"\u003C!DOCTYPE html\u003E\u003Chtml xmlns:xlink=\u0022http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\u0022 xmlns:xsi=\u0022http://www.w3.org/2007/XMLSchema-instance\u0022 xmlns:mml=\u0022http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Chead\u003E\n    \u003CMETA http-equiv=\u0022Content-Type\u0022 content=\u0022text/html; charset=utf-16\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cmeta name=\u0022viewport\u0022 content=\u0022width=device-width, initial-scale=1\u0022\u003E\n  \u003C/head\u003E\n  \u003Cbody style=\u0022font-family:sans-serif; font-size:100%;\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000000\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f9b57dcee8b653282af0ca2ac0a965b4\u0022\u003EThursday, 29 January 2026\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EThe Speaker\u003C/span\u003E took the Chair at 2 p.m.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000002\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f3fea5439b2430d59f25b05cdedd2e70\u0022\u003EStart of Sitting Day\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022701666d8b6e34fe4c685d1a7b7f8fa46\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022 data-id=\u0022d3eb6ebc8d735dc9cf24dbe4ab02214c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d3eb6ebc8d735dc9cf24dbe4ab02214c\u0022\u003EBARBARA KURIGER (Deputy Speaker) (14:00)\u003C/span\u003E: Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice, mercy, and humility for the welfare and the peace of New Zealand. Amen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00221650a3fe78a0e7d324815ce071e0f4e9\u0022\u003ESpeaker\u0027s Rulings\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022507f445b7ef0ac57932d421b413751ab\u0022\u003EPersonal Reflections\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022 data-id=\u00227dffd0282fc61c57c9f09b777ac6333f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227dffd0282fc61c57c9f09b777ac6333f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER (14:01)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, yesterday, I indicated that I would come back to the House with a ruling on a member asking whether anyone can believe what another member says. This is an important matter because the House is a place where the executive is scrutinised and ideas are contested. Credibility of statements made by members must be able to be challenged. The House also operates on the basis of trust, and members are taken at their word. Deliberately misleading the House undermines that trust and is treated very seriously. For that reason, allegations that a member is deliberately misleading the House can only be made by raising a matter of privilege and not by a point of order or in debate. Such allegations are treated with a high degree of formality and cannot be made in the heat of debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EStanding Order 121 prohibits a member from making a personal reflection against another member. Calling a member a liar or implying they are lying is a personal reflection and, for the reasons I\u2019ve outlined, is a particularly serious one. Adjudicating questions and statements in debate context is important. Having reviewed the Hon Barbara Edmonds yesterday, I do not think it was intended to suggest that a member could not be taken at their word; nor was it implied that a member was lying. However, in the heat of debate, and the heat of question time, I should say, using a phrase like, \u201CHow can anyone believe anything she says?\u201D runs the risk of being unfavourably considered and ruled out of order. Accepting the invitation to rephrase the question, the Hon Barbara Edmonds demonstrated the possibility of removing the chance of an unfavourable interpretation without diminishing the impact of the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00224490efdbd786709d52a962083184fe7d\u0022\u003EBusiness of the House\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022709cca80509d2ff6167baac7b0da557c\u0022\u003EBusiness Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022 data-id=\u0022bdc2a4ae15ddd9441d9a557895e4be26\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bdc2a4ae15ddd9441d9a557895e4be26\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Deputy Leader of the House) (14:03)\u003C/span\u003E: Today, the House will adjourn until Tuesday, 10 February. That week, the House will complete the debate on the Prime Minister\u2019s statement, as well as making further progress on the Employment Relations Amendment Bill, the Anzac Day Amendment Bill, and the Public Service Amendment Bill. The hours of Wednesday will be extended into Thursday morning for Government business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b78723aefdc74b11a47482993ca56a74\u0022 data-id=\u002275e90a077cc45bb71e6aa63c6c583f6e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b78723aefdc74b11a47482993ca56a74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002275e90a077cc45bb71e6aa63c6c583f6e\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central) (14:03)\u003C/span\u003E: I was just wondering if the member could inform us when we might see the Term of Parliament (Enabling 4-year Term) Legislation Amendment Bill back in the House, given the election is rapidly approaching.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022 data-id=\u002283858d69e5eb8e09f4313bec21fff415\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002283858d69e5eb8e09f4313bec21fff415\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Deputy Leader of the House) (14:03)\u003C/span\u003E: I know that member is very excited about the year ahead. He shall have to wait and see when bills are going to be debated.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00229fedec1c0283131380f3fffaece9ef4f\u0022\u003EPresentation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022156d9fcfba20b32566a7ccec4015873b\u0022\u003EPapers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022 data-id=\u00222234f3a515495d569b2e909399c03fdd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222234f3a515495d569b2e909399c03fdd\u0022\u003ESPEAKER (14:04)\u003C/span\u003E: No petitions have been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.A paper has been delivered for presentation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b1e18d33c06456bac1a36ec2800758f1\u0022\u003ECLERK (14:04): \u003C/span\u003EReport of the Ministry for the Environment on the January 2026 amendment to New Zealand\u2019s second emissions reduction plan 2026-30, amendment addendum and technical annex.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a2586b693034e11e41e748c13986830\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That paper is published under the authority of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f204c78d132196f2d467bc7777fbd7de\u0022\u003ESelect Committee Reports\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022 data-id=\u00226c856b3c274f810da040720c7b6880cc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226c856b3c274f810da040720c7b6880cc\u0022\u003ESPEAKER (14:04)\u003C/span\u003E: Two select committee reports have been presented.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b7d9d9bd0f0f1deb12c27070673f099\u0022\u003ECLERK (14:04): \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EReport of the Education and Workforce Committee on the briefing on academic standards at universities\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereport of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Monetary Policy Statement November 2025.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002260ef6449323a67abb48fea9379ed03d5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The reports are set down for consideration. No bills have been introduced.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002261c1603c782f532b853049308641537f\u0022\u003EOral Questions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ccdc9813d3c24a09702464303fbcba2d\u0022\u003EAuckland\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002208220a0d4de513939cc769ed3ff83e52\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022 data-id=\u002274a31c0b4f0202019c6f1330a857c76c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002274a31c0b4f0202019c6f1330a857c76c\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Deputy Leader\u2014Labour) (14:04)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Auckland\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his statement, \u201CA safe, thriving central city means more foot traffic, stronger business confidence, more jobs, and more opportunities for everyone, including those currently experiencing hardship\u201D; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022 data-id=\u0022480f918c99fbc6f5a21c229c203bd36e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022480f918c99fbc6f5a21c229c203bd36e\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN (Minister for Auckland) (14:05)\u003C/span\u003E: In the context it was made, yes. Aucklanders deserve a safe and thriving city. Our focus is on economic growth and jobs, which also means restoring law and order through more police foot patrols and firm action against antisocial behaviour while providing support for those who need it. Auckland\u2019s CBD is the heart of New Zealand\u2019s economy, generating 8 percent of our country\u2019s GDP. When Auckland succeeds, New Zealand succeeds. Our Government is getting on and fixing the basics and building the future for our biggest city.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a8c7f967d9b996226bf08c0d23fb577\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: Is the National Homelessness Data Project correct that the number of homeless people in Auckland more than doubled in just the last year, to over 940?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e87eb967276f1601acdcff1268a96ee\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re very focused on the issue of homelessness and making sure that we are addressing those challenges. Working alongside the Hon Tama Potaka, we are investing in more spaces for transitional housing and also more spaces to ensure that we are providing the Housing First places in Auckland, and we\u2019ve had remarkable success, with many tenancies confirmed and filled since that funding was announced in September last year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022404cad58490052dd1c53c66d836106b1\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: How many of the 207 Housing First places in his Auckland action plan have been delivered and are filled?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002230a4cdb68a76e7c3cbca9884f8567ad7\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m advised that providers have leased 143 rentals for the Housing First programme in Auckland, of which 117 have been tenanted; 73 Housing First tenancies have also commenced in Auckland through existing contracts, meaning over 200 people have been housed in the last few months.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b7d1aa2ee6c05641ce5f3d553fcc0902\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: Why is he working on plans to kick homeless people out of the Auckland CBD, when they have nowhere to go and after they have already been denied emergency housing by this Government?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3465ad58c8d56cfb9c01bb5caf91799\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it\u2019s almost a patsy question. We are focused on ensuring that we provide housing options for those who need it. We\u2019re also focused on ensuring that the businesses in our CBD have a safe place where they can operate their businesses and that people who come and work there, who live there, or who visit our city centre can operate in a safe environment. We need to focus on improving safety. We also need to make sure that those who need support from the Government have that support, and that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re doing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022db5659fc33e501491486fbc646e5a117\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: If there are 940 homeless people in Auckland and he is only planning to build 207 additional Housing First places, where does he expect them to go when he kicks them out of the CBD?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228d77297e8709be9b8c2016aef96b028b\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: We are focused on providing support. The reality is that we are contracting with Housing First providers; we\u2019re also ensuring that they are being held accountable for their existing contracts, to make sure that they are filling the places they already have, to ensure that they have Housing First places. We\u2019ve made significant progress in the last few months. What I\u2019d say to the Opposition is that we are very focused on making sure our Auckland central business district is safe and is welcoming to people who work there, who live there, and who visit there, because we know how important it is to our economy, to jobs, and to opportunities in New Zealand. We\u2019re focused on doing what\u2019s needed to fix the basics and build the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225ff33acecb189465a08d758d3613fbda\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: How will the constituents of Pakuranga, Botany, Epsom, and T\u0101maki feel when the CBD\u2019s homelessness issue is moved to their doorsteps?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222c13ea28a4b7a1119f1cc1c66725652a\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: The people of Pakuranga are very happy with their local member of Parliament and very happy with the work that he\u2019s doing. Of course they always want you to work harder and to work more, so that\u2019s what I\u2019m committed to doing. What I would say is that the people of Botany are also very happy with their Prime Minister. What we are doing is we are fixing the basics and building the future. We have funded additional places, we are filling those places, but we\u2019re also focused on improving safety in our biggest city. We have more police on the beat. We have a new police station in our central city. We are making sure that we are seeing thousands and thousands fewer victimisations under this Government. I would say the last thing: we\u2019re not having all the ram raids we used to have when your lot were in charge.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002284bcb9d80a53ea73fa302e00437b2c68\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: Moving homeless people on to other suburbs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022daa167ebd7883855e3e186165d6c6e1a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Good\u2014thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022cd14f02ad14d10c500ef421257b4bf55\u0022\u003EHealth\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d46367abb9a9b418433ed9224890e188\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022 data-id=\u0022f0ad6fe944ceb7ebdc10aefeba1bd0af\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f0ad6fe944ceb7ebdc10aefeba1bd0af\u0022\u003ERIMA NAKHLE (National\u2014Takanini) (14:09)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Health\u003C/span\u003E: What recent announcements has he made about improving access to urgent care for South and East Aucklanders?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022 data-id=\u0022fa0b6c0afa23c8bd341b6816d5243614\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fa0b6c0afa23c8bd341b6816d5243614\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Health) (14:10)\u003C/span\u003E: Our Government is delivering improved access to urgent care for families right across New Zealand. Earlier this month, I announced that South and East Aucklanders can now access urgent care at any time, with the Counties Manukau after-hours service now operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That\u2019s a significant milestone for people living in the Counties Manukau district, which has been the only part of Auckland without a 24/7 after-hours service for several years. Families can now get help for urgent health issues at any time of day or night, helping to reduce wait times for patients in our emergency departments. It is all part of our plan to build a healthcare system that delivers healthcare closer to home when you need it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229e6cdba00e2bf6cb40b05c9cb575ba54\u0022\u003ERima Nakhle\u003C/span\u003E: What does this mean for patients in Counties Manukau and Middlemore Hospital\u2019s emergency department?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c20b86ddeb21221f2d1844ea52f41c7d\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Delivering a new 24/7 service in Counties Manukau means patients can get timely urgent care when they need it, while also reducing wait times for patients at Middlemore Hospital\u2019s emergency department. I\u2019m pleased to confirm that, on the first overnight shift, I\u2019m advised that 33 patients were seen at the new 24/7 service in Counties Manukau, patients that may have otherwise presented to the emergency department. Overnight care is being delivered through a flexible workforce model including doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, paramedics, and digital health support, to ensure timely care. This is about putting patients first by giving families the care they need and reducing wait times for those who do need emergency department care.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228156337e9ea46b66d7a72ed1cf8356c3\u0022\u003ERima Nakhle\u003C/span\u003E: What other improvements will East Aucklanders see to urgent care access?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229d6af9e924943ff4ee6c11a7ca73317b\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: East Auckland will also benefit from expanded urgent care. From 1 March, East Care will extend its closing time from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., while continuing to open from 7 a.m., following the closure of its extended 24/7 service in 2020. This means more Aucklanders can get the right care in the right place at the right time. These improvements across the Counties Manukau district are part of our Government\u2019s commitment to ensuring families can access timely urgent care, when they need it, close to home.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d81a524e40b3b2a17b537972b83ecad3\u0022\u003ERima Nakhle\u003C/span\u003E: How does this announcement fit into the Government\u2019s broader plan to improve urgent care access across New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002225d4dcacf3fa319406cb7d2a85de7f47\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: This is part of our Government\u2019s plan to ensure that 98\u00A0percent of New Zealanders live within an hour\u2019s drive of urgent care services. Alongside the new and expanded services already in place in Dunedin and Lower Hutt, further upgrades planned for this year include an expansion of the urgent care services in Whang\u0101rei and Tauranga, expanded support for rural communities, and extended daytime urgent care in Invercargill. This is about giving more communities timely access to urgent care, and helping reduce wait times for patients at our emergency departments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022de0179d5ccec6098cb82ffa25c61944d\u0022\u003ESocial Development and Employment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e48f8fcbb96f5f56d042deb97fbac08c\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022 data-id=\u0022a3f929c48088710f608f1c8f3a246fef\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a3f929c48088710f608f1c8f3a246fef\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH (Green) (14:13)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Social Development and Employment\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Civil Defence Payment available for people impacted by the severe weather events recognised by local states of emergency declared on 20 and 21 January 2026; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022 data-id=\u00223036668171930093caffcab45bb7a8eb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223036668171930093caffcab45bb7a8eb\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) (14:13)\u003C/span\u003E: The provision of civil defence payments is based on the advice of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), civil defence, and local communities. I can confirm that MSD will be making civil defence payments in affected areas within Northland, East Coast, and Bay of Plenty. Severe weather events are complex and often move fast, and the Government\u2019s top priorities are, of course, finding accommodation for those who have lost their homes and getting supplies into communities that are cut off. I\u2019m very proud of the Government\u2019s response, and I\u2019d like to put on record my thanks to all of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Police, ambulance, civil defence, and other officials, communities, and volunteers throughout the country, who have been working so hard to support our affected communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022edfc01fa073c270a44093f16c09f5c66\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Will she ask Work and Income to take a high-trust approach to the use of discretion when it comes to the delivery of civil defence payments; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4afda20b98fb05f1f44a15e25998773\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: As I\u2019ve just said in my answer to the first question, decisions are made about whether civil defence payments should be made based on the advice of those on the ground: the civil defence teams, the local communities, and MSD. There is set criteria for when those civil defence payments can be activated, and that\u2019s exactly what we do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229b528ef48aa79c9ae179bdc8dfdb76b7\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: How will she ensure that low-income families who have been forced out of their homes or lost income due to not being able to work because of this climate disaster, and who have not had access to the civil defence payment for over a week, are now given the information and the financial support to recover?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002257bdb1ea320077e7afe8b5d573707f87\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: I want to assure that member and those listening to this debate, as I said in my primary answer, the first priority has been to provide accommodation to those who have been displaced from their homes. That number is now down to, I understand, within 100 to 150, which is why we have put the temporary accommodation service in place, and also now there are motorhomes in Northland and others coming to support those who are still without homes. Then, of course, the assistance to the civil defence teams in terms of food and emergency supplies continues, as well as hardship grants and other assistance that\u2019s available through MSD. The civil defence payment is another form of assistance that we have now activated in the three regions that I\u2019ve mentioned.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220209c91ed9a097a23d6c1c75c7dd26ac\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: What steps, beyond issuing a press release, will she be taking to ensure communities on the ground know what they are eligible for under the civil defence payment so that they can access the maximum amount that they may be legal eligible for?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c63483ae1a73463ac9ea1aa4bd222579\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, MSD have been on the ground, working closely with civil defence from day one. They are clear about people who require assistance, so even ahead of civil defence payments being granted, people are aware of what they can get through hardship grants, for example. When the civil defence payment has been confirmed\u2014which is today\u2014for specified areas within those regions, the MSD teams along with civil defence and others working on the ground to support communities will, of course, advise people what they are eligible for and how to access information. I would encourage anyone in that situation to contact their local MSD office or to phone the 0800 number.