fine to say that, but if I want to go into a shop in Kaitāia to purchase things for me and the person on the other side of the counter cannot speak Māori to me, then I am unable to speak the language everywhere. So that is why I am urging the nation to support this bill.

It is a good thing indeed that the bill has been written in two languages, Māori and English, and that the Māori language version is above the English version should there be any discrepancies in the translation. That is fine! That is appropriate. However, as I keep harping on, those situations are all right, but if we do not see any benefits in the coming years ahead, it would be a waste of time! Writing this in the Māori language, if in 30 years’ time our children are unable to read this bill, will have been a sheer waste of time.

I support the contributions by this sister colleague Nanaia relating to the apology. One of the statements the Crown made as to why there was no apology to Māoridom for the corporal punishment administered to our children in schools was that the Treaty claims bills that have been passed already have an apology in them. But this morning there were three Treaty bills, belonging to Tauranga Moana, Ngāti Pūkenga, and Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa. In each of those three bills were apologies for land confiscation, land taken by force, all those kinds of things; however, there was no apology in those bills about corporal punishment administered to children in schools and the problem concerning our language. So that is why I have been saying that it is fine to admit that children were punished in schools for speaking Māori and to apologise for sins committed by the teachers and the law. The law enacted it. It was accepted that children were to be punished for speaking Māori.]

I will just translate some of the things I have said because I really want to make myself clear. It is great that this bill is reaching its final stages. In the second reading Marama Fox started off her speech with: “Hallelujah, hallelujah! It’s about time this has happened.” I agree. The big thing is that I am going to hold off my hallelujahs until I start to see the results of this bill because every 3 years the number of speakers declines by 1 percent. So in the next 3 years—so by 2019—we do not just expect to reverse that 1 percent decline; we actually want to see a 1 percent growth. In fact, we want to see more than 1 percent growth in the number of speakers of Te Reo Māori.

During the select committee process and the Committee stage, also, I spoke about the purpose of the bill not being explicit enough, because I joined the Māori Affairs Committee right at the end of this process, and the thing that jumped out at me from the bill was that it did not have the purpose of the bill being that we would increase the number of speakers of Te Reo Māori and that we would increase their fluency. I believe that should have been front and centre in the purpose of this bill. It was added. It is about the third clause down in the purpose clause and under a couple of other subclauses—clause 3(3)(b). I think that that should be right front and centre, because if we are not going to grow the number of Māori speakers and if we are not going to increase the fluency of Māori speakers, then what is this bill going to achieve? If we are going to see a 1 percent decline every 3 years in the number of Māori speakers, then in 30 years’ time we are basically going to have nobody left who can understand and read this bill, and that to me is more important than it actually being written in Māori.

There is a lot of work to do. The easy part has been completed. We have got this bill, and now we have to move on into the future. We are going to have the Maihi Māori and the Maihi Karauna. I say that the Maihi Māori must increase the number of contexts within communities where Te Reo Māori can be spoken. It needs to be able to support homes. Yes, schools—we have got to be careful that we do not put the burden or the onus of ensuring the survival of Te Reo Māori on schools. I think that is really unfair. I think that this is something that all corners of our community, all people in our communities, need to support us with, because if I want to walk into a shop in Kaitāia to buy something and the person over the counter there cannot speak Māori, then I cannot use Māori in all the contexts that I could use English in.

I think I said it before in a debate on this bill that people take for granted that we can just speak English wherever and whenever we want, but for the Māori who wants to speak Māori we cannot actually do that. We do not have the numbers of contexts any more in our communities where we can speak Māori to whomever, whenever. We need communities to get in behind and we need Pākehā to get in behind us, because in this bill it does say that Te Reo Māori is a taonga. It is a taonga for the whole country, not just for us. We are the kaitiaki, but it is a taonga for everybody.

Just one last story: when I was in Cardiff I remember standing on the train station and looking up. There was this sign written in Welsh. It said “Platform 9” in English underneath, and in Welsh it said something that looked like “Cwllcllcwll”—the Welsh language is all “C”s and “L”s. I just thought: “Well, is that not wonderful? Here in Wales, just on the train station, this is just a little sign, and it is bilingual. Why do we not have that sort of thing in New Zealand?”.

That is what we need. That is the sort of thing that this bill needs to ensure that we can see Māori everywhere, we can hear Māori everywhere, and we can speak Māori anywhere and to anyone at any time. Thank you.

Ā, tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā, ā, huri noa i Te Whare nei. E ngā tohuka o Te Reo Māori, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa. E Te Mana Whakawā, kua tae tonu te Pire mō Te Reo Māori ki tōna whakamanataka. Ēhara i te huarahi māmā te haere o tēnei pire kia tae ki te pānuitaka tuatoru, ēhara hoki i te mahi māmā mō Te Minita Te Hōnore Te Ururoa Flavell ki te arataki mai i te pire ki konei. Me mihi au ki Te Minita mō te mutuka pai mai o te pire nei, mō ngā whitiwhitinga kōrero mō te pai hoki o tā tātau mahitahi kia eke ai te pire.

Ka mihi au ki a Tā Pita Sharples, koinei tana pire mutuka i mua i tōna wehenga i Te Whare nei. Ahakoa ngā panonitaka ki te pire, mai i tōna kuhunga tuatahi mai, ka mihi tonu ki a Tā Pita Sharples mō tēnei āwhina nui mō te oranga o Te Reo Māori. Me mihi rā ki ngā āpiha mō ngā āwhina mai i te komiti whiriwhiri i ngā take Māori. Kia ora Tīmoti, kia ora Ben, mō tēnā, tae rawa atu ki ngā āwhina o Te Tari Ture o Te Pāremata, Briar, Tīpene/Stephen, tēnā kōrua.

Kia huri ki tēnei pire, te pire tuatahi kei roto katoa i Te Reo Māori, me te reo Ingarihi kia mara ake i te taha o Te Reo Māori te tuakana. Kāore e mutu aku mihi ki ngā kaiwhakamārama reo ā-waha mō ngā āwhina ki te komiti whiriwhiri i ngā take Māori. E Te Mana Whakawā, i kapi te taha mō ngā take o te pire e te komiti. He rā nui, whakaharahara mō Te Reo Māori tēnei rā, i te whakamanataka o te pire nei. E whakapono ana au, ka haruru te rongo i te pire whakaora reo, pēnei ki tēnei whakatupuraka.

I mua i te otinga o aku kōrero, me mihi au ki Te Hōnore Nanaia Mahuta mō tēnei tāpiritaka nāna i whakatakoto. E Te Mana Whakawā, kāore mātau o tēnei taha i tautoko i te tāpaetaka nā reira, kāore e whai wāhi ki te pire nei. Hoi, ka mihi ahau ki te mema me tōna hiahia kia whānui atu ki te whakaaetaka me te whakapāha a Te Karauna me tana wāhi mō patunga i Te Reo Māori. Kino, kino rawa atu ngā mahi a Te Karauna ki Te Reo Māori, kia mārama pai ki tērā. Hoi, kei roto i ngā whakataunga kerēme, kei waenganui i Te Karauna me tēnā iwi, me tēnā iwi, he whakaaetaka a Te Karauna mō āna mahi ki Te Reo Māori. Ko te mea pai ki a au, he whakaaetaka ka hāngai ki tēnā ake iwi, ki tēnā ake iwi. He rerekē te oro o Te Reo i tēnā rohe, i tēnā rohe. He rerekē hoki ngā whiunga a Te Karauna ki Te Reo i tēnā rohe, i tēnā rohe.

I Te Wai Pounamu, tērā te wā i tata mate Te Reo Māori. E kore e mutu ngā mihi ki ngā tāngata o Te Ika-ā-Māui e moemoe ki roto i a Kāi Tahu. E mau te aroha mō Te Reo ki a mātau. I ngā tau tata nei, ka pau te kaha o ngā mea pērā i a Hana O’Regan, i a Tahu Pōtiki, i a Rev. Maurice Manawaroa Grey, i a Eru Tārena, nā, ki te whakaora i Te Reo Māori ki roto o Kāi Tahu. Kia mahara tātau, ēhara nā ngā mahi a Te Karauna anake i pāheke ai tō tātau Reo.

