SPEECH: New Zealand Flag Referendum Bill First Reading

Thursday 12th April 2015

Marama Fox, Co-leader of the Māori Party

I am also pleased to be part of the cross-parliamentary team that has established to engage with this issue, to ensure the debate has integrity and that we put in place a process to create public confidence in the nature of the debate. But I want to remind us all not to duplicate the process that was spearheaded by the Māori Party in 2009, where a national conversation was held about the preference of the people for a Māori flag. In July and August 2009 21 public hui were held the *motu and it came down to a matter of four flags—the New Zealand flag, the New Zealand red ensign, the united tribes of New Zealand flag, and the *tino rangatiratanga flag.

For those that do not know that flag, that was the flag carried to the *hīkoi to Parliament on 5 May 2004. We will never forget that incredible sight when the forecourt was filled with tino rangatiratanga flags—just saying. But the pathway to tino rangatiratanga was not only seen in the red, white, and black colours. At the time of our consultation process in 2009, *kaumātua *Matiu Tarawa, a fine 85 years old, said that he had supported the flag of the **Te Whakaputanga o te rangatiratanga o Niu Tirene for some 70 years. He saw it as the *tuakana to all flags—the elder sibling.

What I loved about the comment from Matiu is the pride and the passion that he had for the flag that he thought most denoted his nationhood. I feel much the same way about the concept of a new national anthem, for example. I would love to engage in discussion around the motu about what we might consider would best represent the diverse voices of this land. As a result of the national consultation process championed by the Māori Party, a Māori flag flies alongside whatever flag is eventually chosen to recognise the partnership that the Crown and Māori entered into when signing *Te Tiriti o Waitangi. As a result of that process in 2009 the National Māori flag flies from the *Auckland Harbour Bridge, *Premier House, and any other significant sites on *Waitangi Day.

Is this a necessary step at this expense, and is it worth it? I have come to the House to fight for those who suffer hardship and disparity. For me, I would relish the chance to vote for a flag that recognises my duality of nationhood. The first symbol of nationhood recognised around the world should reflect our duality of nationhood. It is the tip of the iceberg of what else we might, could, and should address to address inequality and recognition of our place in this country. Let us be clear: the Māori Party has celebrated momentous occasions throughout its time in this House, one of which was when we travelled to the United Nations *Human Rights Council and Dr Pita Sharples signed the *Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in April 2010.

Article 3 of the *Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states: “Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.” Today, as we debate the *New Zealand Flag Referendums Bill, I think back to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which New Zealand is now a proud signatory to. I firmly believe that the placement of equal weighting between the Māori flag and the flag that will emerge out of this process of the referendum is an excellent way in which we can enhance relationships between *tino rangatiratanga and kāwanatanga as provided for in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

On that basis, the Māori Party stands to support this first reading through to the select committee process to receive submissions to hear what the rest of New Zealand thinks. Again, it is the tip of the iceberg. It is the beginning of recognising duality of nationhood. Yes, it is a great expense, but it is an expense that will hopefully be the beginning of addressing a number of inequalities and disparities in our country. For this reason, we support the New Zealand Flag Referendums Bill to the select committee process. Kia ora.

ENDS

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