Māori Purposes Bill

I present a legislative statement on the Māori Purposes Bill.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Barbara Kuriger): The legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.

Madam Speaker, tēnā koe. Kia ora tātou katoa e noho nei i roto i tō tātou Whare i tēnei wā. He hōnore nui ki te tū ki te tautoko i tēnei pire, tēnei te mihi ki a koutou.

[Madam Speaker, greetings. Greetings to one and all sitting in our House at this time. It is a great honour to stand in support of this bill, and I acknowledge you all.]

First of all, I thank my colleagues from across the House for their thoughtful consideration, comments, and agreements to commend this bill to the House. There is some experience on the other side with regards to this kaupapa, and I’m glad that we’ve been able to work in unity with this kaupapa. Those of us who’ve worked on the bill, and past Māori purposes bills, would know Māori purposes bills bring together a range of minor and technical changes to multiple Acts of Parliament to improve those Acts for the communities and entities they serve. Māori purposes bills are also somewhat unique in that they are one of the few bills that are regularly considered by the House—much like statutes amendment bills, but with a focus on Māori, and Māori entities.

I would like to acknowledge Ta Wira Gardiner, whose memorial service was held last week and was attended by colleagues from right across the House who all gathered and paid their tributes. Beautiful speeches from former politicians Hon Bill English; Hone Harawira, who all got us a bit of a laugh and contributed well; and it was a great day and he was a big supporter of this type of kaupapa as the chief executive of Te Puni Kōkiri while Māori purposes bills were considered in the 1990s. I’d like to think he would be pleased to see that this House continues its ongoing legislative work for the betterment of Māori, Māori communities, and the entities that support and represent them—no matter how minor or technical those legislative changes may be.

So, on that note, the Māori Purposes Bill is no different. While the changes in the bill are minor and technical, they will have a significant impact as they remove barriers that have inhibited the ability of Māori entities to manage their own affairs.

The proposed amendments will support Māori entities to better manage their own affairs, make use of new technologies, exercise their rangatiratanga, and reduce unnecessary compliance. This aligns with the Government’s commitment to building strong partnerships with Māori and working with Māori to improve wellbeing outcomes.

I’d also like to acknowledge how pleasing it is that not only will we have achieved good outcomes for Māori and Māori entities but how we across the House have gone about this as parliamentarians in approaching these amendments—so mihi ana ki a tātou katoa.

I’d like to thank all my colleagues who’ve had a part to play in examining this bill, and for the bipartisanism and considered way in which they have approached the task. Also, I’d like to thank my colleagues on the Māori Affairs Committee, who called for submissions on the bill and thoroughly considered the submissions received.

I note that the bill came out of the committee stage unchanged and with the full support of the House. I appreciate the thoughtful questions asked by members across the House during the committee stage. These sorts of questions do help people, both watching in the gallery and online, understand the reasoning and thinking that has gone behind some of the amendments included in the bill. I appreciate the fulsome support of all members shown for this bill, particularly in enabling Maori entities to manage their own business. It goes a long way for them in terms of achieving rangatiratanga. It goes to show that with good work by members, officials, and our Māori communities—and when we set aside our partisanship and focus on the issue—we can achieve positive outcomes for Māori entities and communities.

In terms of the changes—coming back to the bill—the Māori Purposes Bill is an omnibus bill that proposes minor technical and non-controversial updates and improvements to four Acts: Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993, Maori Purposes Act 1959, Maori Trust Boards Act 1955, and Maori Community Development Act 1962.

Changes to Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 will ensure Ruapuha Uekaha Hapū Trust continues to exist with the same beneficiaries as intended by the 1990 settlement of the Wai 51 Treaty claim, extend certain time frames for decision making, allow assembled owners of Māori land the option of meeting by electronic means, and correct the te reo Māori mistake in the preamble of the Act.

The amendments to the Maori Purposes Act 1959 will provide the Rotoaira Trust more autonomy and flexibility to manage the lake and associated trout fishery.

The amendments to the Maori Trust Boards Act 1955 will ensure that Māori trust boards can operate more efficiently, including by allowing for electronic voting in trust board elections and removing Māori trust boards from the Cabinet Fees Framework.