Kei wareware tātau ki ngā rakatira whai mana pērā i a Tā Apirana Ngata, i kaha ki te tautoko kia reo Ingarihi ngā kaupapa ako i ngā tamariki. Ko te titiro a ngā rakatira nei, ka ngāwari ake te kuhu a Te Māori ki te ao tāwhitiwhiti a te Pākehā mēnā, e mōhio rātau ki te kōrero Pākehā. Hoi, i te kuhunga ki te ao Pākehā kātahi ka hē rawa atu tō tātau Reo. E Te Mana Whakawā, ko te whakaaetaka me te whakapāha a Te Karauna, me te patu i tō tātau Reo tētahi mea tino nui rawa atu. Ahakoa tērā, kāore i te tika kia whānui rawa taua whakapāha.

Kei te rongo ake i te aroha i roto i te hiahia o Te Hōnore Nanaia Mahuta, kia pērā te horapa o te whakapāha i runga tonu o ētahi ngā takahitanga i ngā tau ki mua. Hoi, ko te huarahi kua takoto e Te Minita, kua whai wāhanga ki tēnei pire, koirā pea te whakapāha tika ake. Kei roto i tā Te Minita whakapāha, e rārangi ana ngā tūkinotaka i rongo ai e Te Rōpū Whakamana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tae atu ki ngā whakaaetaka a Te Karauna kei roto i ngā whakataunga o ngā kerēme a tēnā iwi, a tēnā iwi, tata noa ki tēnei rā. Kei konei te pūmautaka a Te Karauna kia mahitahi mō ngā iwi me ngā Māori ki te whakaora, ki te tiaki i tō tātau Reo ā ngā rā kei te tū.

He hōnore ki ahau te noho hei heamana mō te komiti whiriwhiri take Māori i te wā o te pire nei. Whakapono ai au he pire nui tēnei mō te whakaora i tō tātau Reo. E Te Mana Whakawā, ka tāpae au i te pire ki Te Whare. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, e mihi atu ana ki a koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and everyone throughout the House. I acknowledge you, the experts of the Māori language; greetings and acknowledgments to you all. The Māori Language Bill is nearly at the end of its journey. This bill’s journey to its third reading has not been an easy one; neither has the Hon Te Ururoa Flavell’s task in guiding it here been easy. I acknowledge the Minister for Māori Development for finishing off this bill well, for undertaking the negotiations, and how well we have worked together to get the bill here.

I pay a tribute to Sir Pita Sharples, as this was his final bill before he left Parliament. Despite the amendments to the bill when it was first introduced, I acknowledge him still for this massive assistance in terms of the revitalisation of the Māori language. I must acknowledge the officials for the assistance they provided to the Māori Affairs Committee. Thank you Tīmoti and Ben for that, as well as the assistance by the Parliamentary Counsel Office, notably Briar and Tīpene/Stephen—yes, you two.

And so I turn to this bill, the first one that is totally in the Maori language, which takes precedence over the English version alongside it. My acknowledgments remain boundless to the interpreters and translators in terms of the assistance they provide to the Māori Affairs Committee. The purpose in regard to this bill has been covered. Today is a significant and great day for the Māori language when this bill is enacted. I believe the fame of the revitalisation of the language bill, like to this generation, will reverberate.

Before I conclude my contribution I acknowledge the Supplementary Order Paper 165 that the Hon Nanaia Mahuta submitted. We on this side do not support the submission, and as a consequence there is no place for it in this bill. However, I do acknowledge the member in her desire to expand the Crown’s acknowledgment and apology and the part it played in the punishment of the Māori language. The Crown’s actions upon the Māori language were really terrible and despicable; let us be clear about that. However, there is a Crown acknowledgment, between the Crown and each tribe, relating to its actions against the Māori language. What I like about it is that it is tribe specific. The dialect in that region and that region differs; Crown regional punishments vary.

The problem in the South Island was that the Māori language had all but disappeared at the time. We are ever grateful to the people from the North Island who married into Ngāi Tahu. We caught the passion for the Māori language from them. Much energy was expended in recent years by people like Hana O’Regan, Tahu Pōtiki, Rev. Maurice Manawaroa Grey, and Eru Tārena to restore the Māori language within Ngāi Tahu. We must remember that the decline of our language was not due to Crown action.

We must never forget noble leaders like Sir Apirana Ngata, who pushed hard for English to be the main language for educational purposes. The viewpoint taken by these leaders was that it would be easier for Māori to make their way through a Pākehā world if they were proficient in English. But this proficiency in English impacted badly on our language. There is an acknowledgment that the punishment of our language was a really significant factor in the demise of the Māori language, and for that we have an apology from the Crown. Regardless of that, a blanket apology is not the right way to go.

I feel the empathy in the desire by the Hon Nanaia Mahuta that the apology be a broad one over the injustices of years past. But there is provision in this bill for the pathway presented by the Minister. That apology is perhaps the more appropriate one. It refers back to the injustices that were heard by the Waitangi Tribunal, and the acknowledgments that the Crown has made in Treaty settlements to date. It also goes on to reiterate the Crown’s commitment to working with tribes and Māoridom to revitalise and protect our language in the future.

I deem it an honour to be the chairman of the Māori Affairs Committee during the period of this bill. I believe this is a significant bill to revitalise our language, and so I submit the bill to the House. My appreciation and thanks to you collectively and to us all.]

Tēnā koe e Te Māngai, huri noa ki a tātau i tēnei Whare, tēnā koutou katoa. Āe, ka tū au, he mokopuna tēnei nō ngā iwi o Te Tai Tokerau, ā, nō reira, nō Ngāpuhi, nō Te Rarawa hoki; whakawhiti atu ki Te Tai Rāwhiti, he uri tēnei nō Ngāti Porou. Tēnā koutou katoa. Ā, ka pōti whakaae ana Te Rōpū Kākāriki i Te Pire Reo Māori nei. Nō reira ko te tuatahi, i rongo au i tō kōrero e Te Minita Hēkia Parata me te wero, ahakoa te aha, me tū mātau ki te kōrero i Te Reo i ngā wā katoa. I mua i tōku tū i noho ahau e whakaaro ana: “Mmm, ka pīrangi au ki te tuku kōrero pai, ā, me tū au ki te kōrero i te reo pihikete—te reo Ingarihi. Ō, pai tēnā, āe.” I tuhi au i ngā tau kua pahure i tēnei kōrero e pā ana ki te haerenga o taku Reo: “English slides from my lips like silk and makes rough the sandpaper utterance that is currently my mother tongue.”

Ēngari, ahakoa tērā i rongo au i tō whakaaro rangatira, mēnā ka noho mataku mātau, ka noho wahangū mātau, ngā ihu hūpē ki ngā take Reo Māori katoa, ā, ka noho mataku mātau ngā ihu hūpē ki ngā take reo Māori katoa. Nō reira, auē, ka tū au ki te kōrero mō tēnei kōrero katoa i roto i Te Reo Māori. Kaua e pōhēhē, ko ngā kupu Māori tēnei pepa, ko ngā kupu Ingarihi anake. Auē! I titiro au; āe, he pai tēnei pepa, he pai hei tautoko hou māku ki te tuku kōrero hōhonu, āe! Ēngari, i roto i te reo Ingarihi anake. Ā nō reira, tērā pea ka karawhiua aku taringa e kaimahi ā muri i tēnei—kāo, kāo! Nāku tēnei pepa i hanga hei pou tautoko ēngari, kei hea ngā kupu Māori? Horekau? Horekau ngā kupu Māori ki tēnei pepa. He pepa e pā ana ki te pire, āe, ēngari i roto i te reo Ingarihi anake. Nō reira, nōku te hōnore ka tū au ki te kite i a koutou ngā tohunga reo, ngā kaiako reo, ngā kaitautoko, ngā kaimahi hoki o tēnei pire, he mihi hōhonu ki a koutou katoa. Tēnā koutou.

Ā, ko te tīmatanga o taku kōrero, ko te huarahi o tēnei pire. Ō, tuatahi tērā pea me mihi ahau ki a koe, e Te Tohunga, e Te Taniwha hoki, Tīmoti Kāretu, tērā pea me whakakapi ō taringa ki ōku hapa—kāo, kāo; a haere tonu ahakoa te aha. Mihi atu ki a Tā Pita Sharples mō tana mahi i te tīmatanga, ahakoa ki a mātau ngā Kākāriki, ahakoa ō mātau āwangawanga i tērā pire hukihuki, hoi anō i aua raru kua puta mai tēnei pire pai ake. Nō reira, mihi atu ki Te Minita Te Ururoa Flavell, me Te Rōpū Tohutohu Reo Māori mō te mahi whakapaipai—kia ora, kia ora!