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca248cb2e1f88097a625c77e455a52e6\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Does she accept that the value of the civil defence payment has eroded by nearly 40 percent since it was last updated in 2013, and, if so, will she update the payment so that people can be adequately supported when they are affected by increasingly more common weather events?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c5ada3888f3873633f7a0114e1160141\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: A significant component of the civil defence payment is tagged to what the jobseeker benefit rate is, and that is, of course, increased every year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226678d5d3f1d10d528e3b1c1c188c723c\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Is that rate good enough for someone who isn\u2019t able to work as a result of extreme weather events?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022392e868333f683ef5de6343a34e2107c\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, I think that member said \u201Cable to work\u201D; I think he meant \u201Cunable to work\u201D. There are a number of criteria for someone to be eligible for the civil defence payment: if they either are displaced from their home, or, actually, if they can\u2019t move away from their home, as well as not being able to access their employment directly related to the civil defence emergency. It is suitable that the jobseeker benefit rate is what is used in that instance. There are, of course, other considerations, which is why the civil defence payment is based on an individual\u2019s circumstances. It is not only available for those on low incomes or benefits; it\u2019s available to anyone. MSD work really hard to work with that individual to understand their needs and provide support to them in that period of need.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a347ddb46363134080894490cb47ca10\u0022\u003EHealth\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f47abc91f8c4fb5419491b5b803fbe36\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022 data-id=\u002295a586c506a558ce39be63e58bcb87df\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002295a586c506a558ce39be63e58bcb87df\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour) (14:18)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Health\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his statement that the Ministry of Health\u2019s review into the ManageMyHealth data breach will \u201Cidentify lessons to strengthen protections for patient data held by the private sector\u201D; if so, does Health New Zealand currently have a Chief Information Security Officer role dedicated to primary care?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022 data-id=\u00222f990ab215b66a36f4816172381e9747\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222f990ab215b66a36f4816172381e9747\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Health) (14:19)\u003C/span\u003E: In the context it was made, yes. Patients expect that their health data is held securely, and they deserve to have assurances that this is the case, whether in the private or public healthcare systems. I\u2019m advised that Health New Zealand has a National Chief Information Security Officer, who has responsibility for engagement and support for primary care. Support functions provided include the creation of a health information security exchange, a collaborative healthcare initiative that drives better security outcomes across primary care; a health information security framework providing small to medium sized support guidance for primary care; Health New Zealand\u2019s security incident guide specifically for primary care; and, as we\u2019ve seen in the case of the Manage My Health incident, incident control support.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e5a52ca966a5080c7e8c533375ed4f41\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I asked about a specific dedicated role in my question. The Minister\u2019s answer identified that there was a National Chief Information Security Officer. He outlined responsibilities that that officer had, but it was not clear from his answer, which is a primary question on notice, whether or not that role was dedicated to primary care.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e7d93fafd9e8155e7f52ee91df98c0b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think the way he answered\u2014the way I took it\u2014was he said that there was such a person.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f2a8b50be132e833861f09619eda0f8d\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Speaker, and to\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002247323b6a77bc889da0a305589a1185d0\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, no. You\u2019re arguing with the Speaker now, but anyway, carry on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229de38b0b05798356e526109a082366f1\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: It was an ambiguous answer. It was totally possible\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221959b21825871f0f9e8af995e26b9546\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Hang on, sorry. That\u2019s not a basis for\u2014ask another supplementary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d0d94a06ed0a8ab585653675c0a7f3d8\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Will the Minister confirm that that position is a single position dedicated to supporting the primary care sector with its information security needs?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002267cd05f54a3ba40f30d667d17d194a59\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m advised that that position has a number of responsibilities, one of which is to engage and support primary care, as I outlined in the answer to the primary question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226572e566d48d10af4f21f62a97f18137\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Why is he seeking lessons for how to strengthen protections for patients\u2019 data now when the Ministry of Health advised back in 2021 that the Government should build a core set of cyber-security capabilities for the primary sector?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002299c266eff3c677313da5338a0acc5b35\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: There is a range of investments that the Government is continually making\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f3699be407d82554a2a07c22e6ac1383\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Stop obfuscating. Answer the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002219fb231bcb8d4e095a25f68480972c91\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abd2690d6e0b0ce50005918bf678f44c\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Answer the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022080bbbfc4af7dee21e20f9f8fb492bd4\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: There is a range of investments the Government is making into data security continuously. We need to make sure we also learn the lessons from what happened with Manage My Health. That is why we\u2019ve launched a review. That\u2019s why we have a terms of reference.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002240c27f1d476ad7f8b76b7c1b58580ee1\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Is it correct that the role Chief Information Security Officer - Primary Health Sector that existed in 2023, following the 2021 review, was disestablished due to funding cuts in Budget 2024?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022029be9dad44e9f007e576d89bbdce0c3\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m advised there was a title of a role and that the position description and the roles and responsibilities exist within the function of primary care relationship manager, who exists within\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002254aa7c61326f4a0395e6e4031c554ba3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d8050b6bbe6a27e0d7cfd3b1a16cfce2\u0022\u003EHon Dr Megan Woods\u003C/span\u003E: So you cut it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223464e9127f4e1dc32721f97a80d40fa5\u0022\u003EHon Member: \u003C/span\u003EJust listen up, love.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c56c9a5c76a33f3a3ac59030700ab64b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Hang on. There\u2019s only one Minister answering.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002282c1bdf81694a46c3a00e838bc74f8d4\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014the team of the National Chief Information Security Officer and supports that individual with those responsibilities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220e4d1f070cc30afb0d665976912f8ebd\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Isn\u2019t it the case that in 2021 the ministry had developed a plan for primary care cyber-security, his Government cut that plan, and now he is having to revert to work that should never have been cancelled in the first place?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225829b496ac5f416ed418f0f778e52531\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Well, if the member\u2019s going to ask that question, I\u2019d suggest she should also provide\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a93354a63bd28498724b8ebcdf88433\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Wait on. Sorry. We\u2019ll just calm it down so we actually can hear the answer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002272d0ed3caf07f7085d31ae9ccb7dce41\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: If the member is going to ask that question, then I will also point out to the House that, in 2023, the then Government made reductions in health data and digital\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022395bc9a02bb459bb81c431c13cf1161d\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. It sounds like the Minister is speaking to an issue that he didn\u2019t have responsibility for and it would be great if he answered the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3f8c95c8e09cddf6b8a6df92ffc923a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, no. I\u2019m sorry. A Minister is able to refer to matters that occurred beyond their time at the ministry in order to give an answer. I couldn\u2019t judge whether or not it was appropriate or not given the early intervention on the Minister\u2019s question. Please start the answer again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225ab8769b87e18ee0b899c0aa19d3fc34\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: I would point out to the House in response to that question that the previous Government made reductions in health data and digital foundations and innovations, and the 2023 August reduction in Government expenditure, which of course has had an impact on data and digital investment in our healthcare system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a12fa0513cc8da8d8057243c71a10cc2\u0022\u003ETourism and Hospitality\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022536a26e82c653ad0da9e06a4bbc615a8\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022 data-id=\u002214a1e8e8f93d7a9c8095decfe2d3d868\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002214a1e8e8f93d7a9c8095decfe2d3d868\u0022\u003ERYAN HAMILTON (National\u2014Hamilton East) (14:24)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Tourism and Hospitality\u003C/span\u003E: What recent announcements has she made about supporting major events in New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022 data-id=\u0022629a98c6e95951d3cb363ad70b0f1194\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022629a98c6e95951d3cb363ad70b0f1194\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Tourism and Hospitality) (14:24)\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s been swell for sure this week, when we announced the World Surf League (WSL) bringing its Championship Tour to New Zealand this year. Raglan\u2019s world-class left-hand point break has been selected to host the event, which will be the biggest elite surfing event ever hosted in New Zealand. This announcement is part of the Government\u2019s Events Attraction Package, which aims to bring high-value international events to New Zealand, attracting international visitors and stimulating the economy. Tourism and major events are a crucial part of our Government\u2019s focus on building the future. More world-class events means more visitors, more jobs, and, of course, a growing economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1d6e74cf7ac1cb3d39973225c6dd042\u0022\u003ERyan Hamilton\u003C/span\u003E: What is the World Surf League championship?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224d85478f767d53fab72b22ff58a77620\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: The World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour is the premier, top-tier professional surfing competition, which has never been held here before. The New Zealand Pro will run from 15 to 25 May this year, in which the top 36 men and the top 24 women will compete at the world-class left-hand point break at Raglan. Fans will be able to watch the world\u2019s most talented surfers compete, inspiring our budding young athletes, and helping to grow the sport in New Zealand. The New Zealand Pro will also give a major tourism boost to the Waikato, with a large influx of competitors and spectators to the region, and a global broadcast of the event, showcasing Raglan as a top surf destination internationally.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022921c34b7d4ff3ee01845132dec51a882\u0022\u003ERyan Hamilton\u003C/span\u003E: What benefits does she expect to see as a result of this announcement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bbb13f737fa1acc2775512762912d799\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: We know that when major events come to town, the economic ripple is enormous. Hotels and motels fill up. The tills are ringing in our restaurants and cafes, and local businesses see a surge in the number of customers. International sports competitions and festivals don\u2019t just bring visitors; they bring life and energy to our towns and regions, creating vibrant communities and unforgettable experiences. The WSL Championship Tour is the fourth event announced under the Events Attraction Package. There\u2019ll be more to say in coming weeks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c90aeb7ab1075f6b55eb55add50f8eaf\u0022\u003ERyan Hamilton\u003C/span\u003E: What feedback has she received on this announcement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228c04301e5de0a88581421276511997ca\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019ve had a wave of positive feedback. Surfing New Zealand CEO Ben Kennings said this is \u201Chuge\u201D for New Zealand, and \u201CWe can\u2019t wait to host [these] best surfers in the world, it\u2019s going to be pretty spectacular.\u201D The Raglan Sunset Motel\u2019s Poppy Larkin said to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EWaikato Times\u003C/span\u003E that, normally, the hotel wouldn\u2019t be busy in May, but the 24-room accommodation provider has already been booked out for the event. Raglan Surf Emporium co-owner John Clapham said, \u201Cit\u2019s been a pretty hard couple of years, so to have something like this in May helping \u2026 retailers [through the] winter months [is] positive.\u201D This announcement is already showing very positive signs and means we\u2019re building a reputation internationally as a world-class destination for sports, culture, and entertainment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225cce31d1673019d6cb50e41c526c2db5\u0022\u003EEducation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002204afd5b14c2f38fce11a299458a5291e\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002229b8d22182614a1b8b6e8ef03bf61503\u0022 data-id=\u002205b7dd525ba680963d7c4f4178fe15bf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002229b8d22182614a1b8b6e8ef03bf61503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002205b7dd525ba680963d7c4f4178fe15bf\u0022\u003EHon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) (14:28)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Education\u003C/span\u003E: Does she stand by her statement that \u201Cthe numbers for the future are looking really good\u201D in response to reports of a teacher shortage, with 445 vacancies listed in the Education Gazette at the start of the school year, and, if so, why? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022 data-id=\u00226d06f3da52050ca65fdd80b332f44bb1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226d06f3da52050ca65fdd80b332f44bb1\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Associate Minister of Education) (14:28)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Education\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister of Education, Erica Stanford, who\u2019s actually texted me some information to help answer this question\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002229b8d22182614a1b8b6e8ef03bf61503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5b37db60f8f8fda1919a9ab67c8ec6a\u0022\u003EHon Willow-Jean Prime\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, she likes texting! [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002296252e81dbc7e892c6a407522fe1def5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s enough.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224cc06ffc8efa6f189559803ab83a69f3\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: The simple answer is yes, she absolutely stands by that statement, and for a number of reasons. The Ministry of Education forecasts that next year, there will be a surplus of primary school teachers. By 2028, there will be a surplus of secondary school teachers, and this is due to a number of initiatives that the Government has taken. For example, when the Government started funding teachers\u2019 registration fees, 455 teachers who had previously not been registered returned to the workforce. I\u2019d also note that a small minority of those advertised positions are for actual classroom teachers. In fact, only 31 of those are for permanent roles. A lot of the others are for positions such as teaching assistants, which the Government has added to the workforce and is now seeking to hire people to fill. I also just note the premise of the question seems to be that it is a bad thing that there are jobs going in the education sector. If the Labour Party thinks that 445 jobs is the wrong number, presumably their goal is not for there to be no jobs going in education in New Zealand. If it\u2019s not zero and it\u2019s not 445, what exactly is it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002229b8d22182614a1b8b6e8ef03bf61503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a3522e60d882544e5fb9b2456b4d6ad\u0022\u003EHon Willow-Jean Prime\u003C/span\u003E: How are the numbers \u201Clooking really good\u201D when the New Zealand Educational Institute polling data shows that 73 percent of primary school principals say that they are likely to quit within five years?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a0772b731c1bdd2547438d926ac947b3\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: I suspect that they are concerned about a change of Government! But I want to say to those principals: have no fear, we are working hard to keep these people over here and those people over there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002229b8d22182614a1b8b6e8ef03bf61503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b072831503962e8ff17ac251369a6dfd\u0022\u003EHon Willow-Jean Prime\u003C/span\u003E: How are the numbers \u201Clooking really good\u201D when vacancies are up 12 percent compared to this time last year?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ba97d00580df2e2b9eabdbec1502ff14\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: As I\u2019ve mentioned, one of the reasons that there are vacancies is that we are creating new positions in education. The retention of teachers has remained around 90 percent, where it has historically been. There are now more teachers in training than any time since 2009, up 30 percent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002229b8d22182614a1b8b6e8ef03bf61503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e4c228b4b519da2aa83dbe605fbf6c12\u0022\u003EHon Willow-Jean Prime\u003C/span\u003E: How are the numbers \u201Clooking really good\u201D when Auckland alone currently has 125 roles unfilled?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225446fe8f28002a80ab79af6e503640da\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: As I said, it is not necessarily a bad thing that there are positions available, particularly when we have record numbers in training, a forecast of a surplus of teachers, and when we have new positions being created to make the job of teachers easier. Of course, there will always be principals who are under pressure to fulfil roles. I know, from my own role as a local MP, that that is often a source of real pressure for principals. But if you look at the overall policies that this Government is taking, they are in favour of boosting teacher supply and making it more attractive to teach. And, as I say once more, the reason that there are a lot of positions is, in part, because we\u2019ve created more positions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002229b8d22182614a1b8b6e8ef03bf61503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002235c49f244818b8cc818a9dc96b915705\u0022\u003EHon Willow-Jean Prime\u003C/span\u003E: Does she accept that an unmanageable workload, constant changes, and the removal of pay equity have made things worse for schools trying to recruit and retain teachers?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fdad743496f6c8d17b852cb03f63b0a9\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister of Education, no, I don\u2019t, because what teachers want more than anything else is to help pass knowledge from one generation to the next and equip children to navigate the challenges of the 21st century. What this Government\u2019s done by having a real curriculum, by equipping teachers with skills that are boosting literacy rates, by using the science of learning to actually teach children\u2014that is what boosts teacher job satisfaction: getting results, with leadership from a Minister of Education like Erica Stanford.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f8c7137db83916d7638d102bbd385616\u0022\u003EHousing\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00220aaeff93a31ebde77b8ffa490cf94b28\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022 data-id=\u0022086ad3a65168bbcef66af686422c34ca\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022086ad3a65168bbcef66af686422c34ca\u0022\u003ETAMATHA PAUL (Green\u2014Wellington Central) (14:33)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Housing\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister support increasing housing supply to make housing more affordable; if so, why is the coalition considering weakening Auckland\u2019s housing targets?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022 data-id=\u0022d43beb5f04f28956cb6165b40d8d2572\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d43beb5f04f28956cb6165b40d8d2572\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA (Associate Minister of Housing) (14:33)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Housing\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, this Government is committed to boosting housing supply in Auckland, T\u0101maki-makau-rau, as well as being responsive to Aucklanders. We are also considering a range of options around housing capacity targets for Auckland, and the Minister of Housing will have more to say soon. No decisions have been made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022018e1c36ec5b197b70248379d5d593b3\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the chief economist of Auckland Council that \u201CAn abundance of capacity also increases competition among landowners, which can help to moderate price pressures\u201D; if so, why is he comfortable reducing that abundance of capacity?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cddd1640cdbe1a8ee40331e3582bc67c\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: Various experts and people have a range of views, but no decisions have been made at this time on capacity in Auckland. We are absolutely committed to boosting housing supply in Auckland.