Last, but not least, the changes to the Maori Community Development Act 1962 will require district Māori councils to submit their audited financial statements directly to the New Zealand Maori Council, rather than to the CEO of TPK—Te Puni Kōkiri—as this better reflects other accountabilities in the Act.

In conclusion, while the changes are minor and technical in nature, they support the ability of Māori entities to manage their businesses and exercise their rangatiratanga. I continually come back to that, but it’s so important. These changes also ensure that the Māori entities are operating under up-to-date legislation that allows them to utilise modern technology. I’m proud to have been able to shepherd through this House this legislation, which, as Mr David Seymour described, enhances the freedom and flexibility of people to provide for their own needs. Thank you very much, Mr Seymour. So today, it’s a great pleasure that I stand in the House to see the Māori Purposes Bill through its final stages, with all the tautoko from all parties and members of the House. E mihi ki a tātou, he hōnore nui, tēnā anō tātou katoa.

[Thank you, everyone. It has been a great honour and I acknowledge you once again.]

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Barbara Kuriger): Thank you, Minister. Just before I move to the next call, I need you to state the words, “I move that that the”—yeah, thank you.

Yes, my apologies. I move, That the Māori Purposes Bill be now read a third time. Kia ora.

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Madam Speaker, thank you. I stand in support of my parliamentary colleague Minister Willie Jackson, Minister for Māori Development, with the endorsement in commending this, at the third reading, Māori Purposes Bill to the House for passage into law. I will keep my call brief, but, certainly, I tautoko the whakaaro, the thoughts or the sentiments, and the kōrero, the discussion, that has been shared by Minister Jackson.

Here’s just a very brief chronology. At the first reading, which was on 16 November 2021, I stood in the House—as did Minister Jackson—to acknowledge former deputy secretary of the Department of Māori Affairs Neville Baker, who passed away but a few days before this bill was first introduced to the House for its first reading. Neville Baker, as I said, was the former deputy secretary of the Department of Māori Affairs back in the 1980s. During those days, I was a young woman. I had the distinct learning privilege of being alongside many of the kaumātua. And I look at Minister Jackson. We are becoming our old people. And over the course of those 40 years, Neville Baker was a gentle man, a leader, and a kaumātua, who served a life of service in the space of Māori communities and in the space of the wider New Zealand community with much purpose.

So it is appropriate that I address him and also, in so doing, turn now to Sir Wira Gardiner. Minister Jackson mentioned that we were in the House on the day soon after Sir Wira’s memorial service just across the road. That was 14 November. And, again, in the days that I relate to Neville Baker when he was the deputy secretary and Dr Tamati Reedy was the secretary of the Department of Māori Affairs, Wira came in and worked at the Department of Māori Affairs with much purpose. And, again, the Māori Purposes Bill—it aligns because of the service of those two kaumātua who have since passed. And the timing of their passing aligns with the passage of these bills coming before the House.

For this third reading, today, on 25 November 2022—

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Barbara Kuriger): Outside of the House, Ms Hipango. It’s still the 22nd in here.

It’s still the 22nd, for members of the public listening in. Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I stand to be corrected as I was last time. Today is Friday 25 November, but because we have gone into urgency, it’s still deemed to be Tuesday 22 November. Go figure! So thank you, Madam Speaker. But today at the third reading, under urgency, on the record noted as 22 November, almost one year since the bill was introduced, Minister Jackson has gone through the detail.

This is an omnibus bill. I have nothing further to add to that other than the collaborative approach that was taken around the table at the Māori Affairs Committee and the importance of not just having our people present and make submissions but that we listen and we are cognisant of the issues as they impact on them in terms of any necessary legislative change that is required. On that note, with my whakaaro, my sentiments, acknowledging those two men, and many others, who have given service under the ambit of Māori purpose, the National Party commends this bill to the House. Kia ora.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I too will be supporting this bill, and I just note that we’ve been doing Māori purposes bills for a long time in this House. It was 75 years ago when we introduced our first one into the House, and it was just like this one, a collection of different amendments that needed to be made, and one of those changes in the very first bill was actually to change everything written in legislation that referred to Māori as “native” to “Māori”. So it’s through legislation like this that we have these small but very significant changes. I commend the bill to the House.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to join with others across the House in commending this bill to the House.