I ngā wā katoa, i ngā kōrero mō te huarahi reo mō tātau o Aotearoa, tika ana ka hoki aku mahara ki ngā piki me ngā heke o te huarahi o Te Reo. Nō reira, ka huri au ki a rātau kua whakamanahia tō tātau Reo Haerenga, mai rā anō ki tēnei wā. Nō reira, mihi aroha, mihi hōhonu ki a koutou—pērā ki tōku kuia nō Hokianga, a Patricia Charlotte Grace Broughton, kia ora!

OK. Hā! Hei tā mātau o ngā Kākāriki, e rua ngā rautaki—Te Maihi Māori me Te Maihi Karauna. Ki a mātau ko te mea nui, ka pupuri tonu Te Karauna ki te mahi whakamana i Te Reo. Ki a mātau ko tērā te mea nui o ngā kaupapa e rua; e mahi ngātahi ana Te Maihi Karauna me Te Maihi Māori, he pai tēnā. Pai ki a mātau hoki, ka noho kaha tonu Te Taurā Whiri me Te Māngai Pāoho ki te tautoko, ki te hiki i te mahi o Te Karauna mō Te Reo Māori; pai ki a mātau hoki. Ka tirotiro mātau i te mahi, te haere o te mahi a Te Mātāwai. Pēhea te mahi whiriwhiri i ngā tāngata mō te poari? Pēhea te mahi tuku pūtea mō te mahi whakakaha i Te Reo? Ka noho mātau o ngā Kākāriki, ka āta tirotiro e pēhea ana tēnā ngā hua, ka aha rānei? Anō hoki, ō, kāo. Kua kōrero kē mō tēnā.

I tautoko mātau o ngā Kākāriki i ngā pepa tautoko, ngā pepa whakatika e toru pea: ko te pepa whakapāha, tuku whakapāha, te pepa tono mā Te Karauna ki te tuku whakapāha. Nō reira, he mihi atu ki tōku tuakana, a Nanaia Mahuta. Āe, he whakaae tonu kei roto i te pire, āe, he tika tēnā ēngari, i tautoko mātau ngā Kākāriki ki te tuku whakapāha kē. I tautoko hoki mātau i te pepa whakatikatika mō ngā rangatahi me ngā wāhine mō te poari o Te Mātāwai. Ka tautoko mātau i tēnā. Anō hoki, ka tautoko mātau ngā Kākāriki i tāku pepa whakatikatika ki te hanga arotake motuhake. Āe, kai te mōhio ahau he arotake tonu kei roto i tēnei pire ēngari, he arotake i Te Karauna kē. Ki ahau, ki a mātau, i kaha rawa atu te arotake mana motuhake i tēnei arotake Karauna. Auē! Āe, āe!

Kai te mōhio mātau, ko tēnei te tīmatanga noa iho. Āe, kua tuku kōrero pērā, ki te whakaaro ko tēnei te tīmatanga noa iho. Kāore tēnei te mutunga o Te Reo. Kāore tēnei te katoa o te haerenga mō te mahi whakakaha i Te Reo—ā, nō reira, hoki mai ki ahau. I nāianei, ka taea e aku tamariki katoa—tokoono, āe, āe, āe! Ki ō karu, āe, e tamariki tonu ana ahau, āe! Ngā tamariki tokoono ka taea e rātau te mātakitaki, te rongo i tō rātau māmā te tū ki roto i tēnei Whare, e kōrero ana i tō rātau Reo Tūpuna ahakoa taku wiriwiri, ahakoa ngā hapa katoa. Ā, nō reira, he pai ki ahau tēnei mahi a Te Minita. He pai ki ahau tēnei wāhanga, ka tū mātau katoa i tēnei Whare Pāremata ki te kōrero i roto i Te Reo, ki te tautoko i tēnei pire. He rā whakahirahira tēnei, nō reira. Tēnā tātau katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and acknowledgments to you all throughout this House. Yes, I am this grandchild who belongs to the tribes of the North and, therefore, of Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa too; and across to the East Coast, this one is a descendant of Ngāti Porou. I therefore rise and acknowledge you all! The Green Party votes in favour of this Māori Language Bill. In the first instance, I heard your statement, Minister Hēkia Parata, and the challenge in that, regardless of the situation, we must express ourselves in the Māori language at all times. Before I got up I was wondering: “Mmm, I want to say something nice so it might be better if I say it in biscuit talk—in English. Of course, yes, I must do that.” Years ago I wrote in an essay about how my Māori was progressing: “English slides from my lips like silk and makes rough the sandpaper utterance that is currently my mother tongue.”

That aside, I heard your profound message in that if we choose to live in fear, we the novices in all matters pertaining to the Māori language will remain silent forever. So I stand with some trepidation to deliver my entire contribution in Māori. No worries, this paper is about Māori words, but it has English words only! Heck! I have had a look—yes, this paper is fine, it will be a good one to help me deliver something of deep significance—great—but it is all in English. In that case my ears might get slapped afterwards by the office staff—no, no, not true! I put these notes together to help me, but where are the Māori words? Nothing? The Māori bits are not on this paper. It was a paper relating to this bill, yes, but it was solely in English. Therefore, it is my honour indeed to stand here and to see you experts, tutors, and supporters of the Māori language, and the officials, as well, of this bill. My profound acknowledgments to you. I salute you.

My address will commence on the bill’s procedure. Oh, but perhaps, in the first instance, I need to take cognisance of your presence the expert of all experts, the deity of all deities, Tīmoti Kāretu, and seek that you might cover your ears please to any grammatical blunders I make during my delivery in Māori—no, no, only joking; regardless of what happens, I forge on. I acknowledge Sir Pita Sharples’ contribution in the beginning despite the concerns of the Green Party with that first draft, but out of those issues has emerged this very much improved bill. So I commend the Minister for Māori Development, Te Ururoa Flavell, and the Māori Language Advisory Group for the improvements—thank you and well done!

In all the times and discussions about the procedure of the Māori language for we of New Zealand, it is fitting that thoughts go back to the ups and downs of the Māori language procedure. Therefore, I turn to those who enacted our Reo Haerenga, from way back to the present time. So, an affectionate and deep-hearted love to you collectively—like my revered elder nanny from Hokianga, Patricia Charlotte Grace Broughton, thank you!

Now then, we of the Green Party note that there are two strategies—the Maihi Māori one and the Crown one. The vital thing to us about the Crown strategy is that it maintains the power to enact the Māori language. Of the two strategies, that is the most important one to us; the Crown and Māori stategies work to collaborate and that is good. We are also pleased that the Māori Language Commission and the Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency will continue to work hard to support and lift the performance of the Crown where the Māori language is concerned; we like that as well. We will continue to monitor the performance and operations of Te Mātāwai. How does the selection process for the board work? How does funding to assist activities that revitalise Māori language recovery work? We of the Green Party will sit down to critically discern how those outcomes are doing, what is happening to them, or determine whether they be reviewed or not. That has been accounted for.

We of the Green Party have endorsed the three Supplementary Order Papers: the apology one, the submitting the apology one, and the one seeking the Crown apology. In that regard I acknowledge our elder colleague, Nanaia Mahuta. Yes, it is confirmed that there is an apology. That is correct, but we in the Green Party wanted to submit a separate apology of our own. We also supported an amendment that sought seats on Te Mātāwai board for youth and women. We support that. The Green Party also supported my own Supplementary Order Paper 167 to create a special review framework. Yes, I am aware there is a provision for a review in this, but it reviews the Crown instead. I think we consider that the review of the Crown should be a more robust and an independent one than the one proposed here. Heck yes, even more so!

But we do concede that this is merely a beginning. Yes, we have submitted a statement like that with the suggestion that this is only a starting point. This is not the end as far as the Māori language is concerned. This is not all of the trips to seek an apology for the Māori language—and so I come back to me personally. It is possible now for all my children, all six of them—yes, yes, yes! Yes, to your eye, I am still one, quite so! It is possible for the six of them to watch and hear their mum as she stands in this House, speaking in their ancestral language despite my nervousness plus all my grammatical errors. And what the Minister has done appeals to me. All of us standing up here in this House speaking Māori resonates with me. I enjoy this part where we speak Māori to support this bill. This is a significant day, so I therefore acknowledge us all. Thank you.]

