Notice of Motion: Appointment of Assistant Speaker 'That Hon Marian Leslie Hobbs be appointed Assistant Speaker'
Te Ururoa Flavell, Member of Parliament for Waiariki
Tuesday 4 March 2008
Tena koe Madam Speaker, tena tatou katoa.
When this Notice of Motion appeared on the Order Paper, I noticed an increased interest in the proceedings of the House,
from the honourable Member for Te Tai Tokerau, Mr Hone Harawira.
As someone who enthusiastically studies Standing Orders, Standing Order 30 really got him going.
It describes the criteria for the appointment of an Assistant Speaker as being limited only by the constraints that no
member who is the leader of a party, or who holds the office as whip, are able to be appointed to this role.
In the case of the Maori Party, that meant we only had one potential nominee for the role - Mr Hone Harawira.
And so I come to this debate today, obviously disappointed that the expertise of Mr Harawira has been overlooked - but
also, on behalf of the Maori Party to express our best wishes to the Honourable Marian Hobbs for the opportunity to hold
office during the remaining term of Parliament.
In doing so, I do want to also convey our appreciation to Ann Hartley, for the contribution she brought to the Chamber
as she negotiated, cajoled, conducted and directed the proceedings of this House.
We wish her every success in her role as a North Shore City Councillor. Her experience both as a former Mayor of
Birkenhead, and the last eight years in national politics, will no doubt be of huge benefit to regional politics and we
wish her and her whanau well.
Madam Speaker, regarding this Notice of Motion, the Maori Party is happy to support the proposal for Marian Hobbs to
take on the role of Assistant Speaker.
It is always interesting for me, as a former school Principal, to see the influence of educationalists in this chamber.
As I understand it, Marian has been involved in playcentre management, has been a Principal of Girls Colleges in
Christchurch and Wellington, has been a Co-Founder of the alternative education centre of Four Avenues; has been on the
Canterbury University Council and countless community ventures.
I believe that presiding over the debate in this Chamber will pretty come as a breeze to anyone who has been charged
with motivating secondary school students to stay awake during class.
Madam Speaker, we've watched Marian working alongside Mark Blumsky on Wellington issues - such as the Karori Sanctuary -
and hope that the capacity to put aside party political positions will be a priority for her role as Assistant Speaker.
We hope too, that the varied life experiences she brings to the floor - including her association with the Chippenham
commune and the Quaker Movement - will be influential in encouraging peaceful and respectful debate in this House.
Tena koe Marian. Nei ra nga mihi o te törangapü Maori ki a koe kua eke ki tënei o nga taumata o te Whare Paremata. Maku
a Hone Harawira e korero, kia tau tana wairua, kia ngäwari ai te ngau o mamae na tana kore whiwhi i tera o nga turu. Kia
kaha ra.
Congratulations Marian. We of the Maori Party wish you well having achieved this significant role in Parliament. I will
speak to Hone, settle him down, ease his pain at having not achieved the position. Best of luck.
Finally, Madam Speaker, I want to use this opportunity to welcome the new List MP to this Chamber, Louisa Hareruia Wall
Ko Tongariro te maunga Ko Taupo te moana Ko Tutemohuta te hapu Ko Pakira te marae Ko Ngati Tuwharetoa te iwi Ko Te
Heuheu te tangata.
Tongariro is the mountain, Taupo is the Lake, Tutemohutu is the subtribe, Pakira is the marae, Ngati Tuwharetoa are the
people, Te Heuheu is the identity.
E te uri o Ngati Tuwharetoa o Tainui, nau mai, haere mai. He kitenga kanohi, ka hoki nga mahara ki tou matua ki a Les,
ki ou matua keke ki a Nick, ki a Taxi, ki a Te Whakapumautanga ara ko ratou kua ngaro atu nei ki tua o te pae. Heoi ano
waiho rätou kia moe, ko koe tënei e whai nei i o rätou tümanako. E te uri o Ngati Tutemohuta, e rarau, naumai.
Welcome the descendent of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Tainui. In seeing your face, my thoughts go to your father Les and your
uncles Nick, Taxi, Te Whakapumautanga and all of those who have passed on beyond the veil, Let them sleep well for you
are following on from their dreams. To you, the descendent of Ngati Tutemohuta, welcome.
Nau mai e te Rau Hiriwa, nau mai e te rau Pango.
And we greet you as a Silver Fern and a Black Fern.
Kua tau mai ki roto ki tëtahi kähui toa nei mo te häkinakina a he mema Paremata ano hoki.
In doing so she joins an elite list of Members of Parliament who have been a national sports champion.
Ara ko * Te Rangi Hiroa tera - toa o Aotearoa mo te motu mo te peke tawhiti; * Puti Watene - käpene o te Tima
Riki o te motu * Ben Couch rätou ko Grahame Thorne ko Chris Laidlaw o te tima o pango * Tutekawa Wyllie no te
tima Maori * Paul Adams - toa a taraiwa motokä
We think of * Te Rangi Hiroa - New Zealand long jump champion; * Puti Watene - captain of the NZ rugby league
team; * Ben Couch, Grahame Thorne and Chris Laidlaw who have all been All Blacks; and Tutekawa Wyllie - Maori All
Black; * Paul Adams - a New Zealand Rally Champion;
Tae ra ano ki tënei Paremata ara ko: * Colin King - toa mo te kuti hipi mo nga wa e toru * Bob Clarkson - o te tima
hooki me te toa o te motu mo te taraiwa waka whïroki nei * Ko au hoki ara mo te tima a motu mo nga Whare Wananga,
tima a motu mo Nga Kura Mahita mo te whutupaoro. Ko te tima i raro i te tekau tau o Ngongotaha!!!
and in this current Parliament : * Colin King (three times New Zealand Golden Shears Winner) and Bob Clarkson - an
Olympic Hockey Champion and seven time winner of New Zealand titles in Dragster racing. * Myself as a NZ
Universities and NZ Teachers rep in Rugby as well as Ngongotaha Under 10s
Koia nei te mihi nui ki a ia, kua eke ki nga taumata o te motu a hakinakina nei, kaua mo te wa kotahi noa iho engari mo
nga wa e rua.
We greet her as having represented our nation at the highest echelons, in her success in the sporting field, not just
once but twice.
Kaore i ko atu, kaore i ko mai i te ähuatanga o nga mihi i te rangi nei, ki te kaiärahi hou ki a Marion Hobbs otirä ki
te reanga hou kua tau mai tae räno ki te mutunga o tënei Paremata. Tena korua, tena koutou katoa.
There is little more to add today, other than to wish the Assistant Speaker Marion Hobbs and all of the newcomers great
success in the remainder of this Parliamentary term. Greetings to you all.
ENDS