I also want to take a brief opportunity to acknowledge the passing of a friend and former colleague Sir Wira Gardiner. His contribution to New Zealand’s civil society, to Māoridom, and to democracy has been much appreciated by many, and will be much missed. I commend this bill to the House.

I rise to commend this bill to the House, but I want to use a short call to recognise some of the small but very significant changes that this bill will make, particularly for the Ruapuha Uekaha Hapū Trust. That was a trust which was established by the Māori Land Board in 1990, which was before this House and had the bipartisan and constitutionally important approach that we have to Treaty settlements now.

It is different in nature to a Treaty settlement but it did acknowledge a Government taking of property and returning to the original owners. That is now the Waitomo Caves. It is a multimillion-dollar tourism business that is so important to our rural communities and to those people who it employs, particularly over the peak season, which is now. I would encourage anyone who is listening to this to visit those Waitomo Caves, because they have been affected by the COVID shutdowns but are rebuilding in a way which is really special with more Jobs for Nature funding available to them. It is now enhanced. It is an incredible experience for New Zealanders to be a part of.

This bill makes it possible for that trust to continue to administrate its affairs in the way that it chooses, for the people, by the people. That’s why I commend this bill.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Barbara Kuriger): Thank you, Ms Williams, for your mention of the Waitomo Caves, speaking now as the MP for Taranaki - King Country.

I rise on behalf of the Green Party in support of this omnibus Māori Purposes Bill. Thank you to those handful who submitted to the committee, and to the Minister and officials for their work on this relatively straightforward bill—and, as my colleague Tāmati Coffey mentioned, something that has been going on for a long time.

The Green Party affirms the tino rangatiratanga of whānau, hapū, and iwi over their whenua, their awa, their maunga, their moana, their kāinga, and all of their taonga—tangible and intangible—including mātauranga Māori, rongoā, tikanga and kawa, and taonga species. We support tangata whenua - led processes, actions, and decision making through shared power and resources in all matters that affect them.

So this omnibus bill does not go quite that far, but it does contribute as it aims to contribute to Māori wellbeing, and in development and providing Māori entities with greater independence and decision making. I too want to point to the Ruapuha Uekaha Hapū Trust, because they provided the most substantive submission to the committee and, as they stated, amending Te Ture Whenua Maori Act will ensure that the trust continues as an ahu whenua trust, where the beneficiaries are all descendants of the original 22 owners, but, at the same time, account for the beneficial owners of the Hauturu East 8. And they can do that in such a way that does not breach the original Wai 51 settlement.

Noting Lake Rotoaira, I do so because this was a place that was very, very special to my great-grandmother, and I’ve been there with her many, many moons ago. Amending the Maori Purposes Act provides them autonomy and flexibility in the management of their lake and their trout fishery. So the bill makes it easier to administer Māori trust boards. That means they have more time for their real work around promotion of health, economics, social welfare, education, and vocational training of their people, as well as everything else that the aims and aspirations are that they direct. Compliance will also be simpler for district Māori councils so they can get on with their work and, as they say, for Māori, governed by Māori, delivering to Māori. So, all in all, a very sensible omnibus bill; we are happy to commend it to the House. Kia ora.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I stand on behalf of the ACT Party to support the Māori Purposes Bill, this omnibus bill that will make amendments to four Acts: the Maori Community Development Act 1962, the Maori Purposes Act 1959, Maori Trust Boards Act 1955, and Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993. Amendments suggested at the Māori Affairs Committee are minor and relate to tidying up aspects of the bill. There were five submitters to this bill, and two of those submitters did make themselves available for oral hearings.

The bill, as amended, will achieve three things. The first is it will make amendments to Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 to ensure that Ruapuha Uekaha Hapū Trust can continue to exist in a manner consistent with the 1990 Wai 51 claim settlement in relation to the Waitomo Caves. There are some other minor technical amendments that will be made within the Te Ture Whenua Act 1993 that modernise some provisions, like the use of electronic communications and extending notification periods.