Tēnā koe Mr Assistant Speaker, tēnā hoki tātou, tēnā hoki ngā kaimahi o Te Minita e noho nei i waenganui i Te ‘hare nei. Ki a koutou hoki karekau kē au i kite atu i a koutou ēngari, koutou mai i waho o Te ‘hare i kawe atu i tēnei kaupapa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou. Ā, i maranga au i te ata nei, ‘hakaaro ana au i te urunga mai o te pire nei mō te wāhanga mutunga, hiahia ana au kia kōrero i roto o tō tātau reo Pākehā nā te mea, tōku hiahia kia mārama mai te katoa o te āhuatanga o aku kōrero ēngari, tae mai au ki konei ‘hakarongo ki ngā kōrero i puta, mai i Te Minita, i tēnā o ngā kaikōrero i tū ake i mua i a au, ‘hakaaro ana au, ā, tēnā pea e tika ana kia kōrero i roto o tō tātou Reo Rangatira. Ēngari kia mōhio mai koutou ēhara mā tēnei pire e tohu mai ki a au kia kōrero Māori. Nā reira, he tohu tēnā kia mōhio mai kua tae kē te kanohi mangū o Tāmati e pā ana ki te pire nei, kia ahatia? Ngā mihi ki Te Minita, ka mihi hoki ki ngā mema o te komiti ‘hakawhiriwhiri i ngā take Māori, kia kawea mai te pire ki tēnei wāhanga.

Kei konei ētahi o ngā mea māharahara kei a mātou i roto o Aotearoa Tuatahi. I roto o tō mātou ‘hakaaro, ēhara tēnei i te pire kia tino ‘hakaorangia tō tātou Reo Rangatira nā te mea, kei konei ētahi o ngā huarahi i wātea ki a tātou i āianei nā. Mēnā ka titiro atu mātou te kaupapa a te Kāwanatanga i roto i ngā Kōhanga Reo, ngā Kura Kaupapa, ngā Reo Rua, ā, me ngā Whare Wānanga hoki. Ahakoa kei reira ngā huarahi ēngari, kei te taka haere ngā kaikōrero o tō tātou Reo Rangatira. Māku e mea atu ko te rongoā, kia ‘hakakahangia e te Kāwanatanga ngā pūtea o ēnei rōpū. Ēngari i roto te pire nei, horekau he kōrero mō te pūtea. Kāo! Koinā te mate, kei taihoa mātou mō tēnā. E aha ana te take kia taihoa mātou? Koinā te mate. Nā reira i a au nei i kōrero ki te āhuatanga o te pire i āianei nā.

Tuarua, ka kite atu i ngā rōpū ā-rohe, e kī nei regional clusters of iwi. Ahakoa, horekau e mōhio ana he aha nā ngā whakaaro o tēnā o ngā rōpū i waho o Te Tai Tokerau ēngari, tēnei tū ka kōrerohia te āhuatanga o te rōpū mō Te Tai Tokerau. Pai atu kia ‘hakarārangi ngā iwi o te kāinga—ēngari aro ana au, ko Te Kawerau-ā-Maki, ko Ngāti Rehua, ko Ngāti Manuhiri, ko Ngāti Whatua-ō-Kaipara, ā, ko Ngāti Whātua-ō-Ōrākei, nō waho o Te Tai Tokerau aua iwi. Nā reira, koinā te take i tū tetahi hui ki roto o Te Tai Tokerau kia ‘hakawhiriwhiringia te kaupapa nei. Ka kī mai tetahi rōpū, he rōpū tino nui rawa atu o te kāinga ēngari ki a au, o te ao—Ko Ngāti Hine tēnā—ka mea atu ki wā rātou kaikōrero, kia muku atu ngā īngoa, kia ‘hakarārangitia te rohe, waihotia ki reira nā te mea, i raro i tā rātou kaupapa e korekau e tika ana, kia tukuna atu tetahi iwi hei kaikōrero mō rātou. Nā reira, wēnā te take i tono atu ki a rātou ki taua hui ēngari, karekau kē i tau tēnā whakaaro.

Ēngari te mea e kata ana au, ko ia tetahi o ngā rōpū i roto i Te Tai Tokerau, e tū kaha ana ki te kawe atu i tēnei kaupapa ēngari ko te nuinga o ngā iwi o te hau kāinga, horekau he kaupapa pēnei. Tua atu i tēnā, mēnā ka kite ana i ā tātou te āhuatanga o te rōpū nei Te Mātāwai; he rōpū kaikōkiri i te kaupapa kia whakaorangia tō tātou Reo mō Te Iwi Māori, ā, me Te Māori hoki. Wēnā ngā kupu i roto te pire nei. Mēnā e kite ana tātou ki Te Iwi o Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, me Tainui, kua riro kē i a rātou i āianei nā. Kāre rātou i tatari mai kia ‘hakamana i te pire nei. Nā reira, e hakaaro ana mēnā kei a rātou te kaupapa nei kia whakaorangia tō tātou Reo i roto i wā rātou rohe, he aha ana te take kia whai pire? He aha ana te take kia hangangia te rōpū Te Mātāwai ki te tohutohu ki a rātou? Nā reira, koinā te take e mea atu ki Te ‘hare nei, kei roto te rongoā whakaorangia i tō tātou Reo Rangatira i wō tātou ringaringa.

Mēnā e hiahia ana tātou ki te noho tonu kua kore tātou e kite atu i te maha o ngā kaikōrero o tō tātou Reo rangatira e piki ana i roto o Aotearoa. I rongo au i te kōrero o te tuahine a Hēkia i tana pātai, ko wai tēnei pire, mō wai? Mō te iwi Māori nahe? Mō te iwi whānui o Aotearoa rānei? Nā te mea taku kitenga i tēnei wā, ā, ko te iwi whānui e tū kaha ana, e hiahia ana ki te ako i tō tātou Reo Rangatira i tēnei wā. Inapō, ka kite au i tētahi tauira Pākehā, tū kaha ana ki te kōrero Māori, i runga te pouaka whakaata. Nā reira, māku e mea atu ki a tātou o Te Ao Māori, kia tūpato—kua riro te kaha ki te kōrero i tō tātou Reo Rangatira i ngā Pākehā! Ahau nei nā, horekau he raru ki tēnā, ēngari, karekau kē e hiahia ana tātou o Te Ao Māori kia amuamu anō.

Tua atu i tēnā, ka kite ana au i tētahi rārangi schedule 3A, “Organisations comprising Te Reo Tukutuku”. Mēnā e kite ana i a tātou te pire nei, kei konei tetahi rōpū karekau kē e hiahia ana kia noho ki roto te rōpū nei. Horekau mōhio ana he aha te tino take e hiahia ana rātou i tēnā. Ēngari, ko te rōpū Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i Te Reo Māori, nā rātou i tono atu ki Te Minita, kia mukua atu tā rātou rōpū mai i tēnei pire. Ki a au nei, koinā tetahi o ngā mea e māharahara ana au—he aha ana te take?

Ka mutu, ka huri taku whakaaro ki te ‘hakapāha i uru mai i Te Minita. Mōhio ana au, mēnā karekau kē tā mātou tangata i roto o Te Tai Tokerau, a Dover Samuels, i puta mai i wana kōrero, auē, kārekau i tēnā pea. E tika ana kia tono atu ki Te Karauna kia hakapāha mai ki a tātou o Te Ao Māori, i te wā i wepua rātou mō te haere ki te kura ki te kōrero Māori; nā reira, koinā te take, ki a au nei, e kite ana tātou i te ‘hakapāha i tuhia atu e Te Minita i roto o Te Whare nei. Ahakoa kei te tautoko wēnā whakaaro a Te Rōpū Reipa, kia ahatia. Ēngari, i tae atu ki te mutunga o taku mihi, taku kōrero, kārekau mātou e kite atu i tēnei pire, he pire rongoā hei ‘hakaora tonu i tō tātou Reo Rangatira. Nā reira, tēnā koe tēnā tātou katoa!

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. Acknowledgments to us all, to the Minister’s officials seated in our midst here in this House, and to those of you whom we are unable to see but are out there away from this House and this debate that is being broadcast to you; salutations, greetings, acknowledgments to you collectively. When I got up this morning and thought about the arrival of this bill before us for its final stage, I was intending to deliver my speech in our English language because I wanted to ensure that every aspect of my contribution would be covered and understood. But when I got here and listened to the Minister for Māori Development and to the others who preceded me, I reconsidered and decided it might be more fitting perhaps if I spoke in our esteemed language. But you must understand that the mind change was not due to this bill compelling me to speak Māori, in actual fact it is signalling that Tāmati’s face—of darkened complexion, as far as this bill is concerned—is speaking to it. Acknowledgments to the Minister, and also to the Māori Affairs Committee who progressed the bill to this point.