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022396a581fdd52c59b50f51dbe63e1a29b\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: Would weakening Auckland\u2019s housing targets and the supply of housing in Auckland make housing more or less affordable in our biggest city than continuing with Plan Change 120?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226c237e0ff5b4119a7f8ad28f5688cec4\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: As we are aware, affordability is influenced by a number of factors, but our commitment is to increase housing supply in T\u0101maki-makau-rau, albeit we are continuing to consider the capacity for Auckland.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223902e260d333815c81b0af476ccd7154\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the MP for Epsom that intensification and an increase in supply would mean \u201Clooking into everyone\u2019s backyards and their swing sets and their pools\u201D, and, if not, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221af8dcbda095485662cbad223884b073\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. Actually, my comments are being misrepresented, and I think it\u2019s unfair for the member to have to ask a question that\u2019s actually based on misrepresenting a member.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002252891bec4e99ddc4355a526567160c17\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s word for word his quote, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022835fd932894430ca78645f626f98e974\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: No, it\u2019s not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f389572972b2aaf37c3cc328987df45\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: It is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022853a4756de5b088937815d8a521afa20\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, just let me hear the question again, sorry.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aa2fb45d6d74083625dbc5692fc2b4b1\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the MP for Epsom that intensification would mean \u201Clooking into everyone\u2019s backyards and their swing sets and their pools\u201D, and, if not, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022930a4a6270b5862d8aa78fc02c154432\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think, firstly, you\u2019ve just had the member for Epsom say that that\u2019s not the context in which the comment was made, and so\u2014a bit like yesterday\u2014see if you can reword that a different way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bedb9698e10ed130fba6044402f742e0\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: So I\u2019m rewording that same question, Mr Speaker?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002255092eb5b365ab7c21fb2281994c92fb\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, yeah\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] No one else is speaking, by the way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224af594e3cfffedcb8aff3533bf487b34\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the MP for Epsom\u2019s criticism of changes to Plan Change 120 and the process that intensification would mean \u201Clooking into everyone\u2019s backyards and their swing sets and their pools\u201D, and, if not, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002214dfc52c2b40dce817267fbd94bea58e\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not aware that the erudite MP for Epsom has made those comments, or of the context in which those comments were made, but what I am aware of\u2014and it\u2019s good to know\u2014is that there are more first-home buyers right now in the New Zealand market, highest in the last 20 years, as reported in the December 2025 quarter, and I\u2019m absolutely pleased to also see rentals become more affordable across Aotearoa New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b234f13f962e3102fa4e5c7ce54394f2\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister read the news properly, and, if so, would he agree with my comments in their correct context that people in central Auckland are generally in favour of intensification, but they want to ensure it\u2019s done well, such as not having people looking in their swing sets or backyards?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022732b6912256bb0e30c50fab61972f0e8\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you for that question. I absolutely agree that we would like to see Auckland grow up and out and in a proper way, ultimately with local decision-making.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a2678464cc108e2120c4e7305f880dcb\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220883bb2cd2ce6301c1af1044c571c982\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019ll just wait until the House settles itself, and all those who are offering opinions decide that it\u2019s not a good idea to do so.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d6ae883d7b43b1443febb8c92581bd89\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: How can he claim to be committed to increasing housing supply and housing capacity when his record is shaping up to be enabling fewer homes in Auckland and stopping K\u0101inga Ora from increasing their public housing supply?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220d5af526763448d94d8370ae3100b996\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister of Housing, as I\u2019ve said today three times, this Government is absolutely committed to increasing the housing supply in T\u0101maki-makau-rau Auckland. Capacity, which is distinctly different to supply, is a matter that we have not yet made decisions on, but our approach is to enable Auckland to build up and out where it makes sense and where capacity is more likely to be turned into actual houses, like around key City Rail Link stations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022307fb19aca5f4f0df29a9d0c704cf6a0\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister foresee any scenario where Auckland is left with a housing capacity lower than the 900,000 in the Auckland Unitary Plan when the Government came into office?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227d2fb651605190ff98384ebbbed2ef0f\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t want to get too far in front of myself about what will actually happen in the great city of T\u0101maki-makau-rau Auckland, but we are absolutely clear: no decisions have been made on capacity at this time, and we will continue to support, advocate, and rally for more supply and, ultimately, to support Auckland\u2014up and out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002276c633332ee40f7f33afc6bad4ce2e1e\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: What\u2019s more embarrassing: Cabinet overruling his recommendation, meaning that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226404bff53971363b75963b1073a793da\u0022\u003EHon Member: \u003C/span\u003EWho wrote this?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bce5587386020a4b9fb0f4ae90000c61\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Hold on a minute\u2014hold on. You may want to ask those questions, but do so to yourself without disturbing the rest of the House. Tamatha Paul, start again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229ec6b21860ff42a8bfcfbf955e54750a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022af9d5b680e30782bed3c7f38f9649cbb\u0022\u003ETamatha Paul\u003C/span\u003E: What\u2019s more embarrassing: Cabinet overruling his recommendations, meaning that councils zone for less housing supply and realisable capacity, and, or\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] I\u2019m going to start that again. What\u2019s more embarrassing: Cabinet overruling his recommendations, meaning that councils zone for less housing and less realisable housing capacity than under the medium-density residential standards, or the Prime Minister making him weaken Auckland\u2019s housing targets altogether?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221c7d23fe14196269b3b6b58053941155\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister of Housing, in this House I am not the judicial officer on embarrassment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e2976e6f11c855f49b78818301cc6a16\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Would the Minister consider it more embarrassing to mindlessly read questions off a script or not be able to mindlessly read the questions off a script?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb00b01213d98290164502a596011b36\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Much as he answered, he\u2019s got no responsibility. For the previous question, he has none for that either.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022cc188bda77ac3172a0a49db39dfe6cf5\u0022\u003ETrade and Investment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00229875f3d255ee515c580480fce4ec2141\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002290a05c0f561045159bf3351d524a65ac\u0022 data-id=\u0022d989610b92a2c0c5535028fe7c1cb651\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290a05c0f561045159bf3351d524a65ac\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d989610b92a2c0c5535028fe7c1cb651\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN (National\u2014Waikato) (14:40)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Trade and Investment\u003C/span\u003E: What recent announcements has he made about strengthening New Zealand\u2019s relationship with India?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022 data-id=\u00226885836b033cafbe1d8e8158a2e0c5a8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226885836b033cafbe1d8e8158a2e0c5a8\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY (Minister for Trade and Investment) (14:41)\u003C/span\u003E: On 22\u00A0December, we announced the conclusion of a landmark comprehensive free-trade agreement (FTA) with India that cuts tariffs on 95\u00A0percent of our exports. It means 57\u00A0percent of New Zealand\u2019s exports will be tariff-free on day one, rising to 82\u00A0percent once fully enforced. We get tariff-free access for sheep meat, wool, wood products and timber, seafood, many industrial goods, and much more; significant reductions for wine; and tariff-free and reduced-rate access for quotas of kiwifruit, apples, m\u0101nuka honey\u2014first time India has done that. India has a population of 1.4\u00A0billion people and an economy forecast to reach NZ$12 trillion by 2030. We are a country of just 5\u00A0million people. This FTA offers significant and substantial advantage to our exporters and is a very good deal for our country. Finally, it\u2019s one of the best FTAs India has concluded with any country, and gives our exporters advantages over Australia and the UK in their FTAs and also the EU FTA that was concluded just this week.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290a05c0f561045159bf3351d524a65ac\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022937aaa91850232cc442834957f8c9698\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: Does the FTA with India give rights of migration or immigration to Indian nationals?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f9f3f37cb2ed590ecfd43330a46d005f\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: No, it categorically does not. To meet skill shortages in our economy, it allows 1,667 highly skilled workers\u2014for instance, healthcare professionals, engineers, IT experts\u2014drawn from the New Zealand skills shortage green list, to apply for a three-year temporary work permit. They must meet all of the conditions set by New Zealand\u2014professional standards, good conduct, a job offer from an accredited employer\u2014and at the end of the three years they must return home. The FTA does not give them rights for family members to travel with them. It also focuses on attracting Master\u2019s and PhD students to New Zealand. They will have post-study work rights, as every student who studies in New Zealand does, and be able to work for 20 hours per week when studying\u2014currently, students are able to work for 25 hours. It does not remove a cap on the number of students who can come to New Zealand, because there is not a cap; but it also does not restrict future Governments from creating a cap should they wish to. The FTA does not restrict the ability for future and current Governments to modify work visas or student policies or settings. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290a05c0f561045159bf3351d524a65ac\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022afddf332063cba257d07ac10560272ab\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: Does the FTA commit New Zealand to invest money in India?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002247ddb3f893c1e436f4189e7c3089283c\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, stop. I\u2019ll ask you to start the question again when everyone has stopped talking.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290a05c0f561045159bf3351d524a65ac\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022085c2b30cb08ba8717f48f672d11e7b0\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: Does the FTA commit New Zealand to invest money in India?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228204cbbbe502f52f5b523d170a153bc8\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: No, it does not. New Zealand is open to investment, and New Zealand companies do very well when they invest overseas. This agreement makes it easier for them to invest in India and gives them rights in that market. The agreement includes an aspirational target for New Zealand to promote up to US$20 billion worth of private investment into India over 15 years, signalling our shared ambition to deepen commercial ties as India\u2019s economy expands. We have committed to promote this investment only. For Kiwi businesses, stronger two-way investment means greater access to growth sectors, more scope for joint ventures, and increased confidences to expand, while also encouraging Indian investors to see New Zealand as a high-value, stable destination to invest.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290a05c0f561045159bf3351d524a65ac\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222c8d5d203924b1f60118d7486ddd0d41\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: What is this agreement worth in terms of financial benefit and job creation?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022082f79a55b362191a3d439d5815ecf3d\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: Early estimates are that this agreement will be worth an additional $1 billion in New Zealand exports each year for the next 20 years and will deliver tens of thousands of jobs to our economy. It is also futureproofed; the EU-India FTA, announced this week, includes better access for wine and many services than our agreement concluded last year. We have agreed with India, in the FTA, a most-favoured-nation provision. That means if our FTA enters into force before the EU one does, then we will get the same reduction of tariffs for those wines and other access to services that the EU has negotiated. We have also futureproofed the agreement to ensure that we are never worse off, so 12 months after entering into force, we will commence discussions to improve the agreement with India on an ongoing basis. Can I take a moment of the House\u2019s time to thank the officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their exceptional work. These are the same officials that negotiated the EU and UK FTAs, and they have done a remarkable job on behalf of every New Zealander.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022650b35ad9763012bd05e7ebefa06e88c\u0022\u003EEconomic Growth\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022db9d68e195f87113c466aebadf5cdbac\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022 data-id=\u00224716faca6861300fd39c37a2eaa2697f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224716faca6861300fd39c37a2eaa2697f\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) (14:46)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Economic Growth\u003C/span\u003E: Does she agree with the Minister of Finance\u2019s July 2024 statement that \u201Ccost of living relief is on its way\u201D; if so, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e9a8f59e17c4262a8d7f0a63c00b9e70\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: Geez, you\u2019re a one-man band!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b9ac3bae1100a4b29616bff83d46bdc\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: For many years I was, but now I have many friends.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d52c571cdb246f6abf50a39de1a66f7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022254a5f55533ef9ffaa9feda363ab44a7\u0022\u003EGlen Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: November, here we come!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002260fd68dd210bacf43b9ed52e33f0be8f\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: I see that member going in the opposite direction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022 data-id=\u0022888027fd7af8095eb1c8d833a22bfa8c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022888027fd7af8095eb1c8d833a22bfa8c\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Associate Minister of Finance) (14:46)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Economic Growth\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, absolutely. For example, since that comment was made, mortgage rates have fallen for New Zealanders up and down the country, meaning that they are paying less on interest and have more money left at the end of the week. It\u2019s also the case\u2014and it\u2019s interesting to look at the changes in non-tradable inflation; around the time of that comment. Non-tradable inflation\u2014that is, inflation within New Zealand\u2014was 4.9\u00A0percent; it has since come down to 3.5\u00A0percent. That\u2019s important because it\u2019s something that the Government can control. Right across the board, we\u2019ve been managing our own spending, we\u2019ve been cutting red tape, and we\u2019ve been increasing efficiency in the New Zealand economy so that prices come down. However, it is true that over the same period, tradable inflation\u2014that is, inflation largely influenced by overseas\u2014has increased from minus 1.6 up to 2.6; so we\u2019ve had a 1.4\u00A0percent drop in local inflation and a 3.2\u00A0percent increase in tradable inflation over that period. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002297b9e52fe487e1a6f5012c6b9d2a1ad0\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Why did she claim in July 2024 that \u201Ccost of living relief is on its way\u201D, when, in the past year, food costs have risen 4\u00A0percent while minimum wage has risen just 1.5\u00A0percent?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002233c935eb7f83d6d21eb73c89cbf6e4f0\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019d just like to correct an earlier answer. It\u2019s not 3.2\u00A0percent that tradable inflation rose over that period but 4.2\u00A0percent\u2014my mental arithmetic wasn\u2019t as sharp as it should be there. In relation to the question about food prices, it\u2019s certainly true that food prices have continued to rise. That has been, in part, driven by the fact that commodities New Zealand farmers sell on the world stage, such as dairy and meats, have been appreciating keenly in recent times. That has been very good for New Zealand farmers and, particularly, rural New Zealand. However, that doesn\u2019t mean that the increases in food prices don\u2019t affect New Zealand households. I would point out that they have risen much, much slower than they were when the previous Government was in place. Around that time, I seem to recall food price inflation as high as 12\u00A0percent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca50745c4805716ae2403510afd39597\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: How are Kiwis meant to believe that cost of living relief is coming when unemployment is up, wages are failing to keep up, and record numbers of New Zealanders are leaving because they cannot afford to live in this country under her Government?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022674e2c3ec0d20f8acbc16e5f7bb41958\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, you can\u2019t make that final statement. Just do the question again without the assertion at the end.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228dc4d966ed72b95e3933fea9fdd3127c\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: How are Kiwis meant to believe that cost of living relief is coming when unemployment is up, wages are failing to keep up, and record numbers of New Zealanders are leaving New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aa0f3b204b6844e1d7b3487d843e64b2\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: I would say that people are meant to believe that by looking at what we can control and what we can\u2019t control. As I mentioned, the New Zealand Government\u2014powerful as it may be\u2014cannot control 4.2\u00A0percent tradable inflation that has washed up on our shores since that initial comment was made. We can, however, control our own activities, and so I would counsel people to believe: when you have a Government that\u2019s very careful with its own spending, that gets interest rates down, and that leaves families and firms with more money at the end of the week to pay wages and grow jobs, that is a good thing. The choice for New Zealand is, really: do you want competent adults in the room looking after their money carefully on the Treasury benches, or, perhaps, something else that they\u2019re going to increasingly think, \u201CWhat was that like again? Not so good.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220d74c57d8f709eeb9922c452e145c4d3\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Are wages keeping up with the cost of living, when white bread has gone up 58.3 percent in the past year?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002228882886d8c864a0427f1c5c921e83d8\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: First of all, on a personal note, can I counsel the member to consider wholemeal\u2014it is healthier\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022215a9f39aca783382a457288fc2ce878\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s more expensive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002276c47511e5fb5fee00c15033ba1afd77\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014also more expensive, but then you could also economise on it in the volume you eat. The next thing I\u2019d say is that we have to be very, very careful when we take one commodity to try and measure productivity. The simple fact is that New Zealand has faced a serious challenge with raising productivity, that actually goes back multiple Governments. It\u2019s productivity that drives real wages: how much people produce and can take home. If we\u2019re going to improve productivity, then what do we need to do? Well, we need to cut red tape; we need to get more investment, so workers have more capital; we need more skills, with better education. Those are the things that drive real wage growth over decades, and they\u2019re exactly the things that this Government is investing in; rather than the \u201Csugar hit\u201D politics that people are a little tired of, because, like white bread, it may be sweet, but it doesn\u2019t last.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e785eaed0ce95423cfc95edb024acdb2\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: How much should New Zealanders pay for a loaf of bread?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002218adb58e17efd8d0e3a017490eadedb4\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6b89b4ae0b0551b977db7dc9cf0b21d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, no hang on, hang on. I\u2019m going to rule that question out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f2e5fac6ce3ce102c86a7c1f9ba42739\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, but I want to answer this one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ed0df6672892bc3a896c27b5b893da7d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I know you might want to answer it, but without losing the number of questions, try again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229e99b68bccd6ed1b4f14639622f0891d\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Does he think the tactic of telling New Zealanders that the cost of living is improving\u2014when clearly it\u2019s not\u2014is working, or is it just further proof that she and Christopher Luxon are way out of touch?