The second change that it makes is the amendments to the Maori Purposes Act 1959 to allow the Rotoaira Trust some more flexibility to be able to manage their trout fisheries on their lake. It will also remove the requirement to have a trout licence to fish when you’re not fishing for trout. It clarifies the right of entry to the lake—that doesn’t mean you can fish without a fishing permit. It allows the trustees of Motuopuhi Māori Reservation access and entry rights to the lake without the need for a permit. It increases penalties from $100 to $5,000 and added that a warranted officer under the Conservation Act 1987 will be in the definition of a ranger. It revokes the provisions that align the daily bag limits on Lake Rotoaira so it’s not the same as Lake Taupō, and it specifies areas for trout spawning. It also allows the trust to recommend the fishing conditions for an angler’s notice so that it’s not just run on seasons.

The third thing that this bill does is it makes amendments to the Maori Trust Boards Act 1955 so the electronic voting for Māori trust boards can take place. Also, the Māori trust boards are removed from the Cabinet Fees Framework. It outlines how board members can resign. Currently, they have to go to the Minister, but this means that they’ll be able to go to the board to resign and the board will then take that to the Minister. This bill is about tidying up and modernising Acts that date back to 1959, 1955, and also 1962.

As the Minister had said across the way, David Seymour has stood up and made some really good, positive comments about the Māori Purposes Bill, and, in full support, we will do that. I invite the Minister to go back and read over Hansard, because he made a lot of other comments there as well, some that we think are quite pertinent to the way that we operate Māori purposes. ACT has always supported good public policy and this is a fine example of it. We commend this bill to the House.

Tēnā koe e te Mana Whakawā. I’m delighted to take a short call at the third reading of the Māori Purposes Bill. This omnibus bill proposes much-needed amendments to four Acts, as called by the Hon Minister Jackson and others.

I acknowledge my whakapapa to the Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust: Hikairo, Tūwharetoa through my Taiaroa whānau. These changes are important to whānau, hapū, iwi, and our Māori communities. It’s a way of upholding the values passed down by our—their—tūpuna, taonga tuku iho, their mana motuhake, their tino rangatiratanga. E te Mana Whakawā, I commend this bill to the House. Tēnā koe.

Madam Speaker, thank you very much. In taking a very short call here, can I just acknowledge Janak Patel. He’s the young man who died. He was murdered at Rose Cottage Dairy a few days ago. I acknowledge his family and friends and the hard work that police and others are doing at the moment.

It will not come as a surprise that I support this bill—because everyone else before me has and because they’ve said all the same rightful arguments in support.

💬 Hon Member: You’re a team player.

That’s true. We’re not going to go rogue on this one. I’m happy to support the bill to the House.

I’m sorry; I’m just having a blank at the moment. I didn’t have your name on my list. I call Dr Tracey McLellan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and thank you to everybody’s who’s been involved in this bill. I commend the bill to the House.

E te Māngai o te Whare, tēnā rawa atu ki a koe. Ka tautoko ahau ki tēnei pire, te pire mō ngā Māori Purposes, arā me tautoko ahau ki ngā ture mō Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993, Maori Purposes Act 1959, Maori Trust Boards Act 1955, me Maori Community Development Act 1962, nā reira, ka tautoko ahau.

[To the Speaker of the House, warm greetings to you. I support this bill, the Māori Purposes Bill, and this means that I must support Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993, the Maori Purposes Act 1959, the Maori Trust Boards Act 1955 and the Maori Community Development Act 1962, so therefore, I am in support.]

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise, too, to take a very short call on the Māori Purposes Bill today. As you have heard, people across this House have supported it, and the National Party supports it. I have pleasure in commending it to the House.

Kia ora e te Mana Whakawā. He mihi tino whakahirahira tēnei pire hei oranga mō te iwi Māori, ka mihi ahau ki tēnei pire ki te Whare.

[Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is a very important bill for the health and wellbeing of the Māori people and I commend this bill to the House.]

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a third time.