There are some concerns here for we in New Zealand First. It is our view that this bill will not assist the revitalisation of our noble language, because there are procedures that are readily available to us at this very moment. Let us consider the Government’s policy in regard to kōhanga reo, Māori-medium schools, bilingual schools, and Māori-medium at tertiary level as well. Although systems are there, the number of fluent speakers of our esteemed language continues to fall. I assert that to remedy this decline the Government needs to make more funding available to these institutions. However, there is no funding provided in this bill. That is the problem; we cannot hang on for that. Why must we wait and see what happens— hanging on is the problem. That is an aspect of this bill as I am talking about right now.

Secondly, I note the regional groupings are as per regional clusters of iwi. Even though I do not know what the situation is in regions outside Northland, I can stand here and talk about the situation as it relates to us in the North. Grouping ourselves back home as a tribal cluster is fine, but as far as Kawerau-ā-Maki, Ngāti Rehua, Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Whatua-ō-Kaipara, and Ngāti Whātua-ō-Ōrākei are concerned, those ones are deemed to be outside of Te Tai Tokerau. And that was the reason a meeting to negotiate this matter was held in Te Tai Tokerau. A rather prominent and sizeable group at home, but to me in the world—I refer to Ngāti Hine—asked their representatives to delete the list of iwi and replace it with a regional map, and leave it at that because, according to their policy, it is not right for some other representative to speak for them. That is the reason why they were invited to that meeting, but the matter was not resolved.

But what amuses me is that Ngāti Hine is one of the clans in the North who is a strong supporter of language revitalisation. Most of the other iwi clans back home have not progressed their Māori language programmes to the point that Ngati Hine is at today. Furthermore, if we look at what this Te Mātāwai group is about, it is one that has been established to revitalise the Māori language for the Māori people and Māoridom as well. Those are the words in this bill. If we look at what the tribes of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, and Tainui have done, they have already instigated initiatives to restore their language. They have not waited for this bill to be enacted. So I am wondering, if they have found a way to restore our language in their regions, why is there a need to have this bill? Why set up a Te Mātāwai group to advise them? That is what I have to say to this House—the remedy to restore our noble language is in our very own hands.

If we do nothing we will never see the growth of Māori language speakers in Aotearoa. I heard the tenor of my sister colleague Hēkia’s sentiments when she asked who this bill is for. For Maori only? Or for the people of New Zealand at large? Because as far as I can see at this point in time, the general population’s support is strong, and they are really wanting to learn our noble language. Last night I saw an example of a Pākehā talking fluently in Māori on television. My warning to us of Māoridom is to be careful—or the ability to speak our esteemed language fluently will become dominantly Pākehā! For me, personally, I do not have a problem with that, but I do not want us in Māoridom to moan about that as well.

Further to that, I refer to the line, schedule 3A, “Organisations comprising Te Reo Tukutuku”. If we have a look at this bill, there is a group here who do not want to be in this panel. I do not really know the real reason why they do not wish to be a part of that. However, the Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i Te Reo asked the Minister to delete their group from this bill. That is a somewhat perplexing situation to me—what is the reason?

Finally, my thinking turns now to the apology the Minister introduced. I know for a fact that if our man from the North, Dover Samuels, had not come out with his passionate comments about it, heck, there would not have been an apology. How apt indeed that an apology be sought from the Crown to those of us of in Māoridom for the time it punished us for going to school to talk Māori; to me, that is the reason why we are seeing an apology in this House. And at the same time we endorse those sentiments by the Labour Party, regardless. And so I have reached the end of my congratulatory statements and address. We really do not see this bill as a long-term remedy in the revitalisation of our noble language. So acknowledgments to you, and my appreciation to us all.]

Tēnā koe, e Te Mana Whakawā, i mua i te tīmata ki taku kōrero e hiahia ana ahau he kōrero e pā ana ki te karanga waea i tōku mokopuna i te pō.

“Ring ring! Nanny J! Nanny J! Kei te ako au he Reo Māori i taku kura!”

“Aw! Ka pai mokopuna! He kura Pākehā?”

“Āe, Nanny J, he kura Pākehā!”

“Kei te aha koe i ngā kupu e mōhio ana e mokopuna?”

Ā, he kōrero ia, he kōrero ia, he kōrero ia. Kei te tū au ki te mutunga o te waea nā te mea, ka kōrero ia i te pō e roa.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. Before I start my address I want to relate a telephone conversation with my grandchild last night.

“Ring ring! Nanny J! Nanny J! I am learning some Māori at my school!”

“Aw! Well done, grandchild! A Pākehā school?”

“Yes, Nanny J, a Pākehā school!”

“What are you doing with the words that you know, grandchild?”

He talks, and talks, and talks, and I stand up to end the telephone conversation, because he will talk long into the night.]

What I was just saying there is that my mokopuna is learning Te Reo Māori at his playgroup. I am really proud that he is doing that, because I have not had a chance to teach him anything in Te Reo Māori. So when he rang me last night and told me that, I posted it on Facebook, and a whole lot of my friends came on and said: “E kuia, you’d better hurry up yourself, so you can have good kōrero with him.”

Kei te mihi au ki ngā kaimahi a Te Minita mō ō rātou mahi mō tēnei pire, ā, tēnā koutou. Ki te whānau tautoko i tēnei pire, ka nui te mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.

Ā, tīmata i te pire, e rua ngā mea i whakakore ia Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 1987 me te Wāhanga 4A o Te Ture Pāpāho 1989. Ka whakatū te rōpū Te Mātāwai, whakaū ēnei huringa Reo Māori hei taonga o Te Iwi me Te Māori. Whakahē ana te iwi ririki kei te ako i Te Reo me Te Māori hei Reo e pā ana mō Aotearoa (i), he (a). Te whakatū Te Mātāwai hei hinonga ture motuhake ki te whakarato i te ārahitanga mō ō whakahaere reo iwi me Te Māori i roto i tō tūranga hei kaitiaki o Te Reo Māori, he rārangi 19(1)(e) i roto e tautoko o taua tūranga. Whakarato hoki i te hokohoko o Te Taurā Whiri i Te Reo Māori, me Te Reo Whakapuaki Irirangi rite ki te hinonga Karauna motuhake.

Kua riro nui te mahi ki tēnei pire tika ki runga ki tēnei rā me te pīrangi meinga tātau hohoro. Nā reira, ka mutu taku kōrero, he kōrero iti ki te whakataukī i te rangatira wahine nō Tainui ia, ko Te Pūea Hērangi: “Ko te pūāwaitanga o ngā moemoeā me whakamahi.”

[I acknowledge the officials of the Minister for Māori Development for their efforts on this bill, and so I commend you. A huge acknowledgment to all of you who supported this bill.

I commence with the bill, and there are two things: the repealed Māori Language Act 1987 and Part 4A of the Broadcasting Act 1989. Te Mātāwai is established to affirm these changes of the Māori language as a treasure that belongs to the tribe and Māoridom. A minority teaching the language with Māoridom oppose the Māori language as a language for New Zealand in (i) and (a). Te Mātāwai is established as an independent entity to provide leadership in terms of your administration of tribal dialect and Māori in your position as a guardian of the Māori language. There is a clause 19(1)(e) in it supporting that role. It also markets the Māori Language Commission and the Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency like independent Crown entities.

Much effort has gone into this bill; let us focus directly upon this day in the hope that we get on with it quickly. Therefore I end my address with a few words from that proverb by that noble lady from Tainui, Te Pūea Hērangi: “Implement that which will come to fruition through dreams.”]

Dreams become reality when we take action, and today we will take action on this bill. Kia ora.

The call is a split call. Marama Fox—5 minutes. Tēnā koe.

Tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā. Harerūia, harerūia, harerūia e Te Whare, kua tae mai ki tēnei rangi! Ēhara i te mea ko te pire nei tēnā hai whakatika i tō tātou Reo, kārekau! Ēngari anō he huarahi tēnei, he huarahi hōu! Mai rā anō mātau kua whawhai, kua hīkoi, kua porotēhi i runga i te huarahi mō Te Reo, te rangatiratanga, ngā take whenua katoa. Hōmai te pūtea ki a mātou e Te Kāwanatanga mā mātou tēnā e kawe! Koirā te karanga, koirā te take e hīkoikoi ai tātau Te Iwi Māori ki runga i te whenua. I nāianei, kua riro i a tātau te pūtea me te mana i roto i Te Mātāwai! E hika, kai hea atu i te iwi, te tiaki pai i tō tātau Reo?