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d8987c267f7e2bf6aa2583b403e040f3\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister for Economic Development, what I\u2019ve been saying in these answers is that the world does actually have more than one factor to consider. While there are challenges, and those have eventuated, in part, from that figure I gave\u20144.2 percent uptick in the rate of inflation coming from tradables or overseas\u2014they can also separate \u201CIs this Government making choices with the regulations and the rules and the money and the investment in social services like education?\u201D People can separate those things out and they can see that while there are real challenges, this Government is doing the work to fix what matters and ensure that our future is going to be brighter because of the decisions that we make. Rather than sloganeering, we actually are doing the policy work to make our country better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c8fc737d0c7e07a55f9d3b9342a0eeb5\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister understand that food prices going up faster than wages mean that New Zealanders are worse off because his Government is failing to take real action on the cost of living?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022265cd1fc3e21549d281c22271c6b7b22\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister of Economic Development, yes, there is no question that inflation has been a real challenge. When it peaked in 2022, it was 7.2 percent; when we took office, it was 5.6 percent; today, it\u2019s 3.1. So, yes, it is a serious challenge, but if you want to evaluate the effect of this Government, we have made serious progress getting inflation under control to solve precisely the question that the member purports to care about. I don\u2019t want to get political, but we\u2019re doing a much better job of it than you did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fa878b87bf61e06ef7da1f6d220c8372\u0022\u003EMental Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c63e417b3d4def51976b2e99ac665bf3\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022 data-id=\u00220dc49cff25bdaab8171d40d5fcdeb9a8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220dc49cff25bdaab8171d40d5fcdeb9a8\u0022\u003EDr VANESSA WEENINK (National\u2014Banks Peninsula) (14:54)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Mental Health\u003C/span\u003E: What recent announcements has he made about mental health co-response teams?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002224cf2b07c863455d8ff343c5bc53b590\u0022 data-id=\u0022a171630e2f2bf11d570db4c4cbd8be24\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002224cf2b07c863455d8ff343c5bc53b590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a171630e2f2bf11d570db4c4cbd8be24\u0022\u003EHon MATT DOOCEY (Minister for Mental Health) (14:55)\u003C/span\u003E: Our mental health plan is delivering faster access to support more front-line workers and a better crisis response. I recently announced the first four new mental health co-response teams, which we launched in Canterbury, Auckland City, Bay of Plenty, and Counties Manukau. To improve mental health outcomes, I want to ensure that when people call 111 in a time of mental health crisis, they get a mental health response, rather than a criminal justice one. Budget 2025 invested $28 million to roll out mental health co-response teams across the country. To deliver a better crisis response, we want to ensure there is someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b45daff971e91e0d862fb8a6f9e3ce6a\u0022\u003EDr Vanessa Weenink\u003C/span\u003E: What is a co-response team?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002224cf2b07c863455d8ff343c5bc53b590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227d1a37634d12f89bb982ebb9bc08f98c\u0022\u003EHon MATT DOOCEY\u003C/span\u003E: Good question. One of my top priorities is a better crisis response for all New Zealanders. Co-response teams pair up mental health workers with front-line police to respond to mental health call outs. They offer people experiencing a mental health crisis the support they need on the spot and faster access to the most appropriate services. Police do an excellent job in our communities, but the bottom line is they are not mental health professionals. That is why we are overhauling the way emergency services respond to 111 calls for people experiencing mental distress.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022576dd15dd381c69f3b88efcb9876eaae\u0022\u003EDr Vanessa Weenink\u003C/span\u003E: What evidence is there that co-response teams lead to a better crisis response?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002224cf2b07c863455d8ff343c5bc53b590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002258f3c9016edd963f6424ede953f52022\u0022\u003EHon MATT DOOCEY\u003C/span\u003E: An evaluation of the pilot in Wellington found there was a reduction in the use of powers under the Mental Health Act, fewer people needed to go to an emergency department or police station, and the level of wraparound support increased. Importantly, I heard from advocates, those with lived experience, and families, that having a uniformed police officer turn up during a time of mental health need can be distressing. The previous National Government announced co-response teams in 2017, but the funding was cut in 2018 under Labour. This Government believes these co-response teams are a real game-changer, and it\u2019s disappointing we had to wait six years to get them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a314e538a0faf3ab154f6edb19ee8f4d\u0022\u003EDr Vanessa Weenink\u003C/span\u003E: What other actions is the Government taking to create a better crisis response?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002224cf2b07c863455d8ff343c5bc53b590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ee5da2da344f591858c936f324c0bb7\u0022\u003EHon MATT DOOCEY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think you\u2019ll agree it\u2019s long overdue for a better crisis response in New Zealand. Crisis response teams build on the work already done, including a 60-minute handover between police and patients in emergency departments, as well as 30-minute transfers from the police custody suite to a mental health facility. We\u2019ve also announced a $61 million boost to crisis response, which includes 40 additional front-line clinical workers in our crisis and assessment teams and two new 10-bed acute alternative facilities to reduce in-patient ward admissions. When someone takes a brave step to reach out\u2014whether it\u2019s you, your child, a friend, or a family member\u2014this Government is committed to ensuring the right support is always there to answer that call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002260c7d552cf0770abe486928dfe3ad818\u0022\u003EEmergency Management and Recovery\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00221d4828a3fe4dbab95238dfcef8c6ea7a\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c4ca4cc5411f4905b1e974d906283186\u0022 data-id=\u00223dfdb7d984ed7a54a39d68c3f62f07ae\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4ca4cc5411f4905b1e974d906283186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223dfdb7d984ed7a54a39d68c3f62f07ae\u0022\u003EMARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI (Te Tai Tokerau) (14:58)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Emergency Management and Recovery\u003C/span\u003E: Does he intend for the Emergency Management Bill (No 2) to establish funding to support community and marae preparedness to respond to extreme weather emergencies?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022 data-id=\u002225fd071a82a8efe7bb9d4cf053211303\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002225fd071a82a8efe7bb9d4cf053211303\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Health) (14:58)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Emergency Management and Recovery\u003C/span\u003E: As the member will be aware, this is a regulatory piece of legislation, not a funding bill. There has been wide consultation with communities, iwi, and Opposition, and I welcome the member\u2019s further engagement through the select committee process. As the member will also be aware, the Government has already made support available to respond to the recent extreme weather events, with $1.2 million in funding for mayoral relief funds and $1 million funding for marae who have provided support in the response.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4ca4cc5411f4905b1e974d906283186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221657dc3f732c272e8d9883c1c015d349\u0022\u003EMariameno Kapa-Kingi\u003C/span\u003E: Why does the Emergency Management Bill (No 2) rely on marae and iwi to support emergency response without establishing dedicated, up-front funding for preparedness and response capacity?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e463a6779ea9789d258590c736e35bd\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery, this bill is around setting in place a new regime in terms of how we respond to emergencies in New Zealand. It takes the lessons from Cyclone Gabrielle and other weather events and also ensures that there is a strengthened role for communities and iwi in these events by giving them a place at the decision-making table. The Government continues to make investments into our marae, who do play an incredibly important role in our emergency response, whether that\u2019s in terms of resilience projects, whether that\u2019s in terms of energy projects, or flood resilience. Those are further investments we make across Government to support the role that marae play in our emergency response.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4ca4cc5411f4905b1e974d906283186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002221377c1b7949f98dd5175c5dc4e7ffdc\u0022\u003EMariameno Kapa-Kingi\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister consider it equitable for marae in Te Tai Tokerau to be relied on for emergency response without the same baseline public funding provided to other parts of the emergency management system, and, if so, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b41394834fa1e2d087a7274952bb9a14\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery, the Government recognises the important role that marae play in responding to emergencies. That\u2019s why we continue to provide funding for a range of projects to strengthen the resilience and support the role that marae play. Also, as I said in the answer to the primary question, we\u2019ve made $1 million available to reimburse marae for the work that they did responding to last week\u2019s weather events.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4ca4cc5411f4905b1e974d906283186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222bd6df4d4231ff95038f106505c9a552\u0022\u003EMariameno Kapa-Kingi\u003C/span\u003E: What amendments, if any, does the Minister intend to make to the bill following the extreme flooding in Te Tai Tokerau to strengthen marae and iwi preparedness before emergencies occur?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221c78a6fdce04439f941f67e12460689c\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery, the bill is going through a process. Ultimately, we\u2019ll be listening to the submissions, but we continue to make sure that we also learn from all weather events to improve our response. We\u2019re incredibly proud of the response of civil defence and emergency management, and also all of the first responders who played an incredibly important role\u2014and, also, those who are still working so hard right now to reconnect communities across this country following last week\u2019s weather event.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228c6e82375de755f26888f49340e7458e\u0022\u003EHon Tama Potaka\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister please confirm that 10 motor homes have arrived in Whangaruru in Northland to help support those wh\u0101nau that are in need as a result of the severe weather emergency over the last few days; and that further vehicles are now being transported, or are coordinated to be transported, to Hicks Bay in Te Araroa, to other locations of significant weather events?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca636c1494adf73577d1b1a0d26db926\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, given the public interest, it might be worth answering, but it\u2019s a long way from the primary question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002290875ef2a1640c4fda489a184344affa\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery, I can confirm that is the case and that the Minister, the Hon Tama Potaka, is very much driving for that to be done as quickly as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002286f2ae93381046cc25da8ef9befff732\u0022\u003EVocational Education\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00229ae24d005e9cc51b7e54851e4ed98b32\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 12\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022 data-id=\u00226b0fcbd97cc14f3058df89ddaab4d005\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226b0fcbd97cc14f3058df89ddaab4d005\u0022\u003ESHANAN HALBERT (Labour) (15:02)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Vocational Education\u003C/span\u003E: How many young people in New Zealand were not engaged in education, employment, or training for the September 2025 year compared to the September 2023 year?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224680dcac294f4cd5bdd3a5a7ed5a3bb9\u0022 data-id=\u0022742546247b7818dfdc73b934b0c98c9c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224680dcac294f4cd5bdd3a5a7ed5a3bb9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022742546247b7818dfdc73b934b0c98c9c\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS (Minister for Vocational Education) (15:02)\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve been advised by Stats New Zealand that at year end September 2023, there were 74,300 young people aged 15 to 24 not engaged in education, employment, or training. At year end September 2025, there were 90,000 15- to 24-year-olds not engaged in employment, education, or training. That is an increase of 15,700 15- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment, or training in September 2025 compared to September 2023.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228a8cf25748fcca1f115427875d6096d4\u0022\u003EShanan Halbert\u003C/span\u003E: Are there more or fewer young people enrolled in level 1 and level 2 vocational qualifications than there were two years ago?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224680dcac294f4cd5bdd3a5a7ed5a3bb9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a570f4f76bac4bedcc686b47c897a241\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m very pleased that the member has asked me that question, because getting efficiencies often brings about really good results. The Single Data Return in 2023 compared with that in August 2025, against youth guarantee programmes and delivery of qualifications at levels 1 and 2, foundation programmes: while there were less tertiary providers in August 2025\u201480 versus 84 in 2023\u2014there were, in fact, more students, more learners: 31,510 learners in August 2025 compared to 26,610 in 2023.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a0b484b037027fed96390f68b028946e\u0022\u003EShanan Halbert\u003C/span\u003E: Are there more or fewer New Zealanders enrolled in apprenticeships than there were two years ago?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224680dcac294f4cd5bdd3a5a7ed5a3bb9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022df16017c0d118a6dd21d83103979ad64\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: One of the very sad facts of unemployment being higher than we would like it is that young people are disproportionately affected by that. Now, that is not a condition unique to New Zealand, according to the recent OECD report. Of course, as we bring the economy into recovery, it takes longer for the youth unemployment to reduce. However, I know that the member asking the question will be delighted to know that Stats New Zealand just today released the figures that total exports valued at $80.7\u00A0billion occurred in the year ending December 2025. That is the first time ever that New Zealand has had that value of exports, and I can confirm that those exports were driven by our very important primary sector, and so it is incredibly important that we have our polytechnics focused on meeting the needs of industry which drive our economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221678f74df01cd2fb5224d98a2c856603\u0022\u003EShanan Halbert\u003C/span\u003E: Do young people in New Zealand have greater or fewer opportunities to pursue vocational education and training than they did two years ago?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224680dcac294f4cd5bdd3a5a7ed5a3bb9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b77c92a3e9cd5d2d1456608ec50e281e\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: There are less courses being run, because that\u2019s what occurs when you seek efficiencies. When you put local people from the community in charge of running local polytechnics, they know what industries and the local community needs, they gain efficiencies from that, and then they look at what the industries are that are driving an $80.7\u00A0billion export value and they target the courses to ensure those industries get the graduates that they need.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a7f8f2da5c3d993481733499e0fdf059\u0022\u003EShanan Halbert\u003C/span\u003E: How long will it take for her to realize that 90,000 young people not in employment, education, or training is because she has no plan, which leaves them no choice but to go to Australia?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002276c6cde29dca0d84a396dd543585ecb0\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No. We\u2019ve got to tidy these things up a little bit. That question sits well outside of what\u2019s acceptable for a question. Just try and reword it in a different way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a4a92584aa4c6b5859ac4b44cb259538\u0022\u003EShanan Halbert\u003C/span\u003E: What is the Minister\u2019s plan to address the 90,000 young people not engaged in employment or education in this country to ensure that they don\u2019t go offshore to Australia?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224680dcac294f4cd5bdd3a5a7ed5a3bb9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ea7ae726cef4a69d55ba3d93ffd8a878\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: As I have already outlined, these conditions are not unique to New Zealand, according to the latest recent OECD report. Those that are young are more disproportionately impacted with high unemployment\u2014that is the result of an economy that had been crashed by the previous Government, and\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b8f166129ecc5313b7320b524df2939\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, just as you can\u2019t have the suppositions that were in the previous question, nor can you have that in an answer. So give a straight answer and finish the session.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224680dcac294f4cd5bdd3a5a7ed5a3bb9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e878ff9c4a3bea88013e9e73e5c2f577\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: The $80.7\u00A0billion total export value shows that we are getting industries back that are growing and are able to then employ young people. That is why we are so concentrated on ensuring that our economy grows so that our young people can be employed. That is why the polytech sector is getting back to basics of meeting the needs of their community so that they can provide graduates who grow the economy and provide opportunities for young people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022da736ad5227e40e8618a614b8b69d438\u0022\u003EGovernment Business\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f6fe4768c6172e9a358792f13b513e24\u0022\u003EDebate on Prime Minister\u2019s Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000237\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 28 January.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022 data-id=\u002251571fd0c5abeab0ad63984a995a8cf5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002251571fd0c5abeab0ad63984a995a8cf5\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) (15:10)\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m delighted to speak in support of the Prime Minister\u2019s statement as we kick off 2026. I do want to start, of course, though, by acknowledging that the year has started with some tragic events in Mount Maunganui and across the North Island. I want to just send our thoughts and prayers to those who are affected, particularly in Mount Maunganui, but also to those who have been affected across New Zealand\u2014in Coromandel, in Northland, East Coast, and the Bay of Plenty regions. I want to take this opportunity to put on record, as the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, the enormous number of volunteers who have been involved in that immediate response, recovery, and clean-up. The year 2026 is International Volunteer Year, so I want to start with a shout-out to them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also want to acknowledge my two parliamentary colleagues who have announced their retirement in the last week. The Hon Judith Collins KC, who is, of course, my bench mate, has served New Zealand, has served this House, and has served the community of Papakura for 24 years. If you were to ask me the two things I would remember the most, they are the enormous work ethic that Hon Judith Collins has brought to this House, and, of course, her quick and sharp wit. I also want to acknowledge the retirement of the MP for West Coast - Tasman, Maureen Pugh, who has served the West Coast for 28 years in a combination of roles in local government and central government. These two women have provided enormous service to New Zealand, so I wish them both well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIf we think about the start to 2026, it\u2019s pretty clear that we are on the road to recovery. We have to accept that it has been a challenging time for New Zealanders. This coalition Government has come in with a mandate to fix the basics\u2014and, man, what a sizeable challenge we all faced. If you think about what\u2019s been achieved in two years, it is quite phenomenal. If you think about what the biggest challenge was, it was, of course, the inflation beast, which has a very direct impact on everybody\u2019s lives with the cost of living. To be able to get inflation under control in two short years is nothing short of extraordinary, so I just think this House should recognise the enormous work that\u2019s gone in to get inflation down, because that affects every single household and every single business. If you think about where the biggest costs are, it\u2019s housing. When your mortgage rates are lower because your interest rates are lower, it is significant. Also, for this first time in I don\u2019t know how many years, we\u2019ve seen rents going backwards. Again, that alleviates enormous pressure from households with their biggest cost.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve made it easier for businesses to thrive with fast-track legislation, and I\u2019ve lost count of the number of people I\u2019ve spoken to over the last few months who can\u2019t wait for the Resource Management Act changes. If you think about one simple figure alone, 45\u00A0percent of consents will no longer be required. Think about the massive work that will save households and businesses. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMany New Zealanders comment, day after day, on education. Minister of Education, Erica Stanford\u2014man, what has she achieved in two years? If you think about what school achievement rates were, and if you think about attendance rates, we have really gone to work on fixing the basics: getting rid of cellphones and ensuring that our kids have an hour a day of reading, writing, and maths.