Collins Comments - 2 May 2006
Judith Collins Clevedon MP
ANZAC Day is our special day. As spokeswoman for Veterans' Affairs and local MP, I was honoured to attend the Papakura
Dawn Service. I appreciated the opportunity to address everyone at the Papakura RSA, in this, the Year of the Veteran.
If you would like to read a copy of my speech, please visit my website at http://www.judithcollins.co.nz/speechDetail2006.asp?Ref=ANZACDAYSpeech
Unfortunately, the Government has not yet seen fit to honour a New Zealander who is our greatest living war heroine.
Nancy Wake, the Allied Forces' most decorated servicewoman in World War II, has now been awarded the New Zealand RSA's
highest honour. I hope that following the RSA's award; the Government will finally do something to acknowledge her
contribution to the war effort. I have written to the Prime Minister but we will have to wait and see if any positive
outcome can be achieved. Nancy Wake deserves to be honoured in her country of birth as she has been by Australia,
Britain, France and the USA.
The draft report of the Electricity Commission regarding Transpower's pylons will please many Clevedon residents. The
Commission's draft report can be accessed at http://www.electricitycommission.govt.nz/news/media27apr06 Submissions to
the draft can be sent to the Commission at PO Box 10041, Wellington. The Commission will be holding public consultation
meetings in our area with one in the Clevedon Hall on Tuesday, May 16 at 7pm and one in the Hunua Hall on Monday May 15
also at 7pm.
5 OUT OF 10 for the Manukau City Council for seeing the error of its ways in excluding Maori on the General Roll from
representing Maori on the Tiriti O Waitangi committee. However, I question why the Council is setting up such a
committee in the first place. After, all the Council is not the Crown. Its main concern, in my opinion, should be the
provision of services such as footpaths, sewerage, water, community facilities, libraries and the like.
The Treaty of Waitangi is an extremely important document that has been used and abused by some claiming it relates to
the provision of everything from a separate justice system to dental health contracts. For the avoidance of doubt, its
three articles are worth repeating. In English they are:
1. The Chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the separate and independent Chiefs who have
not become members of the Confederation cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all
the rights and powers of Sovereignty which the said Confederation or Individual Chiefs respectively exercise or possess,
or may be supposed to exercise or to possess over their respective Territories as the sole sovereigns thereof.
2. Her Majesty the Queen of England confirms and guarantees to the Chiefs and Tribes of New Zealand and to the
respective families and individuals thereof the full exclusive and undisturbed possession of their Lands and Estates
Forests Fisheries and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess so long as it is their wish
and desire to retain the same in their possession; but the Chiefs and the United Tribes and the individual Chiefs yield
to Her majesty the exclusive right of Preemption over such lands as the proprietors thereof may be disposed to alienate
at such prices as may be agreed upon between the respective Proprietors and person appointed by Her Majesty to treat
with them in that behalf.
3. In consideration thereof Her Majesty the Queen of England extends to the Natives of New Zealand her royal protection
and imparts to them all the Rights and Privileges of British Subjects. (my emphasis)
The Maori version of the Treaty and key differences between the texts can be found at
www.treatyofwaitangi.govt.nz/treaty/ .
No mention of special committees for city councils, no mention of Treaty of Waitangi provisions in dental health
contracts and no mention of funding based on race rather than need.
ENDS