Mai rā anō tātau kua whawhai mō tēnei kaupapa, kua wero i Te Kāwanatanga, i nāianei, kua whai mana Te Reo i roto i Te Ture, kua whai mana tō tātau iwi hai kawe i tēnei kaupapa, te kaupapa whakaora ai i tō tāua Reo! Koirā te take e harerūia atu ana! Me kōrero tātau i te kāinga ka tika! Ko tō tātau tupuna tēnā a Paora Pōtangaroa, nāna te kī i roto i tana ōhākī, “ka ngaro Te Reo o Wairarapa ēngari mā ngā tamariki Te Reo e whakahokia mai”, ka tika, ka tika! Kua mate mate haere ngā kaumātua i te kāinga, kāre mātau i te mōhio ki tō tātau Reo ēngari anō, kai Te Whare Pukapuka o Aotearoa nei, e 120 ngā pukapuka i Te Reo Māori nā ō mātau ake tūpuna i tito, ngā kōrero o Te Whare Wānanga, ngā kōrero mō Mohi Mātorohanga, mō Nēpia Kōhūhū.

Nā Te Whatahoro tēnā, nā Kumeroa Āporo tēnā, ngā kaitito kai roto i Te Whare Wānanga. Ēngari anō mō Te Wairarapa ake, kāre e paku mōhio te whānui mō aua pukapuka i ngā tau kua hipa atu. Kai roto i ngā Whare Wānanga aua kōrero e rere haere ana, kāre tonu mātou i te kāinga e paku mōhio ki aua kōrero, kua ngaro kē Te Reo! Ēngari, harerūia, harerūia mō ngā kuia i whakatū ai i ngā Kōhanga Reo, kai taku ngākau te mahi o Te Kōhanga Reo, e Te Kahurangi Iritana, kai te mihi atu ki a koe me tō kaupapa. Ēhara i te mea ko koe anake, mōhio pai au ki ngā kuia kai roto i ō rātou whare, ō rātou whare rau e akiaki ana i tō tāua Reo. Kararaina, ko koe anō tēnā e tautoko ana i Te Kahurangi i tēnei wā ēngari anō, mō te kaupapa o Te Kōhanga Reo. Kātahi ka whai atu ki te whakatinana i Te Aho Matua hei kaupapa mā Te Kura Kaupapa Māori. Kai konei aua ngā kura, Ngā Mokopuna, tēnā koutou!

Kanapū, tēnā koe, i kawea mai ō tamariki, mai i Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna. Te Kura Māori o Porirua, kai konei koutou. Kai te mihi atu ki a koutou me ō koutou kaiako! Mel, kei te tika tēnā nō te mea, kei roto i te ringa o ngā tamariki, mokopuna, tō tāua Reo. Koinei taku wero atu ki ngā iwi, ngā māngai i runga i Te Mātāwai, tukua, āe, tukua ki te hunga rangatahi. Tukua ngā tūru ki te hunga rangatahi, wāhine mā, tāne mā! Kāre au i te āwangawanga mō Te Mātāwai. Kai te mōhio au mehemea ka tukua ki ngā tangata tika, ka ora tonu ai tō tāua Reo. Kai roto i ō koutou nā ringaringa tamariki mā, mokopuna mā, rangatahi mā, mō ngā rangi kai te heke mai. Kāre Te Ture i te oranga o Te Reo, ko te tangata kē! Kai roto i te ringa o te tangata!

Paku mihi whakamutunga, ki a koutou o Te Taura Whiri, o Te Māngai Pāoho, he mahi kai te haere i roto i Te Kāwanatanga, hei whakaora ai i tō tāua Reo. Nā reira kai te mihi ki a koutou! Tāngia Te Reo, whakatōhia mai te kākano i roto i te ngākau, kia puāwai ai tō tāua Reo i runga i te whenua mō tātau katoa, tēnā koutou, e Te Mana Whakawā!

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah in the House; this day has arrived. It is not as though this bill will fix up our Māori language; not at all. Rather, it is a pathway, and an innovative one. We have been fighting, marching, protesting for some time now on the road for the Māori language, for sovereignty, and for all issues pertaining to the land. Oh Government, give us the funding; we can administer it. That has been the call. That is why we of Māoridom marched throughout the country. Who else but iwi will do a better job at taking care of our Māori language?

We have been fighting for this for a long time. We have been challenging the Government, and now the Māori language has status through the Act. Our people have the authority and responsibility to advance this matter in terms of revitalising our Māori language. And that has given cause to exclaim “Hallelujah!”. Of course, it is imperative that we speak it at home. It was that ancestor of ours Paora Pōtangaroa who uttered in his dying speech: “The Māori language of Wairarapa will be lost, but it will be our children who will bring it back.” How true, how right.

The elders who used the Māori language back home have all gone now, and we do not know our Māori language. However, in the National Library there are 120 books in the Māori language that our ancestors wrote for their records—about Mohi Mātorohanga and Nēpia Kōhūhū. It was Te Whatahoro and Kumeroa Āporo who were scribes in the university. But for us born and bred in Te Wairarapa, we were totally unaware of those books as the years went by. Those stories are flying around in the universities, but we back home were totally ignorant of those stories because we had lost the Māori language. And so, hallelujah, hallelujah, and hallelujah for the kuia who set up the Māori language nurseries.

The work of the kōhanga reo is quite dear to my heart. I salute you, Dame Iritana, and your scheme. It was not as though you were alone in that scheme. I am very aware of the many other kuia who were in their homes, in hundreds of homes, encouraging the use of our language. Kararaina, you too are one of those who supported Dame Iritana at the time of the Māori language nurseries scheme, and then you went on to develop Te Aho Matua philosophy as one for Māori-medium schools. Such schools are here today. Ngā Mokopuna, greetings to you all.

To Kanapu, my thanks to you for bringing the children of Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna, and Te Kura Māori o Porirua are all here as well. I pay tribute to you and your teachers. Mel, it is correct, is it not, that our language is in the hands of our children now. And this is my challenge to the tribes and to the representatives of Te Mātāwai: let it be passed on. Release it to the younger generations. Give up the seats to the young people—the young women and young men. I have no concerns for Te Mātāwai. I know that if the right people are appointed, our language will indeed survive. So the future is now in your hands, children and grandchildren, and all the young people. It is not the law that will bring back our Māori language; it is people. It is in the hands of people.

In conclusion, a brief acknowledgment to you of the Māori Language Commission and the Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency—there is still work to be done by the Government in reviving our language and so I compliment you all. Create the Māori language and plant the seed in the heart so that it will flourish upon the country for us all. I commend you collectively.]

Ka tangi te kākā, ka tangi te tītī, ka tangi ko ahau, tihei mauri ora!

[The kākā laments, the muttonbird laments, and so do I. Behold the breath of life!]

I rise to take this call for the third and final reading of Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori / Māori Language Bill, which, I feel, is truly historic. Ko tōku nei wawata ka taea e tātou katoa e nohonoho nei ki a Aotearoa te tuku i Te Reo Māori, Te Reo o ōku rangatira, Te Reo taketake o Aotearoa kia rere ai.

[My real wish is that all of us living here in New Zealand can unshackle the Māori language, the language of my esteemed ones and the indigenous language of New Zealand, and let it flow.]

All New Zealanders—all of us—should be able to speak our indigenous language. Some of us struggle with it, and we will continue. I see that if we learn this language, then we strengthen our nationhood. Of our total population, only 3.73 percent can hold a conversation in Te Reo Māori, and I am one of those 3.73 percent.

Language is not just about how we communicate; language forms us. Language—our language—expresses who we are and where we are from, and language dictates how we think. Twenty one percent of Māori speak Te Reo and it is slowly declining. The statistics show that there are more speakers of Te Reo Māori in the over-60-year-olds, and that kind of explains why there is that slow decline. As people get older and we are not bringing the others through, the reo starts to decline.

My hope—and I am sure it is the hope of this entire House—is that this bill and the revitalisation strategies within it will reverse that decline. The benefit of Te Reo is that we know where we are from. We know who our people are. We know who we are. Essentially, we know our place in the world. And to be without that knowledge is to be dislocated from an essential part of the story about ourselves. It is all too common among Māori across this country, and that plays out in the woeful statistics that we see in health outcomes, in the early death rates, around our low educational achievements, in employment, and even in our pay rates. Te Reo is a taonga, and it is the Government’s duty and the duty of all people in this country to protect it and work on it becoming the flourishing and beautiful language that it should be and that we should all have access to.

The story of the decline of Te Reo in this country is the story of colonisation, and the true story of colonisation is not known by most New Zealanders because it is not taught in schools. We do not commemorate those who died in the Land Wars in the Waikato, for example, or have the mainstream understand that the true meaning of 5 November is not Guy Fawkes. The true meaning of 5 November is when 1,600 volunteers and armed constabulary invaded the peaceful settlement of Parihaka and arrested Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi.