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy colleague the Hon Paul Goldsmith\u2014I knew he waited particularly for this moment. If you think about the number fewer victims of crime in two years alone: 39,000 fewer\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002291c0e777ce3d4711ace36a15c7e22ffe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223b9418f1e31674044d4f3791721d1e78\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s 38,000.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002282927b4ee814ba866cb4484bf960c5b2\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014sorry, 38,000 fewer\u2014I just over-egged that\u201438,000 fewer victims of crime. That\u2019s a big number. I want this House to reflect on every victim: 38,000 is an enormous difference to the lives of those who are no longer going to be damaged and affected by crime, whether it\u2019s ram raids, whether it\u2019s burglaries, whether it\u2019s gangs, whether it\u2019s intimidation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis Government has got results in two years, fixing the basics. Across our health targets, we\u2019ve seen year-on-year improvements. Across every area that we are focusing on, we are fixing the basics. There\u2019s a bit more work still to do, and, of course, building the future. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to focus on two areas in particular\u2014two areas that I\u2019m responsible for\u2014and the first is social development and employment, because what is, after housing, the most significant thing that can impact people\u2019s lives? It\u2019s their ability to earn an income. One of the things that we have been very focused on is young people, because we know what we inherited. In the six years that Labour were in office, for a job seeker under the age of 25, their future years on a benefit increased from 12 years to 18\u201418. That is a crime that every single New Zealander should be aware of. That is why our Government is so focused on young people. I want to talk about some of the things we have done to improve their lives: individual employment plans; job coaching\u2014really intensive work with young people; bonus payments if they\u2019ve been on welfare and stay off it; real incentives to be able to support them; very customised support to assist them in getting into employment. We\u2019ve reset the welfare system to make it clear to people, through the traffic light system, what their obligations are, and actually what they do when they don\u2019t meet them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn the subject of jobs, we are building the future by growing tourism\u2014our second-largest export. Unfortunately, what we saw from the last side was no support for tourism. If you were a tourism business under the last guys, you kind of wondered whether you should exist, because they were not being supported by the previous Government. What have we done? We\u2019ve laid out a 10-year tourism growth roadmap to back them, to support them, and to bring them more customers\u2014and, in turn, when they get more customers, what do they do? They employ more New Zealanders. That\u2019s what this Government is focused on. We are growing the economy because we know the enormous difference it makes to young people in jobs, to households who can afford their mortgage, and to communities who feel safe through the great work that\u2019s being done. Have we got more to do? Absolutely. That is why, you will hear from us time and time again, the focus is about fixing the basics and building the future, whether it\u2019s in education, whether it\u2019s KiwiSaver, whether it\u2019s law and order, whether it\u2019s growing exports.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI was so proud last night to sit beside the Hon Todd McClay at the 77\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E Republic Day of India with them absolutely celebrating the free-trade agreement with India. If there is one thing that this Government has done that will transform the lives of New Zealanders for generations to come, it is that. When it was first proposed\u2014and I remember being in India with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon when we were talking about the free-trade agreement\u2014the other side just pooh-poohed it as if it wasn\u2019t important. Do you know why? Because they ignored India when they were in office. Instead, we said, \u201CHow do we bring more customers for our businesses? How do we grow our economy? How do we grow our exports more than the $80 billion that we\u2019ve just hit?\u201D That is through free-trade agreements, and by very focused, diligent attention, we have got that one over the line. It\u2019s about visitors, it\u2019s about tourism, and it\u2019s about growing opportunities for all New Zealanders, because we know that is what makes an enormous difference. We\u2019ve got more work to do, but that one, I think, will go down in history as a very significant turning point of our economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019m very proud to start 2026 with a coalition Government whose Ministers who are working incredibly hard and with parliamentarians on our side of the House who are representing their communities in good times and bad and who are talking about the opportunities ahead of us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand is a fantastic country. It is a brilliant, brilliant country, and we are all about creating that future for New Zealanders to choose to live in. What would they get from the other side? More tax, more spending, more borrowing, more debt. Guess what! It\u2019ll be tougher for every single person, if, on 7 November, they don\u2019t stick with a National Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ae82237ea795c29308d9c2cb0e164a6\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I understand this is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022 data-id=\u0022e34c8e1ff5b1b5436d5b0fe064768bee\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e34c8e1ff5b1b5436d5b0fe064768bee\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS (Labour\u2014Manurewa) (15:20)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ENg\u0101 mihi o te Tau Hou\u003C/span\u003E, Madam Speaker\u2014happy New Year to you, to everyone who makes this place work, and, most importantly, to those incredible responders around the country right now who are doing the important work of supporting those people who\u2019ve had their lives irreparably changed by the weather events, and to the people who are doing the clean-up in our communities to keep the lights on and to keep people getting what they need and to get home.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also want to mihi to Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua. It has been a long day for the wh\u0101nau here, but it is a big day for them and it\u2019s right to celebrate with them. You\u2019ve tuned in to the debate on the Prime Minister\u2019s statement, a debate that many New Zealanders would have followed along to for the first opportunity of politics for the year, and come away with a bit of a sense of Lorde\u2019s last single, \u201CWhat was That?\u201D What was a speech from the Prime Minister that did not mention M\u0101ori rights and the way that this Government has set race relations back 20 years? What was it from the Prime Minister that ignored the aspirations of rangatahi M\u0101ori and young people all around Aotearoa? A country where we know about our history, where we speak our reo, where we celebrate who we are. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen that Minister talks about building a country that has a bright future\u2014a future for whom? A future for the first-home buyers in Auckland who\u2019ve been locked out of the property market in the last three weeks by a Prime Minister who blinked on his own Minister\u2019s plan for intensification? A future under a Government that has seen thousands of apprentices laid off since they came into office and have moved straight to Queensland? We know exactly who those wh\u0101nau are who have moved overseas to Australia to not only build their houses but to buy their houses. They\u2019re not coming home under this National Government; they\u2019re looking for something better, and they\u2019ve found it offshore. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a shame that we have a Minister who cannot recognise just how much damage we are doing to the prospects of young people in Aotearoa. We need to do better for them, because we would all have sat around the table over the Christmas break; we would have talked around the barbeque to people who don\u2019t think like any of us, and especially to those young people. I\u2019m thinking about those 25-year-old men in our families, those neighbours that I have, the young guys who just cannot see themselves getting ahead right now. And we know they\u2019re doing it tough. We know that their mental health is suffering. We know that their job prospects are slimming out when the construction sector is on its knees with 17,000 jobs gone in that sector just in the last couple of years. We know that we have to do better for those guys, and it\u2019s happening all around the world. They are looking around in other countries we like to compare ourselves to and they are seeing upheaval and they are seeing turmoil. And what do we have at home? A Government who won\u2019t stand up to that and won\u2019t offer rangatahi a future which is built here and celebrates the things Aotearoa is good at and invests in jobs in manufacturing and a creative sector where they can see themselves represented. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBecause small businesses, the kinds of businesses that they run, they\u2019re closing their doors. In Manurewa over summer, my favourite bakery had closed up and they\u2019d gone on holiday because they just weren\u2019t seeing the foot traffic coming through that they needed to keep the doors open. Here in Wellington, shops aren\u2019t generally open on a Monday afternoon because they\u2019re not seeing people coming through with disposable income. This is the legacy of a National Government that told voters on the stump that they would deal with the cost of living and that they would get the economy under control. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat happens when people stop believing those promises, when politicians cannot be held to account for the promises that they have made on the cost of living, when people are still seeing their supermarket bills going up, when people are still seeing their insurance bills going up, when people are still seeing their energy bills going up and a Government that walked away from electricity reform? People stop believing in Governments. People stop believing in the ability of all of us to do something better. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThose young people who sat around with you at the Christmas table who are feeling disillusioned, there needs to be something that changes for them, because they\u2019re right. The status quo that they can see here and around the rest of the world has not delivered for them, and their diagnosis of the problem that the status quo is not changing things for the better is correct. Instead, we have a National Government that, in fact, is not addressing the problems that matter to them. They\u2019ve been distracted by the Treaty principles bill. They\u2019ve been distracted by kicking that kind of politics that has been borrowed straight from Nigel Farage, straight from overseas alt-right politics, and we\u2019re seeing it playing out here in New Zealand in the most toxic ways.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe need to reject that. We have the ability to offer young people hope and a real future built here in New Zealand. That is what Labour has to offer, and that is why this election is urgent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022fd2c9c3aa7974099bfcaac8ea7452994\u0022 data-id=\u0022bc05478630f928060d4d3d82ead9cc8c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fd2c9c3aa7974099bfcaac8ea7452994\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bc05478630f928060d4d3d82ead9cc8c\u0022\u003EHon JENNY SALESA (Labour\u2014Panmure-\u014Ct\u0101huhu) (15:25)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKia ora e te P\u012Bka\u003C/span\u003E and happy New Year to you and to all of our members of Parliament. It is so good to be back in the House of Parliament for 2026. I look forward to a good year, particularly towards the end of this year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, in responding to the Prime Minister\u2019s statement earlier this week, most of us were here in the House listening to the delivery of his statement, and some of us also looked at the written statement that the Prime Minister had. As our ethnic spokesperson for Labour, I was looking especially for any mention of ethnic communities, because when we look at the demographics of our country, we know that when you add ethnic communities, tangata whenua M\u0101ori as well as Pacific, that is close to 50 percent of our total population. So I was hoping\u2014and, as you know, I\u2019m Tongan\u2014that I would also hear the word \u201CPacific\u201D. I did not hear \u201CPacific\u201D once. And as the electorate MP for Panmure-\u014Ct\u0101huhu in South Auckland, I was also\u2014similar to my colleague Arena Williams, MP for Manurewa\u2014listening and hoping that I would hear the word \u201CM\u0101ori\u201D. Not once was M\u0101ori mentioned in his speech here in the House. Not once was Te Tiriti o Waitangi mentioned in the House. That is just not good enough for when our Prime Minister makes a speech and a statement for the beginning of the year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, in response to the Minister that just spoke earlier on, when she spoke about the India free-trade agreement\u2014I looked also through the Prime Minister\u2019s speech, and he did mention India once, and he mentioned India when he spoke about the free-trade agreement. However, we also know that this current coalition Government has not got that deal across the line, so to speak, as we had heard earlier on, because one of their coalition partners, New Zealand First, has not agreed to sign on or to endorse that particular free-trade agreement. They\u2019re looking to us to ensure that that goes through. That is still in process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI would also like to speak as the local MP for Panmure-\u014Ct\u0101huhu, and I can tell you that things are very, very tough for the just over 75,000 people and constituents that I represent. It is a unique electorate where about 50 percent of my electorate are from the Pacific, about 15 percent are M\u0101ori, and there are also a whole number of Indians in my electorate. Being the spokesperson for ethnic communities is also a good thing for me because of the people that I represent. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut I can tell you, when I was first elected in 2014, one of the things that I was shocked by, because I just did not expect it, was the numbers of families that came through my door in \u014Ctara\u2014families who were working. They came through, some of them with their children in the car or the minivan that they were living in as their temporary accommodation, and they were coming asking for assistance for housing. They didn\u2019t actually mind whether it was a State house or a social house or a private house; they just wanted to be housed. But what was even more shocking to me was the fact that many of these were working families. There were families who either both parents were working or they were working two full-time jobs and a part-time job, but they still were not able to make ends meet. I am, unfortunately, beginning to see the same thing again this year: families who just cannot make ends meet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe cost of bread has gone up, as you heard through question time earlier on, by 58\u00A0percent, but I was actually quite shocked by the response from the Deputy Prime Minister, who was answering on behalf of the Minister. His response to that particular question was, \u201CWell, why don\u2019t those people just go and buy wholegrain bread?\u201D My experience going shopping is wholewheat bread or wholegrain bread is actually more expensive than white bread. The cost of butter has gone up. The cost of mincemeat has gone up. The cost of most foods has gone up. Things are much tougher now. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis Government came in and the Prime Minister now, Christopher Luxon, promised that he would fix the cost of living. I can tell you from South Auckland, the cost of living is worse now than it was two years ago. The cost of visiting a GP is also more expensive today, and some places it\u2019s up to about $100 to visit a GP. I can tell you that the majority of my constituents in South Auckland cannot afford to see their GP. And when they make a choice, whether it\u2019s to see their GP or to put food on the table, they usually don\u2019t go and see their GP. Thank you, Madam Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225459b3c0726d42c1b6d3cc94ec303baa\u0022 data-id=\u002281b4c0ba8debc4e0e2b65352c5f982e2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225459b3c0726d42c1b6d3cc94ec303baa\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002281b4c0ba8debc4e0e2b65352c5f982e2\u0022\u003EHon JAMES MEAGER (Minister for Hunting and Fishing) (15:30)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat this debate be now adjourned\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002287d70b568c1760b418f13fe81ed130b7\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225d05530b0ebb58df243614559639c6e4\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a3168305290ed1dc0a8dc3d8f403f3a1\u0022\u003ELegislative Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002291c0e777ce3d4711ace36a15c7e22ffe\u0022 data-id=\u00226ca7e1c3444a93abb1d039a57a8a6548\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002291c0e777ce3d4711ace36a15c7e22ffe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226ca7e1c3444a93abb1d039a57a8a6548\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) (15:31)\u003C/span\u003E: I present a legislative statement on the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226e2b787c98e99d089001e5f6932422b7\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225834430b4b83588b680f181925018d6c\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002291c0e777ce3d4711ace36a15c7e22ffe\u0022 data-id=\u0022834de8abdccb3196f450486c2c5cc00d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002291c0e777ce3d4711ace36a15c7e22ffe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022834de8abdccb3196f450486c2c5cc00d\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) (15:31)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0101kiri mai ana te ata ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea. E mihi ana ki a koutou kua tau mai nei i runga i te karanga o te r\u0101. E ng\u0101 mate, haere, haere, haere ki te p\u014D. Ki a t\u0101tou te hunga ora, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou. Tihei mauri ora. Ka mihi au ki ng\u0101 mana o \u0113nei whenua, ko Te \u0100ti Awa, ko Ng\u0101ti Toa Rangatira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa. Ko te K\u0101wanatanga t\u0113nei e mihi ana ki te kaupapa o te w\u0101, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EMorning has dawned. The day has broken. I acknowledge you all who are here in response to the purpose for which we were called together. Those that have passed: go, farewell. To us, the living: I acknowledge you. I claim the right to speak. I acknowledge those who preside over these lands, Te \u0100ti Awa, Ng\u0101ti Toa Rangatira: I greet you. The Government acknowledges the present matters. Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, I greet you\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGood afternoon, everybody. Today, I have the great pleasure of speaking in support of the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill. It was a wonderful opportunity to have the many members from Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua here today, in the debating chamber, and we had a wonderful time together a couple of hours ago, earlier in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENegotiations began on this settlement in 2017, officially, with Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua having been seeking justice from the Crown for generations. Today marks the final step in Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua\u2019s long journey to settlement of their historic claims. Today\u2019s milestone is a testament to the efforts of many. I acknowledge those who are not here today, to be with us, for this event\u2014in particular, the late chair of the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Iwi Trust, Eugene Topine, who guided these negotiations at the earliest of stages. I want to acknowledge the current chair, Graham Bell; vice chair, Lois Tutemahurangi; trustees Aaron Rice-Edwards, Joey Allen, Louise Wahapa, Piki Taiaroa-Whatarangi; and former trustee Brett Anderson, who have provided wisdom and leadership and have been critical to negotiating a settlement that brings us all closer to reconciliation. I personally want to thank you all for your such warm relations and hospitality in Taumarunui.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn the Crown side, I want to acknowledge the work of predecessors the Hon Chrisopher Finlayson and the Hon Andrew Little. My thanks to my ministerial colleagues, Crown agencies, and local authorities for their work to achieve the settlement. I also want to acknowledge the efforts of the negotiators from Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, led by Tim Castle. And my thanks to the chief Crown negotiator, Dr John Wood. Finally, I want to acknowledge the people of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua who have come to Parliament today. And to those who are watching across the country, or listening in on their crystal sets or radios back home: greetings from Wellington.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI formally delivered the Crown apology to Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua at the signing of the deed settlement in March, last year, during a ceremony where all felt the enduring hurt of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua. That day was a reminder of the importance of the Crown acknowledging its wrongdoings over many, many decades.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill before us records the Crown\u2019s acknowledgments and apology for its actions and omissions which breached the Treaty of Waitangi\u2014these included warfare, the alienation of land through substantial Crown purchasing of public works takings which have left, in totality, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua virtually landless.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill enacts long-overdue statutory pardons for the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua t\u016Bpuna Te Rangi\u0101tea and M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu, who, in 1846, were tried and convicted under martial law and lost their lives as a result. The bill also recognises that labelling these men as rebels has led to an intergenerational stigma and mamae experienced by their uri and by Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the following decades, the story of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua is one of a people who were alienated from their land through Crown actions, including railway construction, the establishment of Tongariro National Park, and the compulsory acquisition of land along the banks of the Whanganui River. On these occasions, the Crown either did not honour the commitments it made, or failed to consult Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua entirely. The loss of land led to the erosion of tribal structures and left Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua unable to sustain themselves and with few opportunities for social and economic development. Many Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua were obliged to leave their rohe, which exacerbated the damage to the iwi\u2019s spiritual and cultural wellbeing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis settlement lays the economic, cultural, and social foundation for Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua to reestablish their connection to their land, their rohe; strengthen their identity; and to build a future for themselves for generations to come. It recognises the importance of Te Pou Tikanga, the innate values that underpin Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua\u2019s aspirations for their Treaty settlement in their vision for a restored relationship with the Crown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe settlement redress package provides for the return of 64 sites of cultural significance to be transferred as cultural redress, including sites that will be jointly vested with other groups; a cultural revitalisation fund; recognition of the innate connection of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua to their rohe and their obligations as t\u0101ngata tiaki; a relationship redress with many Crown agencies and the financial commercial redress valued at $19 million, with the right to purchase a number of commercial properties.