9. Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill—Compliance with Treaty of Waitangi
[Sitting date: 24 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:9. Text is subject to correction.]
9. Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) to the Minister of Māori Affairs : E whakamanawa ana a ia kei te hangai Te Pire Reo Māori ki ngā mātāpono o Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
Translation: Is he confident that the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill is consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Māori Affairs):
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Clause 12(c) notes that Te Mātāwai will “give effect … to the relationship of the Crown with iwi and Māori contemplated by the Treaty of Waitangi in relation to the Māori language.”
Hon Nanaia Mahuta : What advice did he receive from officials to assess whether the bill is consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES : As I have just explained, it is the advice that came through all the way. This whole thing is about the Treaty relationship between Māori and the Government. We have an iwi in all Māori. We have got letters here from six iwi—the biggest in the country—supporting the bill.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta : Will he support my motion to have the bill referred to the Waitangi Tribunal in order for the tribunal to report on whether the provisions of the bill are contrary to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi; if not, why not?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES :
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Hon Nanaia Mahuta : In light of that response, can the Minister direct the House to the submissions that support the proposals in the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES : You will find that right throughout the bill the references to the Treaty, what it stands for, and how it is represented there, but particularly in clause 12(c), where it explains it.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta : I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Twice I raised the point with the Minister whether he could identify exactly the advice that he received—
Mr SPEAKER : Order! The member will resume her seat. With regard to the first question when the member sought information as to where the advice came from, that was satisfactorily answered. I think, to be fair to you, on the second question regarding whether the Minister can point to any submissions, the Minister may not have accurately heard that question, so I am going to ask you to repeat that particular question.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta : Can the Minister advise or direct the House to the submissions that confirm the detail of the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill and the clauses that he is pointing to?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES : What I will refer to are the 21 hui that were held throughout the country and the letters from people like Rahui Papa, chief of Waikato-Tainui, Ngāhiwi Tomoana from Ngāti Kahungunu, Sonny Tau from Te Tai Tokerau,
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Hon Nanaia Mahuta : Does the Minister consider that the bill takes away the ongoing responsibility of the Crown to actively protect Te Reo me ngā tikanga Māori; if not, why not?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES :
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