Without that understanding of who we are, where we have come from, and the history of this land, then our nationhood is fractured, and the sad histories that are outlined in every Treaty bill—the sad histories of iwi and hapū—are unknown to many New Zealanders . It is so, so terrible that most mainstream non-Māori New Zealanders do not even get to understand, or get an inkling of, what happened.

I have heard of kids my daughter’s age talk about the fact that they do not learn anything about the Treaty of Waitangi, anything about the true history of this land, until they are at university. That is a sad indictment on all of us, and on all of us here in this Parliament, where we should be making laws to ensure that all our kids have access to the true history of this land and access to Te Reo Māori as a core subject in schools. We have got a long way to go, but this is a beginning. It is a continuation, but it is also a beginning, and the Greens are committed to getting there.

Tēnā koe, Mr Assistant Speaker. E rau rangatira mā, e ngā iwi katoa, tēnā koutou. Ko Ngāti Maniapoto rāua ko Ngāti Wai ōku iwi nō reira, kia ora mai tātou. E hikohiko ana ki te kōrero e pā ana tēnei mahi hirahira i tēnei rā. Mō ngā iwi katoa Te Reo, he taonga. Mō ngā iwi katoa tēnei pire, e kaha Te Reo mō te wā e heke mai nei. Nā te mea i tēnei tāima, e tū ana ahau i roto i te aroaro o whaikōrero whakamiharo, ka mahi te kupu nā, ā, ka huri ki te reo tuarua.

[Greetings, Mr Assistant Speaker. To esteemed ones and to all tribes, I acknowledge you collectively. My tribes are Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Wai, so greetings. I am enthused to make a contribution today on this significant matter. The Māori language is for all tribes, and it is a treasure. This bill is for everyone, and the language must be resolute in future times. At this moment I am standing before an audience of eloquent speech-makers in Māori who use it well; because of that, I turn to the second language.]

In the presence of such beautiful Māori language speakers, my humble offering pales. None the less, I want to commend this bill for how it embodies and preserves Te Reo in New Zealand culture. Clause 6A(2)(e) in Part 1 of this bill talks about how “knowledge and use of the Māori language enhance the lives of iwi and Māori:”. I believe this to be true, and I believe it to be true for all New Zealanders.

Educational organisations recognise that being bilingual conveys definite benefits to students. They are more creative in their thinking, they have greater awareness of the syntax of language, they are more sensitive to the nuances of communication, and they are better able to detect hidden patterns and figures. In the learning context, I did enjoy Minister Parata’s description, in the Committee of the whole House, of learning Te Reo and coming home and being corrected by her whānau.

There are many paths to learning Te Reo. My path was different. I had been in and out of night courses over the years and could not quite get to the next level. For me, the tipping point actually came in my early 40s. For my path, I had been running a free marae-based medical clinic west of Whangarei for 10 years. We reached our 10-year celebration and the local people said: “Shane, you do everything for us. What can we do for you?”. I said: “I really need to get to the next level of Te Reo. That’s my goal. I’ve been in and out of it, but I haven’t got there. Can you help me with that?”. What they said to me was: “Yeah, sure, Shane. Here’s what we’ll do. First of all, everyone who comes to the clinic from now on who speaks Māori, ka kōrero i Te Reo anake—they will only speak Māori to you.” The second thing they said was: “Kura kaupapa is not an environment for adults to learn Māori, but the principal of the local kura kaupapa is of this area. If we speak with him and he agrees, here’s the deal: one morning every week you will go to the kura kaupapa and you will take a 20-minute health message and teach it to the children there.”

So around about 2005, for the first term, every Thursday morning if you looked at my appointment book, you would see it struck out with “home visit”. No, I was not on a home visit; I was sitting on a children’s chair at the kura kaupapa, immersed in Māori, learning Māori with the children. Children were forgiving—they forgave me my poor pronunciation. But what that immersion did do was tip me into that level of confidence and to the next level of speaking. For that, I am very grateful. I am grateful to the community, and I am certainly grateful for the people at the kura kaupapa.

This was my path to Te Reo, but many paths can arrive at the same destination. What is important is that we start the path and keep moving. In that spirit, then, and in the short call that I have here, I would like to commend the Minister for Māori Development, I would like to commend officials, and I would like to commend the Māori Affairs Committee, led very ably by my friend and colleague Nuk Korako. In conclusion, I commend this bill to the House.

The next call is a split call of 5 minutes—Adrian Rurawhe.

Tēnā koe Te Māngai o Te Whare, otirā, ko Pāraikaretu Te Maunga, ko Whangaehu Te Awa, ko Whangaehu Te Marae, ko Rangitāuaua Te Whare, ko Ngātirangiwa’o te ‘apū, ko Ngāti Apa te iwi, ā, tihei mauri ora!

Ā, tino hari koa ahau kia tū ake ki te tautoko i tēnei pire, Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori. I te wā o te wāhanga komiti o Te Whare, ka tuku ahau i tēnei kōrero: “ ‘Kia mau ki tō Reo e te iwi. Ka nui te ngaro haere o tēnei ā’uatanga. Nā tō Reo oki, ka mō’iotia ai he Māori. Ka kūare koe ki tō Reo, ka meinga koe nō ngā whenua noa atu.’ ” Koinā te kōrero o tōku tipuna i te tau rua tekau mā whā o tērā rau tau, ā, e tū tonu ana taua kōrero.

I te wā e haere ana āku mātua tūpuna ki te kura, ka patua rātou e ngā māhita i te wā ka kōrerotia e rātou Te Reo Māori. I te wā e haere ana ōku mātua ki te kura, ka kōrero Pākehā anakē rātou. Otirā, ko ōku mātua tūpuna e kōrero ana ki a rātou i Te Reo Māori, ā, ka whakahoki rātou i te reo Pākehā. Ā i te wā i tipu ake au ka tipu ake au i roto i te reo Pākehā anakē. Otirā, i ngā wā ka haere au ki te whakamoemiti i te Rātapu, ka rongo au i Te Reo, ka tukuna atu rātou i ngā karakia whakamoemiti i Te Reo Māori anakē. I pātai atu au ki taku whaea ki roto i Te Reo Pākehā: “He aha ai ka kōrero Māori rātou anakē? Kāore au e mārama ki ā rātou kōrero!”. Nāna i kī mai ki ahau: “Koinā te reo reka ki a Ihowā!”. Ā, ka whakamārama hoki a ia i taua kōrero ki a au i roto i te reo Pākehā. Nō reira, e tautoko ana ahau i te korōria, harerūia, ka tukuna atu e Marama i tēnei rā.

Nō reira, ka whakapiri atu, whakamoemiti atu ki a rātou mā i roto i Te Reo reka ki a Ihowā me pēnei ai: “E Te Māngai me ngā anahera pono, e te tokotoru tapu, anei ahau e tuku whakamoemiti atu ki a koutou, kia hōmai ki a mātou te kaha kia tautokohia Te Reo Māori i roto i tēnei āhuatanga. Ka tono atu ahau ki a koutou kia whakapiki ake te tokomaha o te hunga e ako ana i Te Reo Māori, ā, kā kōrero hoki i Te Reo Māori. Koinā taku tono atu ki a koutou i roto i te korōriatanga o ngā mano, Matua, Tama, Wairua Tapu, Ngā Anahera Pono, mā Te Māngai e tautoko mai, aia nei, ake nei, āe.”

Nō reira, e Te Māngai o Te Whare, ēhara au i te māngai o ngā ‘āhi! Tēnei taku hiahia, kia whai mana ake Te Maihi Māori ki Te Maihi Karauna, otirā, taku hiahia mā Te Maihi Karauna e tautoko ana, e whakakaha ana Te Maihi Māori. Nō reira, koina tāku whakaaro mō tēnei pānuitanga tuatoru o te pire nei. Nō reira, kāore e roa tēnei tū, e tika ana kia tuku mihi atu ki a tātou katoa. Nō reira, kia ora mai tātou!

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. But, at the same time, Pāraikaretu is the mountain, Whangaehu is the river, Whangaehu is the marae, Rangitāuaua is the house, Ngāti Rāngiwa’o is the hapū, and Ngāti Apa is the tribe; behold the breath of life!

I am very pleased to rise and support this bill, the Māori Language Bill. At the Committee stage of the House I made this statement:“ ‘People, hold fast to your language; this loss is huge. It is through your language that you will be recognised as being a Māori. If you become ignorant of your language, you will be regarded as being a foreigner from somewhere else.’ ” That is what my ancestors said in 1924, and that statement still stands today.