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs I have said on many occasions along this way, this settlement can never fully compensate Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua for the loss and prejudice that they\u2019d suffered as a result of Crown actions. Through the settlement, the Crown seeks to restore and strengthen its relationship with Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, grounded on mutual trust, cooperation, and partnership.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn 1866, at the cessation of hostilities with the Crown, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua erected a pou at Maraekowhai, called \u201CRiri Kore\u201D, which translates, roughly to \u201Cno more war\u201D. Through Te Pua o Te Riri Kore, the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua deed of settlement, and this bill, I look forward to seeing a blossoming of a relationship between Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua and the Crown based on respect and goodwill. It\u2019s with great pleasure that I commend this bill to the House. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ddcdf401e0ce7ab58063d64da7709ed4\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022 data-id=\u00225584e4421661f1c56e5cd10f1813f915\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225584e4421661f1c56e5cd10f1813f915\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) (15:38)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. Ko te mihi tuatahi ki te kaihanga, n\u0101na nei ng\u0101 mea katoa. Ko te mihi tuarua ki te Whare e t\u016B nei, t\u0113n\u0101 koe. Ki ng\u0101 uri o Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua t\u0113nei te mihi maioha, t\u0113nei te mihi whakam\u0101nawa, n\u014D reira t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou huihui mai t\u0101tou katoa\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EGreetings, Madam Speaker. Firstly, I acknowledge the creator of all things. Secondly, to the House that stands here, I acknowledge you. To the descendants of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, I welcome and honour you. Therefore, I acknowledge you all who have gathered here today\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe third and final reading marks completion in this House of a long journey for Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua. But, more importantly, it marks the fulfillment of a commitment that is long overdue. Today, we move to pass the third and final reading of the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill and giving final legislative effect to Te Pua o Te Riri Kore, the deed of settlement signed between the Crown and Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua on 29 March, back in 2025, at Ng\u0101p\u016Bwaiwaha Marae in Taumarunui.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is important to acknowledge that this bill does not resolve the full weight of history, but it does bring to a close a process grounded in truth telling, accountability, and persistence, one carried forward by generations of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua wh\u0101nau, hap\u016B, and leaders who refused to accept denial in place of justice. I\u2019d like to acknowledge all of those that have contributed along that pathway: those who have negotiated on both sides, those who have come from the trust board, those who have supported in the marae across the rohe, and also those who have passed away and are here with us today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI believe it is important at this third and final reading to put on the parliamentary record what the breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi were in this case. I know while these are well known, I believe it is important that we record those for \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E, and to know that they are there written in the books of this House to last over time as a reminder of where the Crown was wrong.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the early 19\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E century, some Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua hap\u016B established themselves here, also in Heretaunga and the Hutt Valley, where I live. That reflects a history defined by a movement, connection, and enduring relationships to land and water. Those connections to land and waterways, to taonga, to one another, have been central to Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua identity over the centuries. Yet that history has also been marked by repeated and serious breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and by the systematic undermining of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua authority. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFrom the 1840s onwards, the Crown failed Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua as a Treaty partner. In 1846, during conflict in the Wellington region, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua t\u016Bpuna were targeted, not for criminal wrongdoing but for standing up for what was theirs and who they were. Te Rangi\u0101tea was sentenced to life imprisonment and died in custody\u2014the fate of M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu also. Five others were exiled to Australia. These actions were not reconciliatory; they were punitive, coercive, and unjust. What followed this was a period of sustained Crown aggression in Whanganui and Taranaki, and throughout, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua stood alongside the k\u012Bngitanga, not to provoke conflict but to defend their lands, their tikanga, and their rangatiratanga. The Crown responded with force, confiscation, and repeated legislation designed to dispossess.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFrom the 1860s, it was the Native Land Court that was used to fragment collective ownership and facilitate alienation. Much of this occurred without proper notice, without any informed consent, and without fair compensation. The Waimarino Block was awarded in hearings many Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua were unaware of and was swiftly acquired by the Crown, including areas of k\u0101inga that had stood for a long period of time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ECommitments made during the construction of the North Island Main Trunk railway were not honoured. Public works legislation was deployed to take land compulsorily. Compensation, when offered, was incomplete, delayed, or never paid. By the early 20\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E century, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua were, in practical terms, nearly landless.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua gave conditional support for the establishment of Taumarunui Native Township, they did so in good faith. Those conditions were ignored by the Crown. Subsequent legislation reduced iwi control, entrenched settler interests, enabled perpetual leasing, and allowed the Crown to purchase township sections on behalf of others. Infrastructure development followed, causing lasting environmental damage to lands Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua had protected for generations. Even into the late 20\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E century, this pattern continued. The Tongariro hydroelectric power scheme was developed in the 1970s without any engagement with Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, once again disregarding iwi authority, interests, and rights.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe cumulative effect of these actions was profound socially, economically, and spiritually. The land loss undermined Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua\u2019s ability to support their people. Their exercise of kaitiakitanga was constrained. While wh\u0101nau were displaced, and communities fractured, te reo M\u0101ori, m\u0101tauranga, and cultural practice were weakened by sustained disempowerment. Yet throughout all of this, you endured. Rangatiratanga was never surrendered. Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua continued to organise, to challenge, and to seek recognition.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn 2017, the Crown finally acknowledged the mandate of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Iwi Trust to negotiate a comprehensive settlement. That work led to an agreement in principle signed in 2022. The initialling of the deed and its signing in 2025 and this bill today completes that journey through Parliament. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E Te Pua o Te Riri Kore\u003C/span\u003E\u2014the blossom of peace that knows no anger\u2014is a name that reflects restraint, dignity, and forward purpose. It recognises the depth of harm while affirming a commitment to a different relationship in the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis settlement includes a full Crown apology for Treaty breaches, a range of conservation land, $6.1 million in cultural revitalisation, and great things like restoring original place names and providing nohoanga rights for traditional food gathering. But it does not pretend to undo the past. It cannot restore what was taken, but it does acknowledge truth, accept responsibility, and create a platform for Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua to determine their own future with greater authority and security.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs this House moves to pass this bill, our responsibility does not end. The real measure of this settlement will be found in its implementation and whether the Crown honours both the letter and the spirit of what has been agreed to here today. Let \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ETe Pua o Te Riri Kore\u003C/span\u003E stand as a reminder that justice delayed does not absolve responsibility. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the k\u014Drero today I heard from Graham\u2014I think it was Graham Bell. I asked, \u201CWhat\u2019s his name?\u201D and someone said, \u201CThat\u2019s \u2018Tinka\u2019 Bell.\u201D I went \u201COh, OK, right.\u201D I reflect on those words about what is true justice. He asked that question: what is true justice? It\u2019s not winners or losers, but it\u2019s working together. To me that is what the Treaty relationship is. The Treaty relationship endures. It evolves through our conduct and it\u2019s measured by what we choose to do next.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELabour fully supports this third and final reading of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill, and I commend it to the House. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022 data-id=\u0022b727e9afc24af9d47b60e7d12f58692d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b727e9afc24af9d47b60e7d12f58692d\u0022\u003ESTEVE ABEL (Green) (15:47)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora, Madam Speaker. Kia ora koutou, H\u0101ua. H\u0101ua come here today for justice, and we, as the representatives of the Crown, are here today for forgiveness. The offering we have is to return but a tiny shard of the mighty waka of H\u0101ua that was torpedoed by the wicked acts of colonisation. That shard of pounamu, ahakoa he iti he pounamu\u2014though it is small, it is genuine. The forgiveness we seek is genuine. The apology we offer is genuine, but it requires of H\u0101ua to fish a mighty ika of forgiveness from Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, a second Te Ika-a-M\u0101ui. It is, in a sense, forgiveness for the unforgivable. Yet here again, we are humbled by H\u0101ua and their generosity in accepting this offering and this apology. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor the record, Te P\u0101ti K\u0101k\u0101riki does not accept the concept of full and final settlement. These settlements cannot be final, because Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a living agreement and our relationship is a living relationship, never to be finalised, for that would be the end of our nation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EH\u0101ua have survived decades of theft, injustice, insult, and disrespect, and have survived the worst evils of colonisation. My colleague has just outlined some of the specific things detailed in the settlement, but I want to reflect on the character of the colonisation that H\u0101ua were subjected to, because there\u2019s one particular famous character in New Zealand history, a guy called Wakefield. You will see his name on street signs and in parks and things. Wakefield was a particularly rapacious and nasty and totally self-interested capitalist exploiter. I\u2019ll give you a sense of the character of this guy, who started the New Zealand Company, who created the totally untenable circumstances in the Heretaunga that led to the Crown backing up this capitalist speculator in his totally unruly and unjust land dealings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWakefield abducted a 15-year-old girl when he lived in Britain because he wanted to acquire the wealth of her father. Her name was Ellen Turner, and he literally stole her and took her to Scotland and forced her to marry him in the belief that he would then have access to her inheritance. He tried to escape to France with this 15-year-old girl: Ellen Turner. He was eventually apprehended, he was tried in the British courts, and he was convicted and did two years in prison. Guess what he did in that spare time he had in prison! He wrote a theory of systematic colonisation. It\u2019s called \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EA Letter from Sydney\u003C/span\u003E, even though he was serving time in Britain. He devised a method of colonising the indigenous lands of the world, and he decided when he came to Aotearoa New Zealand to make this the testing ground for his theory, and he began the New Zealand Company. That is Edward Gibbon Wakefield. Frankly, he\u2019s a scumbag.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThen when he did all his unjust dealings in the Heretaunga and in the top of the South Island where he originally encountered Te Rauparaha, Governor Grey backed him up and sent in the troops. \u201CA most sanguinary vengeance\u201D was the term given. The cultivations of the iwi there were defiled, were plundered. Urup\u0101 were defiled and the chapel was burned. Imagine putting arsenic into people\u2019s flour\u2014imagine. What is the mentality? Flour that will be made into food and handed out to children, to women\u2014that is the mentality.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere are many things\u2014this is a litany of a terrible history here\u2014but one thing I also want to reflect on is the Native Lands Act. The Native Lands Act 1860 was explicitly defined as a means to acquire land from iwi M\u0101ori\u2014the financial colonisation of New Zealand. A member of this Parliament in 1870 by the name of Sewell said, \u201CThe object of the Native Lands Act was twofold: to bring the great bulk of the lands of the Northern Ireland which belonged to the natives, and which, before the passing of that Act, were extra commercium within the reach of colonisation.\u201D The other great object was the detribalisation of the natives to destroy, if it were possible, the principle of communism, which ran through the whole of their institutions upon which their social system was based and which stood as a barrier in the way of all attempts to amalgamate the native race into our social and political system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EH\u0101ua suffered the intentional purpose of the Native Lands Act as well, and there are many things: Taumarunui, the expansion of that; the surreptitious acquisition of lands alongside rivers and turning them into reserves; the gazetting of lands into the national park at Tongariro; the wars; the invasion of Parihaka. You have withstood these things, H\u0101ua, and you have upheld your mana through it all, and here you are today, and we make this offering and you accept it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge also our colleague, our friend Benjamin Doyle, who attended the hearings in Taumarunui for H\u0101ua. Benjamin sent me a note. He said, \u201CI offer these reflections: as you\u2019d expect, the most moving part of the process was to sit with, and listen to, the stories of the people inside their whare, stories recalled and passed down, stories of loss and grief, stories of relief and resolve, stories that showed the width and breadth of the land and its people, and then to be shown places being returned which had been taken and left unused\u2014below the hospital, beside the main trunk railway line, at the convergence of rivers\u2014all the while treated by the people of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua with the gentlest of care and respect and hospitality and generosity, which we, as representatives of the Crown, should not implicitly expect, given the pain and theft we represented\u2014a sign of the integrity of the people and the partnership offered as always by mana whenua.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ERangatira \u201CTinka\u201D Bell, you spoke of restoring the mana of H\u0101ua. I would say you have upheld the mana of H\u0101ua all this time. Today, by your graciousness and generosity, you enhance the mana of us all. We commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022440a125e85954bae9f5d470b7551e4f3\u0022 data-id=\u002252cbca950daee10f09e79ec03c608a6d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022440a125e85954bae9f5d470b7551e4f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002252cbca950daee10f09e79ec03c608a6d\u0022\u003ECAMERON LUXTON (ACT) (15:57)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, welcome. Thank you for making the journey down for the third reading of this bill as we in the House go through the process of enacting the deed of settlement. I reflect on the three speeches previously given\u2014the honourable Minister speaking of the grace that Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua has shown; the Hon Ginny Andersen reading into the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E record the rawness, shall we say, the black and white detail; and then Steve Abel giving that deep, emotional, and heartfelt speech that I think connected with everybody here\u2014which speak to, again, the depth of the mana that you are showing us here by accepting this passing of this bill to do what little it can. What little it is doing in return, in apology, and in offering, we\u2019ve read through in this House a couple of times. It\u2019s been through the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard it. I know I talked about it in my second reading speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn Adrian Rurawhe\u2019s valedictory speech yesterday, he talked about being the member for Te Tai Hau\u0101uru for many years. He rattled off to the House a list of all the iwi, very impressively, in his area. I think I counted about 30. He obviously was a great man in that area and did an amazing job as a representative, and I acknowledge Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who\u2019s now in that seat. In Adrian Rurawhe\u2019s speech, he talked about the handful of iwi left to settle, and this today is another settlement ticked off that list that he held very deep, as it came across in his speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne small piece of parcel of land that\u2019s being returned is Lake Pohoare, formerly known, I believe, as Lake Hawkes, a small lake\u2014lovely little place by the looks of it on Google Maps. I would love to go there one day. I know that you will look after that, as you will look after all land that\u2019s being returned, in the way that you have always done before colonisation came to New Zealand. Thank you for listening to my speech on behalf of the ACT Party. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022 data-id=\u00227999ab4445880443d382140d322e8f4c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227999ab4445880443d382140d322e8f4c\u0022\u003EJENNY MARCROFT (NZ First) (16:00)\u003C/span\u003E: E te P\u012Bka, t\u0113n\u0101 koe. E te iwi o Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa. E t\u016B ana ahau he uri n\u014D Te Tai Tokerau ki te mihi atu ki a koutou. Ka nui aku mihi maioha ki a koutou. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa. Ka mihi ahau hoki ki a t\u0101tou katoa kua huihui mai nei kia tautoko i te kaupapa o te rangi nei, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EMadam Speaker, I greet you. Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, I acknowledge you. I stand as a descendant of Te Tai Tokerau to acknowledge you all. I warmly welcome you. Greetings and acknowledgments to you all. I also acknowledge everyone gathered here to support the matter of the day. I greet and acknowledge you all\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the things I particularly appreciate about Treaty settlement readings and, in particular, third readings is the way that we\u2019re all authentically able to dig deep inside us and speak about what is really meaningful to each and every one of us, in our own unique ways, about a Treaty settlement. We\u2019ve seen examples of that across the House this afternoon already, and so I hope I can live up to the standard of all those speeches that have come before me already and contribute something that I authentically believe in. I\u2019ll come to that a little later on in my contribution. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI am pleased to rise on behalf of New Zealand First to speak in support of the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill. Today does mark a significant step forward for Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, a journey that has involved Waitangi Tribunal claims, including in the post-process of readings in this House and select committee processes, and all of that work, all of that time, and all of those hui have now culminated in today\u2019s third and final reading of this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday, I\u2019d like to acknowledge the leadership of the iwi: those who are here in the gallery to bear witness to this part of the formal process of your Treaty settlement journey. There are others who have not been able to be here today: leaders, wh\u0101nau, koro, and kuia who may have passed. But, like with all settlements\u2014and I think about my Ng\u0101puhi wh\u0101nau. Over the last decade, there are ones who have actively sought a settlement for Ng\u0101puhi but are no longer with us, and they won\u2019t bear witness when we eventually get to Ng\u0101puhi. But there is this sadness around not having those of our loved ones and our leaders with us through this part of the process\u2014particularly in the third reading\u2014not to be able to bear witness to this part of the Treaty settlement, but the baton ultimately was picked up, and new leaders take that forward. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti H\u0101ua is an iwi based in the central North Island and centred around Taumarunui, with a population of around 2,500. The traditional lands of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua extend north and west from Mount Ruapehu and include the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, and this settlement contains a redress package that returns culturally significant sites. There is a cultural revitalisation fund, financial redress, and statutory pardons, and those pardons are a unique feature of this Treaty settlement. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe redress package includes $20.4 million of financial redress and a $6 million cultural revitalisation fund, and the bill will see 64 cultural redress properties, six of which are shared with other iwi. There are going to be 14 changes to geographic names; the establishment of Te Pou Taiao, a committee to manage the new scenic reserves; and the authorisation of two pou whenua. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EImportantly, though, it will pardon two Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua ancestors, M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu and Te Rangi\u0101tea. They were arrested, tried under martial law, and convicted of partaking in a rebellion against the Crown\u2014that was in the 1840s. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Crown was negotiating on behalf of the New Zealand Company with another iwi to purchase land in Heretaunga, in the Hutt Valley, where some Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua hap\u016B had settled. The hap\u016B were ordered to leave and were under the threat of military force when fighting broke out and the Crown captured and court-martialed Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua t\u016Bpuna. Te Whareaitu was sentenced to death by hanging. Te Rangi\u0101tea died in imprisonment mere weeks after being sentenced. Their bodies still, to this day, have not been found. This legislation not only pardons them but it recognises their character, their mana, and their reputation, and while their bodies cannot be returned home and cannot be returned back to their people or back to their whenua, at least from this point, today, there is movement forward with that statutory pardon. Five others were also exiled to Australia. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, these statutory pardons for the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua t\u016Bpuna were facilitated through this settlement. The intergenerational stigma, the mamae experienced by their uri and by Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua\u2014well, it\u2019s not really easy to comprehend in today\u2019s modern context, and so it is fundamental that this bill will enact long-overdue statutory pardons for these Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua t\u016Bpuna who were treated so harshly by the Crown. Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua has received an apology from the Crown for bringing discord, death, and division to its people. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti H\u0101ua has been in a fight against the Crown for the breaches since 1846, so for generations Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua have carried the weight of Crown breaches and the harms inflicted on the iwi. But today, I hope that as we conclude the third and final reading of this settlement bill, together, as an iwi, they\u2019re able to move into a more prosperous future for all of the children and the generations to come. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe often talk about the journey\u2014the settlement journey\u2014and there\u2019s a fairly common statement, and I think we\u2019re all aware of it, which is that it\u2019s not about the destination; it\u2019s about the journey. But, for me, it\u2019s more than that\u2014it\u2019s a whole lot more than that. For me, it\u2019s about who do you become because of the journey\u2014who do you become? Whenever we face a challenge, a situation, or circumstances that challenge us, these challenges push us to grow and, ultimately, we change as a result of that growth. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo my question to Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua today is: who do you become? How have you changed and grown because of the settlement journey and the mamae that you have endured for all these years? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also believe that it is time now to release the mamae of the past, to leave it all here, and to lay it out on the floor of this House. Do not carry that burden any longer. The weight of the past must be left behind so that the generations to come are not saddled with that burden. If your head is always turned to the past, it is very difficult to find and navigate a way forward, so release that burden\u2014that past\u2014here now for the sake of all your children and grandchildren and those who will carry Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua into the future. I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002235ff83922a5432a01e2cd913357913b1\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224eeb694c55ab4633a7c9a1c69024072a\u0022 data-id=\u00220c025342239553bdd3b5cdfb8262ec38\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224eeb694c55ab4633a7c9a1c69024072a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220c025342239553bdd3b5cdfb8262ec38\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori) (16:08)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka. Mai i Te K\u0101hui Maunga puta atu ki Tangaroa, K\u0101hui Maunga whiti atu ki Te Upoko o te Ika. T\u016B ana te raukura ki runga o Parihaka, ko ng\u0101 Manu e Rua e tangi atu nei. R\u0101rangi maunga t\u016B te ao, r\u0101rangi tangata ngaro noa. E koro Archie, e Nanny Annie, Aunty Julie, Matua T\u012B, oti noa koutou ko t\u014D rahi, hoki wairua mai koutou. Koutou e noho nei i \u014D r\u016Bh\u0101tanga, anei \u014D kupenga rangatahi e hao ake nei, e hao ake nei\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EGreetings, Madam Speaker. From the clan of the mountains to the ocean, from the clan of the mountains across to the Wellington area. The feather stands above Parihaka, and the two birds of knowledge weep. A mountain range stands for eternity but people perish. To our elders, Archie, Nanny Annie, Aunty Julie, T\u012B, all who have departed, return here in spirit. To those who sit here in your weariness, here is your net of youth, gathering together\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI mihi to all of the leadership for the generosity of those who have negotiated and fought for generations, taking their attention away from their home and their hap\u016B as they navigated through this. We know the toll that takes on our communities for the generosity that you have for the nation. It takes one who has lived this claim to lament and feel the significance of today. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI heard the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations refer today to the misdeeds, and, with respect, Minister, I\u2019d like to correct that narrative. Cheating in a test is a misdeed and stealing is a misdeed, but having a deliberate campaign that targeted the tangata whenua here in Aotearoa is anything but a misdeed, and I think it\u2019s really important that we use our influence in this House to correct and continuously hold ourselves to task when it comes to the real history of Aotearoa. The history of Aotearoa can\u2019t just be stated when it comes to settlements. The full military and political force from the Crown and the New Zealand Company on our people was devastating\u2014putting to trial our tupuna Te Rangi\u0101tea under martial law, removing normal rights, having all that happen, but worse, knowing that he died alone, without his people, without his karakia.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETrialling M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu under martial law, convicting and sentencing him to hang was inhumane. It\u2019s devastating, and this country should never forget its past and why we must always fight for better justice, why we must always fight and remember the rights that were lost in this horrific colonisation. It is the true history of this nation. What happened were acts of injustice and State violence. It is what it is. It has created intergenerational harm that doesn\u2019t just lift because the iwi arrived here to settle their Treaty claim. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe honour their memory and the iwi who are here today to receive their pardons. I lament for all you have to carry; I lament for all you have lost; I lament for all that we all have had to carry; for all that our t\u016Bpuna confronted; and, indeed, I celebrate that you are here today in their honour, despite all of that targeting, despite all of that resourcing. You are here, and you are strong, and you are resilient. We stand in solidarity with you, the uri who, for the last 34 years, have fought for restoration of their rights had their natural development not been interfered with, who have fought for their Treaty rights to be honoured by the Crown, and who have endorsed and accepted the third reading of their Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua claims settlement. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETe P\u0101ti M\u0101ori believes that settlements are not full and final and should never be viewed that way. We are here to make sure that every uri gets relativity. This is your moment. This is your moment to break through the barriers and everything that held you down to advance your people, to build from the ground up, and to make sure that you can, somehow, meet all your people\u2019s expectations\u2014and good luck on that. This is your moment to establish the new relationships, to get in with the agencies, to make sure that you can achieve all you want to do. It\u2019s not easy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETo our rangatahi: it\u2019s definitely not easy carrying a kaupapa or building a movement for your iwi from scratch, especially when we\u2019re knocked down and we don\u2019t always have Government support. At times, you\u2019re going to break people\u2019s hearts, and you\u2019re going to be humbled, but you must keep believing, and you must not let the politics of your time break you. There are no other forever people on your awa and your whenua than you. Have the strength and the belief to resist. Believe in yourself. There\u2019s no other people on earth like you. I wish you all well in the next phase of your iwitanga. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKia ora r\u0101.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022 data-id=\u0022307fb10f9172d7f1165782eb377fb5f8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022307fb10f9172d7f1165782eb377fb5f8\u0022\u003ETEANAU TUIONO (Green) (16:13)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. \u003C/span\u003ELet me begin my contribution with a quote, which, I think, would be important to get on \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E; it is the words of M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu on 16\u00A0September 1846 when he composed the following \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Ewaiata tangi\u003C/span\u003E before he was executed:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EE rere r\u0101 e te ao uru, t\u0101u h\u014Dkai i runga r\u0101,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EKaikawe k\u014Drero ki te iwi ka wehea,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EN\u0101n\u0101 te punga i tuku ki raro waka,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003ERehurehu ai ng\u0101 tuku ki a Kapiti r\u0101,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EKia tangi au, homai kia ringia,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EHe puna wai kei aku kamo. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003ETransition the dawn within your expanse above, \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EMessenger to the people of my impending demise, \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003ESetting the anchor of my waka determining my fateful departure, \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003ETearfully obscuring the last tributes to Kapiti afar, \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EInitiating my heartfelt lament, permeating in the release \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalIndent\u0022\u003EOf the pool of tears from mine eyes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti H\u0101ua tangata, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua iwi, t\u0113nei ka mihi atu. Ka mihi atu ki runga i ng\u0101 \u0101huatanga i whai w\u0101hi koutou ki te haramai ki t\u0113nei o ng\u0101 P\u0101remata. Ko t\u0113nei haerenga ehara i te haerenga m\u0101m\u0101, ehara i te haerenga ng\u0101wari. I ahau e p\u0101nui ana i ng\u0101 ripoata ki roto i \u0113nei o ng\u0101 puka, ko te m\u014Dhio ki ahau, ko t\u0113nei iwi he iwi m\u0101ia, ko t\u0113nei iwi, he iwi manawanui, ko t\u0113nei iwi, he iwi manawaroa. Ko ng\u0101 k\u014Drero i puta, i kite au, i te w\u0101 e t\u016B ana te K\u012Bngitanga, i reira t\u0113nei iwi. I te w\u0101 e noho ana te katoa ki a Parihaka, i reira t\u0113nei iwi. N\u014D reira e tika ana ka mihi ana t\u0113nei Whare ki te m\u0101ia, ki te manawanui me te manawaroa o t\u0113nei o ng\u0101 iwi e whai w\u0101hi nei ki waenganui i a m\u0101tou kia tau t\u0113nei ker\u0113me. N\u014D reira he mihi mutunga kore t\u0113nei ki a koutou. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0101piri ake aku nei k\u014Drero ki taku hoa, Steve Abel, i te mea e tika \u0101na k\u014Drero, ko t\u0113nei mea Te Tiriti o Waitangi ehara i te kirimana noa, ehara i te mea m\u014D inanahi. Engari he kawenata k\u0113, he oranga tonutanga m\u014Dna, m\u014D te ao o muri, m\u014D te ao o mua, me te ara anga whakamua. N\u014D reira ko m\u0101tou nei, me kaha t\u0101tou ki te whai i te katoa ki roto ki te Tiriti o Waitangi me \u014Dna oranga katoa. Tautoko ahau i ng\u0101 k\u014Drero ko ng\u0101 nanakia ng\u0101 t\u0101hae i haramai ki t\u0113nei whenua ki te t\u0101hae whenua, t\u0101hae tangata.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKo Edward Fitzgibbon Wakefield t\u0113r\u0101 i mea atu taku hoa, e rua \u0101ku nei kupu m\u014D t\u0113r\u0101 momo, pokotiwha, pokok\u014Dhua. Me kaha t\u0101tou ki te maumahara i \u0113r\u0101 o ng\u0101 mahi i t\u016Bkino i a t\u0101tou te M\u0101ori, kia kaua e warewarehia. Te oranga an\u014D i roto i \u0113nei momo ripoata an\u014D hoki, ka \u0101hei \u014D t\u0101tou nei tamariki, mokopuna ki te ako i te h\u012Btori. I te mea i a au i te kura k\u0101ore m\u0101tou i te paku aku ki ng\u0101 \u0101huatanga o Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Me t\u0101ria te w\u0101 ki te haere ki te marae noho ki ng\u0101 rekereke o ng\u0101 kaum\u0101tua ki te ako i te h\u012Btori. Heoi i kite au i ng\u0101 h\u012Btori ki roto i \u0113n\u0101 pepa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EN\u014D reira, t\u0101ku nei wero ki t\u0113nei o te Whare, me kaha \u0113nei h\u012Btori katoa, \u0113nei k\u014Drero tuku iho o ng\u0101 m\u0101tua t\u012Bpuna o Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua otir\u0101 ng\u0101 M\u0101ori katoa o te motu ki te kuhu ki roto i ng\u0101 marau h\u012Btori, kia \u0101kona ng\u0101 tauira, ng\u0101 pia, ahakoa M\u0101ori mai, tauiwi mai, P\u0101keh\u0101 mai, kia m\u0101rama r\u0101tou te h\u012Btori i ahu mai i te papa, te h\u012Btori o te whenua e h\u012Bkoi nei e r\u0101tou. N\u014D reira i m\u014Dhio pai au ki roto i \u0113nei whakataunga ker\u0113me, \u0113nei ker\u0113me whakataunga, \u0113tahi o ng\u0101 \u0101hua, n\u014D reira e mihi atu au ki ng\u0101 kaiwhakarite m\u014D t\u0113nei. Mihi ana au ki \u014D koutou nei rangatira i whakapau werawera, i whakapau kaha kia tau ki t\u0113nei h\u0113kona tonu, t\u0113nei mineti tonu, i te mea ehara i te uaua. Ko t\u0101ku nei ki a t\u0101tou katoa, he t\u012Bmatanga pai t\u0113nei. Kia kaha ki te hoea tonu te waka. Kia kaha ki te h\u0101pai atu ng\u0101 moemoe\u0101 o ng\u0101 m\u0101tua t\u012Bpuna. N\u014D reira t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThe people of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, the tribe of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, I acknowledge you. I acknowledge the reason for which you have come to this particular Parliament. This has not been an easy journey. As I read the reports in this book, I see that this tribe is a courageous one; this tribe is unwavering and resilient. From the accounts that have been shared, I have seen that at the establishment of the K\u012Bngitanga, this iwi was there. When everyone gathered at Parihaka, this iwi was there. Therefore, it is right that this House acknowledges the courage, the determination, and the resilience of this iwi who are here among us to bring this claim to resolution. So this is an endless acknowledgment to you all. I acknowledge you all. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EI also extend my acknowledgments to my friend Steve Abel, because he was right in saying that the Treaty of Waitangi is not just a simple agreement, nor is it something only for the past. Rather, it is a covenant, a living foundation that endures for the future, for what has gone before, and for the path ahead. Therefore, we must all commit ourselves to upholding the Treaty of Waitangi and all the value it holds. I support the statements that those wrongdoers who came to this land did so to steal land and dispossess people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EAs my colleague mentioned, Edward Fitzgibbon Wakefield\u2014I have only two words for that kind of person: I curse them. We must remember those actions that harmed us as M\u0101ori, and never allow them to be forgotten. The value of these reports is that our children and grandchildren are able to learn this history. When I was at school, we were not taught anything about the Treaty of Waitangi. We had to wait until we could go to the marae and sit at the feet of our elders to learn our history. But I have seen these histories within these documents. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ETherefore, my challenge to this House is that all of these histories\u2014the inherited knowledge of the ancestors of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, and, indeed, of all M\u0101ori across the country\u2014must be included in history subjects, so that students, whether M\u0101ori, tauiwi, or P\u0101keh\u0101, can understand the history that comes from the land, the history of this land they walk upon. I know that within these claims, settlements are some of those matters; therefore, I acknowledge those who have worked to bring this about. I acknowledge your leaders who have laboured tirelessly to reach this very moment, this second, this minute, because it has not been easy. To all of us, I say, this is a good beginning. Continue to paddle the waka forward. Continue to uphold the dreams of our ancestors. Therefore, I acknowledge you; thank you all\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002290f442a79aea4ce0aeae083763135935\u0022 data-id=\u00222bcd53efe242f68dad9e45c6fc941740\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290f442a79aea4ce0aeae083763135935\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222bcd53efe242f68dad9e45c6fc941740\u0022\u003ECARL BATES (National\u2014Whanganui) (16:18)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EE ng\u0101 mana, e ng\u0101 reo, e ng\u0101 rangatira o Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E Today, this House gathers for a moment that is more than just legislative; it\u2019s deeply historical, personal, and intergenerational. Today is about you, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua. It is about acknowledging the tino rangatiratanga of your people and of your rohe and recognising the whakapapa that brings together those who stand here now with those who came long before.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs I\u2019ve been reminded again today, you are a people of history. The k\u014Drero of your t\u016Bpuna, of their courage, of their hardship, and their dignity has shaped every step of the journey that brings us to this day. Today is as much about honouring those t\u016Bpuna as it is about empowering those who carry Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua into the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor generations, the stories of Te Rangi\u0101tea and M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu and the five others exiled to Australia have been reminders of a time when justice was distorted and the Treaty of Waitangi was breached. Their convictions under court martial were not only unjust; they were an assault on the mana of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua and an expression of a system that saw M\u0101ori as obstacles. The statutory pardons, restored through this settlement, are more than symbolic. They restore dignity, reputation, and whakapapa. They acknowledge what your people have always known: your t\u016Bpuna were wronged and they deserved far better from the Crown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmong you here today, I want to acknowledge an old friend. It\u2019s crazy at the age of 40ish, we can start to say that. But DC Harding\u2014DC, we go back to our childhood scouting and school days. Thank you for your advice over the years and your reflections as I\u2019ve considered what to share in this k\u014Drero today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs the member for Whanganui\u2014an electorate that will soon formally encompass the communities on the outskirts of Taumarunui, \u014Cwhango, Waimarino, and the wider rohe connected to the settlement, it is a privilege to stand with you as this bill becomes law today. I look forward to deepening my engagement with Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, working alongside MPs Barbara Kuriger and Suze Redmayne as we support the practical implementation of the settlement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGraham, I heard your call for this focus on implementation in today\u2019s mihi whakatau. At this point, I\u2019d also like to share some thoughts from Suze Redmayne MP\u2014MP for the mighty Rangit\u012Bkei\u2014who, in her own words, is \u201Cgutted\u201D not to be with you on this momentous day. Suze told me that it has been an honour and a privilege getting to know the team at Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua over the last few years. She truly values and loves her regular kitchen cabinet catch-ups with \u201CTinka\u201D, Louise, Lois, and Kuru, where you manage, apparently, to solve the world\u2019s problems over a cup of tea and some kai.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0fb7bd8572e7955611b8ef7ab109931\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: We did. I\u2019ve been to one of those.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290f442a79aea4ce0aeae083763135935\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022047f6384c76e2d71f59d2b893c6ff501\u0022\u003ECARL BATES\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m looking forward to my invitation soon, then. Suze had asked me to give a special mention to \u201CTinka\u201D. She describes your determination and commitment as infectious and she says your k\u014Drero is wise and inspiring. Some last words from Suze to her people of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua: \u201CThank you. Thank you for your patience and your generosity in engaging in this process. Thank you for holding your mana and for walking a path that was never easy but always principled.