When my elders went to school, they were punished by teachers because they spoke Māori. When my parents went to school, they spoke only in English. But, at the same time, my grandparents would speak to them in Māori and they would respond in English. When I was growing up, I grew up speaking solely in English. When I went to thanksgiving on Sunday I heard Māori; all the prayers of thanks were totally in Māori. I asked my mother in English: “Why are they speaking only in Māori? I can’t understand what they are saying!”. She said to me: “That’s the sweetest language to Jehovah!”. And then she proceeded to explain in English. And so I support the glory and hallelujah that Marama issued today.

Thus I add my thanks to all of them in the language that is sweet to Jehovah in this manner: “To you the Mouthpiece, the Faithful Angels, and the Holy Trinity, I hereby offer my gratitude to you three and plead that you give us the strength to support the Māori language in this situation. I seek that the number of people learning and speaking Māori increases. Those, then, are my urgings in the glory of the innumerable thousands, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Faithful Angels, and for the Mouthpiece to endorse here, now, and forever, yes!”

So, Mr Assistant Speaker, I am not the speaker for the churches! My wish is really that the mandate of the Maihi Māori should be greater than that of the Maihi Karauna, but, at the same time, I want the Maihi Karauna to support and strengthen the Maihi Māori. This, then, is my contribution for this third reading of this bill. This call has not been a long one, but it is fitting that I acknowledge us all. So my appreciation to us!]

I call Louisa Wall—5 minutes.

Kia ora, Mr Assistant Speaker. E ngā mana, e ngā reo, rau rangatira mā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. Last week a few of us—Jo Hayes, Poto Williams, and I—were in Samoa. One of the issues that we discussed over there, actually, was the use of Samoan in the Samoan Parliament and whether or not bills could be and should be written in Samoan. The reality for that Parliament is that at the moment the members write only in English. We had a member of the Fijian Parliament with us, and they are not allowed to speak Fijian in their Parliament—they can speak only English.

While the bill was being debated over here and we were having that kōrero over there, it was actually a time for celebration, because we, today, have a bill that is in English and Te Reo. Most of the debate today has been in Te Reo and, actually, it speaks a lot about our society, our Government, and our progression in terms of Te Reo and our use of Te Reo here in Parliament.

I really want to speak to a couple of Supplementary Order Papers, and I have to because one of them was in my name and I was not here. So I want to acknowledge that the Minister for Māori Development said on Te Karere that the members of Te Mātāwai should be those who are knowledgable and most experienced at managing language programmes in the community, and they have to be fluent.

I just want to highlight that the reason I put in Supplementary Order Paper 166 to ask the Minister to make sure that there are women on Te Mātāwai is that I hope that of those seven iwi representatives, there will be a woman, and of the four clusters, there will be a woman. If there is not, because we have processes that, for whatever reason, do not allow Māori women to be on that board, the Minister has two appointees.

So I just wanted to put it out there that if we are looking at who has managed those language programmes in our community, it is Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust. I want to take the opportunity to mihi to whaea Druis Barett and her whānau in Waitomo. I was at the tangi of her husband, Jim, on Monday, with members of Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora. It was a very sad time, but it was also a wonderful opportunity for us to be together and to hear all the reo and to hear how much love there was for matua Jim.

The other Supplementary Order Paper I want to highlight is Supplementary Order Paper 165 in the name of my colleague the Hon Nanaia Mahuta. I think the apology that she proposed really was an opportunity for the Government to say sorry—because, actually, that is what it is all about. If you look at the reference that Nanaia made to suppression by the Crown and our inability to use Te Reo, we really need to look at the Waitangi Tribunal hearing in 1985 that, basically, stated that Māori who spoke Te Reo were punished. So the Crown failed to uphold Treaty of Waitangi obligations to protect the language.

In response, we have an acknowledgment in the bill that the Crown supressed Te Reo Māori. What does that actually mean? Well, it actually means that the Crown, by its authority, abolished and stopped our ability to use Te Reo at school—because we were talking about the Native Schools Act. We were not allowed to use Te Reo. Every one of us in our whānau has got stories about that. In my case, it was about my father and my uncles being strapped. They were not allowed to use Te Reo. We did not use Te Reo at home. Some of my uncles did, but in our particular whānau my father just said: “You’ve got to get an education. Forget about the Reo—get an education.”

I think the acknowledgment of suppression actually puts a huge onus on the Crown because if our inability to use our language was because of the Native Schools Act, then, actually, the solution lies in making sure that every single Māori kid at school has an opportunity to learn Te Reo. So if this piece of legislation takes us to a place where every Māori kid gets to learn Te Reo in school, then that will be an amazing day. And it will be a day to say hallelujah, which is my middle name, by the way, Marama Fox—Hareruia. So that is what I hope for this piece of legislation. That is what we all hope for this legislation. Nō reira, tēnā tātou katoa.

Tuatahi, he mihi ki Te Atua, nāna nei ngā mea katoa. Ngā mihi ki ngā manuhiri o Te Whare Pāremata kua tae mai nei i tēnei wā, tēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi ki a koutou, ki ngā hoa o Te Whare Pāremata, ā, tēnā koutou. Tuarua, e hiahia ana ahau ki te tautoko i Te Minita, e kōkiri haere ana i Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori. Tuatoru, e mihi atu ana ahau ki a Nuk Korako, i te komiti mō ō rātou mahi ki te whakarite mai i Te Reo Māori mō ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa. E whakamōwai ana ahau mō ngā kōrero i tautoko mai i taku kōrero i te pānuitanga tuatahi o te pire nei.

[Firstly, a tribute to God; it was he who provided everything. Acknowledgments to the visitors to Parliament House who have arrived here today, I salute you all. Salutations to you collectively, fellow colleagues of Parliament; hello there. Secondly, I want to endorse the Minister for Māori Development, who is driving the Māori Language Bill along. Thirdly, I congratulate Nuk Korako and the Māori Affairs Committee for their work in preparing the Māori language for all of New Zealand. I am put at ease by the supportive comments to my contribution in the first reading of this bill.]

I am humbled by the response that I got to my speech in the second reading of this bill, not simply because the post from Facebook went to over a million people or that the video was viewed by over 100,000 people, because I am not humbled by that at all—I am just showing off. I am humbled because of the responses that I got from both Māori and non-Māori in response to that. I do not think they responded because of my witty repartee, or my good looks or otherwise; I think they responded because they heard of something in my journey that touched their hearts. They heard something in the story of my whānau and my whānau’s journey with Te Reo Māori that meant something to them. Because it came from someone who was non-Māori, they were touched, because here was a middle-class, middle-aged white guy from the National Government talking about the importance of Te Reo Māori.

Some of the things they said included this: “E Jono tenei te mihi i to mihi tautoko......o Te reo Maori tenei te mihi tenei te mihi MAURI ORA!!!!!!!! thank you for your wonderful speech”. “Thanks for your support in recognising our well-being.” Marty Toto said: “I remember my Dad saying he got caned for speaking te reo at school growing up [and I] wish he was alive to hear this”. People spoke to me about the support for their language, their Reo, and how it was important to them. So I am humbled to stand in this House as a non-Māori, one of the few non-Māori speakers to this bill, because I think it is incredibly important for us, if we are going to follow through on that phrase that is contained within this bill that I think is incredibly important, which is “reo hoki ka kaingākautia e te motu”—this language is valued by our nation.

I am encouraged by what I see as the Māorification of New Zealand English. When I grew up in west Auckland in the 1970s, the only Māori words that we ever used were the words for which there was no English word. So we knew what a hāngī was and we knew what a hongi was, but we did not know words like whānau and kaupapa and kai—those were not words that we used. We are now growing up in a New Zealand where some of those words are starting to take a place. But if we are going to see New Zealand English develop to incorporate and envelop more Te Reo Māori, then Te Reo Māori must not continue to decline; it must continue to grow. It must continue to grow because of what this House is doing and the example that it is setting. It must continue to grow because our Government reflects the importance of Te Reo Māori, right through our Government departments and otherwise. As a culture of New Zealanders, we continue to embrace this language because as this language grows, we as New Zealanders will grow, and this country will be a better place.

I was reminded today by my colleague Peeni Henare that I should finish this speech in the same way that I finished my maiden speech, which was to quote his grandfather Sir James Hēnare: “Kua tawhiti kē te haerenga mai kia kore e haere tonu, kua tino nui rawa ōu mahi kia kore e mahi tonu.” [“You have travelled a great distance to get here so you will not have to carry on; your workload has been excessively huge so you will not have to work.”]—we have come too far not to go further. I commend this bill to the House.