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhile no settlement can truly compensate for what was lost, this bill lays the foundation for the future\u2014one grounded in respect, cooperation, and mutual trust. This bill delivers a comprehensive package of cultural, historical, environmental, and economic redress. It acknowledges Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua as kaitiaki\u2014guardians whose role and authority are woven deeply into the health of the whenua and the awa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe M\u0101ori Affairs Committee\u2019s recommendations around the riverbed and conservation area reflect the unique context of our rohe, where the Whanganui River flows as water and as identity, memory, and connection. Aligning these provisions with Te Awa Tupua ensures the integrity of that relationship is upheld. You have pursued justice, not with bitterness, but with focus, dignity, and unwavering commitment to your people. That leadership is the reason that we stand here today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge your negotiation team, your kaum\u0101tua, and r\u016Bnanga, and the many wh\u0101nau who have carried this kaupapa forward. To the trustees and negotiators: Graham \u201CTinka\u201D Bell, Lois Tutemahurangi, Brett Anderson, Aaron Rice-Edwards, Joey Allen, Louise Wahapa, and Piki Taiaroa-Whatarangi, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou. To those who are no longer with us, your legacy is evident in this moment. I want to acknowledge Ministers past and present, as well as the dedicated officials whose work ensures this settlement reflects accuracy and respect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs I\u2019ve said before, growing up, I learnt of the story of Taranaki Maunga\u2019s journey down the Whanganui awa. I did not know then how often I would return to that story in this House or how deeply each Treaty settlement in our rohe would bring new life and meaning to our shared future. My hope is that this settlement brings fewer tears in our river, greater opportunity for your tamariki and mokopuna, and renewed confidence in what we are building together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday, this Parliament acknowledges clearly and without hesitation that the wrongs done to your people were real, they were profound, and they must never be repeated. This settlement is not the end of the journey; it is the door through which your next chapter begins.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EN\u014D reira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022 data-id=\u0022069bb197c10ff2feb25fe8444b8c89c7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022069bb197c10ff2feb25fe8444b8c89c7\u0022\u003ESHANAN HALBERT (Labour) (16:26)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Madam Speaker. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ERapua te huarahi wh\u0101nui hei ara whakapiri i ng\u0101 iwi e rua i runga i te whakaaro kotahi. Tihewa mauri ora. E ng\u0101 whanaunga o Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua e mihi kau ana ki a koutou i t\u0113nei r\u0101. I t\u0113nei r\u0101 whakahirahira. He r\u0101 p\u014Duri, n\u0113? Heoi, e mihi kau ana ki a koutou: Matua Graham, ng\u0101 wh\u0101nau m\u0101, e whanaunga m\u0101, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, mauri ora ki a koutou katoa\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ESeek the broad pathway as a pathway to bring the two peoples together in unity of thought. I claim the right to speak. To my relatives of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, I acknowledge you all on this day\u2014on this significant day. A sad day, isn\u2019t it? Nevertheless, I greet you all: Matua Graham, the families, my relations, greetings to you all, life and vitality to you all\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti H\u0101ua, it\u2019s good to see you in this Whare. Can I acknowledge my colleagues on the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee. Throughout part of this process, I heard your submissions. I heard the k\u014Drero and I heard the call, the challenges, and the length of time that it has taken to get to this particular point.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti H\u0101ua, \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Emema P\u0101remata i roto i t\u0113nei Whare\u003C/span\u003E [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Emembers of Parliament in this House\u003C/span\u003E]: yesterday, the speech by the Rt Hon Adrian Rurawhe humbled us all. I remember vividly he said, \u201CHow did this man from R\u0101tana P\u0101 get to become the Speaker of this House?\u201D For every member of Parliament that sits in this job, day in, day out, we are challenged. We are challenged by history, we are challenged by issues of the day, we are challenged by the things that confront our people that we don\u2019t always have solutions to, but we do our best. For most of us\u2014many of us\u2014we came into this Whare to do good, to improve this nation for all people of Aotearoa New Zealand. I intentionally use the whakatauk\u012B, because I believe that Te Tiriti o Waitangi can be the future of this nation, Aotearoa New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re a week out from Waitangi commemorations. Our country is at one of the most challenging states in race relations that we have ever seen. When I read through your submissions once again, where I read through the k\u014Drero in front of us, those times were exceptionally bad. I\u2019ll come back to that. But at the same time, today, we pass this legislation that is a step forward in enabling Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua to build mana motuhake for their people, for their communities, and, most of all, for \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Eng\u0101 rangatira m\u014D \u0101p\u014Dp\u014D n\u0113\u003C/span\u003E [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Ethe leaders of tomorrow, do you agree\u003C/span\u003E]?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn this contribution by the Crown, the acknowledgment of the hurt and pain, the loss of whenua, and the death of your people is incredibly sad. It is acknowledged in this House today\u2014and that is genuine. At the same time, in the past two years, Te Tiriti o Waitangi has been eroded out of every single piece of legislation that has come before this House. It\u2019s not too dissimilar to some of what the apology before us today recognises. Tikanga and te reo M\u0101ori have been taken away\u2014out of our curriculum and out of our kura. Tikanga and karakia is being complained about in our health system, and, slowly, it is being eroded away. It\u2019s not too dissimilar to the wrongs of the past. Yes, it does upset Government members that sit in this House today. That\u2019s my intention: to point out that the apology that we all make today, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, is not too dissimilar to the practices of today. One day, we will also correct that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill before us today contains a summary of the historical account between the Crown and Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, together with the Crown\u2019s acknowledgments of and apology for its breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi with regard to Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua. I acknowledge the mamae and the hurt that you feel for the loss of your t\u016Bpuna Matene Ruta Te Whareaitu and Te Rangi\u0101tea, who were tried under martial law and treated with exceptional harshness, caught up in land disputes in the Heretaunga Valley, where both were sentenced by court martial for acting in rebellion against the Crown. The Crown today acknowledges that this was a travesty of justice, and, today, in this legislation, they are pardoned. Whether they needed to be pardoned for you is not a question I have today. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill pardons Te Rangi\u0101tea and M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu for their convictions in 1846. Its cultural redress is intended to recognise the cultural, the historical, and the traditional associations of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua within the area of interest, through a number of cultural redress instruments, through the protocols, through the mineral fossicking rights, through the statutory acknowledgments, through the deed of recognition, through the overlay classification vesting of properties, the joint management committee with the Department of Conservation, the area of interest statement, and the interim membership on the conservation board. These are all steps that enable you, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, to regain mana motuhake in the full sense that you believe you should have\u2014that you do deserve to have. I acknowledge that today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis weekend, I will go with my Ng\u0101ti Whitikaupeka wh\u0101nau up to our maunga, Aorangi, and from there I will see your whenua. And for you, I will recite a karakia; I will remember your t\u016Bpuna that were lost. I will remember your hurt and pain momentarily with my wh\u0101nau alongside me. For the mahi, the hard mahi that you have done to get this bill into this House today, I want to acknowledge all of your t\u016Bpuna that are no longer with us. I want to acknowledge you, and I want to acknowledge our \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Erangatira m\u014D \u0101p\u014Dp\u014D\u003C/span\u003E, our young people who will take us forward.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EN\u014D reira he mihi aroha ki a koutou, he mihi nunui ki a koutou. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, mauri ora ki a t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ETherefore, I extend a heartfelt and sincere acknowledgment to you all. Greetings and acknowledgments to you all, life and wellbeing to us all\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022 data-id=\u00225eb5e56655b74222c6007164dca0aa50\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000390\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225eb5e56655b74222c6007164dca0aa50\u0022\u003EDAVID MacLEOD (National\u2014New Plymouth) (16:35)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. Ki ng\u0101 t\u0101ngata o Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000391\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EGreetings to you, the Speaker of the House. To the people of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, I greet and acknowledge you all\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to start first by apologising, myself. It disappointed me that I couldn\u2019t make the mihi whakatau. I most definitely wanted to listen to the speeches, and I\u2019m sure great speeches that you brought to this place, Parliament itself. Unfortunately, I had other business with regards to something\u2014a small matter of replacement of the Resource Management Act and that kept me rather busy this morning. But my apologies for not being there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, I get the opportunity to talk. This is the third reading. It\u2019s quite a process that we run here in Parliament with regards to Treaty settlements and you\u2019ve now witnessed it, particularly those that are on the trust. You realise how long and arduous this is, and the Minister appropriately mentioned the former Ministers that have been part of this process as well. I think that demonstrates how long and sometimes arduous this process can be. So thank you for bearing that weight and getting to this point.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also note that it\u2019s rather sombre in the Whare at the moment. I can\u2019t help but think it reminds me of when I go to a tangi. And of course, a tangi is a very sombre time, and there\u2019s sorrow all round, but afterwards we celebrate, we get together, we waiata, we do all those other good things we want to do. I hope that\u2019s the case after this important occasion here of the third reading.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe process itself, like I said, started way back in 2017 under Minister Finlayson, as Minister Goldsmith said. Some time ago, that\u2019s when you signed the terms of negotiation. In November of 2024, the deed named Te Pua o Te Riri Kore was initialled. Then, on 29\u00A0March 2025, the deed was signed at Ng\u0101puwaiwaha marae, and then on 9\u00A0April 2025, the bill was introduced to this House of Parliament. After that, on 14\u00A0May, we had the first reading, and it was referred to the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee. On 24\u00A0October 2025, the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee reported it back to the House. Last night, we actually had what we call the committee of the whole House. The Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations was here in the seat before us and that\u2019s the time when potentially some last little tweaks, and these are not major, just minor tweaks\u2014last night it was just something to do with one of the titles, to make sure we get that right. That happens with every bill, getting the titles right. So make sure that\u2019s correct. That was completed last night, and then of course today, the third reading.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is quite some process. It takes time and it should take time to get it right. We\u2019ve heard from multiple speakers, throughout this third reading, of the travesties, of the heartbreak, of numerous things in history, right back to Heretaunga when we talked about your t\u012Bpuna. It wasn\u2019t just the two that have been pardoned within this year, it was also the ones that were exiled over to Australia as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen you think of the horrendous amount of land loss that was\u2014you know, I\u2019m reminded sometimes when we speak in these Treaty settlements, we talk of an iwi but the people that are listening on TV and that, a lot of people don\u2019t know where you\u2019re from or who you are. I want to spend a moment about that, because there\u2019s actually Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua who we have in the House today; there\u2019s also Ng\u0101ti Hau\u0101 who are actually up in the Waikato. So let\u2019s not get confused. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe iwi of today have an immense amount of land area that you\u2019re kaitiaki of\u2014830,000 hectares. Let\u2019s just think about that. A lot of people might think, \u201COh, that\u2019s big.\u201D, but how big is that? Well, the province that I\u2019m from, Taranaki, is only 723,000 hectares. Your area that you look after, that you are kaitiaki of, is bigger than the province of Taranaki. It\u2019s huge, it\u2019s immense, and, of course, it\u2019s marked by your 10 pou whenua, your boundaries.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019d also just like to acknowledge the fact that you have many, many neighbours from your particular rohe. There are 10 groups. I\u2019ll mention them: Te Korowai o Wainui\u0101rua, Ng\u0101ti T\u016Bwharetoa, Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga, Ng\u0101ti Rangi, Ng\u0101ti Maru, Ng\u0101ti Ruanui, Ng\u0101ti Tama, Ng\u0101 Hap\u016B o Te Iwi o Whanganui, Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi. You have a busy boundary there, and I\u2019m sure that that creates some interesting discussions at times. I recognise my whanaunga up in the gallery up here from Ng\u0101ti Maru. Ng\u0101ti Maru\u2019s in the House to support you. Welcome to you guys.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis occasion is the final step that creates the new beginning for you all. The M\u0101ori Affairs Committee had the opportunity to come up to your marae in Taumarunui. We heard from a number of people, and, yes, they brought differing points of view and all that, but it was a great k\u014Drero.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ECan I actually acknowledge you, Aaron, and the leadership that you showed in the occasions that I was involved with, particularly. Aaron, you show your respect, your humility, your mana, but also your leadership in the way in which you\u2019ve acted here. Also the other trustees\u2014\u201CTinka\u201D, I see you up there, and I\u2019m sure the others who I can\u2019t quite spot at this stage, but your full trustees that have been involved in this process, as well as those had have passed. I acknowledge the mate [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Edead\u003C/span\u003E] that are with you as well. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E\u2018Aere, \u2018aere, \u2018aere r\u0101.\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWithout too much further ado, I\u2019d like to thank the Ministers. I\u2019d like to thank the negotiators\u2014I see some negotiators up there as well. The officials\u2014I\u2019d like to thank the select committee that supported me in my chair\u2019s role there to run through the process. Thank you to all of them who are on both sides of the House. Thank you to the trust for your mahi over such a long time, to bring it to this point in time and occasion. With that, I\u2019m very pleased to commend this bill to the House. Kia ora t\u0101tou.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225b64cc9d7edd4638a087d9c75b727a08\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call\u2014Glen Bennett.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223d52c571cdb246f6abf50a39de1a66f7\u0022 data-id=\u0022adf15be171e5881334bce0056ab1314f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d52c571cdb246f6abf50a39de1a66f7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022adf15be171e5881334bce0056ab1314f\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour) (16:43)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora, Madam Speaker. It seems appropriate to follow my colleague David MacLeod, based in Taranaki, as I am also. I also acknowledge you, Madam Speaker, in terms of our connections both to Taranaki but then how that moves up, and as every part of the whenua and of humanity, we are all connected.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe stand in this place this afternoon to acknowledge you all, to acknowledge your ancestors, but also to acknowledge those who are to come. The hope of this piece of legislation is that today is a special day, but it\u2019s not as well. Today is a special day because we sign and we pass legislation that ensures the settlement is enacted, but it\u2019s also another day when we just move forward and support the kaupapa of what is to come. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs I reflect and listen to speakers and we go through the history, I do really want to look forward, and look forward to 2040. I think about this often: what 2040 could look like, what 2040 should look like, and what 2040 may look like if we do the right thing in this place, but also the ripples that it has to allow not only financial security, not only land, the return of land, the return of mana, but also the ability to forge a future, that when we arrive at 2040 and we commemorate 200 years of the signing of Te Tiriti, it is a moment when we look around at the connection. We look around at the bilingual nature of this country. We look around and see that the economy of 2040 is something that is completely integrated within our iwi, within our M\u0101ori, and within our spaces. I look forward to that day, to celebrating and, yes, looking back and reflecting on what my people did, reflecting on the hurt and the harm that my ancestors allowed to happen. But they will look forward and go, \u201CToday is the line in the sand that says that we cannot right those wrongs, we cannot fix the past, but we can find means and ways to move forward.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI had the privilege also of being in Taumarunui back in August last year and listening to your people, listening to the opportunity, listening to the challenge, listening to the \u201CCan we go further? Can we do this? Can we do that?\u201D But as I sat there in the marae and listened, it is always hard to comprehend what was done. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs I listen today, I thought about the reclamation of language or taking language and making it your own to move forward. We look back and we look back at the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E in this place; we look back at the records written mostly by white people and the fact that you were called \u201Crebels\u201D. I think today I encourage and ask that a word like \u201Crebels\u201D was seen as a negative and a slur and a slant on hap\u016B, on iwi, on your people, but I think, how do we and how do you reclaim that word, \u201Crebels\u201D? Rebels who are standing up for a cause; rebels who are fighting for your mokopuna, those who are to come; rebels who are going to stand strong and tall against what this House may bring, whether it be the red team, the blue team, whatever team it is, but be rebels to say, \u201CNo more.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday, on 29\u00A0January 2026, a line was drawn in the sand and we will not go backwards; we will only go forwards. If we must be rebels, then we\u2019ll be rebels that stand tall and do what is right to protect the future of your people, but also the future of Aotearoa, that we can move forward together in partnership as what was written, what was signed, and what was expected in 1840.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI stand here in support. I stand here to do my part, not today, but tomorrow when I walk out of this building and do my part to build relationship, connection, and partnership together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b7cff05e64f346e68983b2fdbfba3ad8\u0022 data-id=\u002205f1eb347ec913581fdc899fb361b73d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b7cff05e64f346e68983b2fdbfba3ad8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002205f1eb347ec913581fdc899fb361b73d\u0022\u003EDAN BIDOIS (National\u2014Northcote) (16:48)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EE ng\u0101 mana, e ng\u0101 reo, e ng\u0101 iwi, e rau rangatira m\u0101, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa. Te Whare e t\u016B nei, t\u0113n\u0101 koe. Te papa e takoto nei, t\u0113na koe. Ng\u0101 mate, haere, haere, haere.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ENau mai haere mai. Ko Dan Bidois t\u014Dku ingoa. Ko  te waka, ko Waikato te awa, ko Kakepuku te maunga, ko Ng\u0101ti Kahu ki Whangaroa me Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto \u014Dku iwi, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ETainui\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ETo those who hold authority, to the voices, to the peoples, to the many esteemed ones, greetings to you all. To the House that stands here, I greet you. The land that lies here, I acknowledge you. To those who have passed, farewell, farewell, farewell. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EWelcome. My name is Dan Bidois. \u003C/span\u003ETainui \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Eis my canoe, Waikato is my river, Kakepuku is my mountain, and my iwi are Ng\u0101ti Kahu ki Whangaroa and Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto. Greetings, greetings, greetings to you all\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019d just like to acknowledge the significance of today. It has taken 180 years for this iwi to get to this stage\u2014180 years. I know that what\u2019s been talked about today is that nothing can or will compensate for the damage that has been done to you and your iwi, and that is shared right across this House. The conflict, the persecution, the confiscation of whenua, the mamae, the loss of cultural, environmental significance\u2014I know that 180 years of damage cannot be reversed, but the hope is that this settlement today, as it passes, gives your iwi an opportunity to reconcile the past and focus on your future together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just want to acknowledge that I am proud of National\u2019s history with Treaty settlements. If you go back to the 1990s and you talk to Sir Doug Graham and the people that were part of that National-led Government, it was very, very hard\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e0c54b94a7ecb2260c826f6e73d17eb\u0022\u003EHon Willie Jackson\u003C/span\u003E: It was a long, long time ago.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000418\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b7cff05e64f346e68983b2fdbfba3ad8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f89b54fae88612bac2b9c899413884eb\u0022\u003EDAN BIDOIS\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014to come up\u2014it was a long time ago, back when you had hair, Willie! That Government believed strongly that the pathway forward for this country was to proceed through and push through a settlement with the first iwi that was settled, Waikato-Tainui. Since then, we have passed, actually, over 100 iwi settlements that we\u2019ve got before us. My colleague Rima Nakhle here reminded me that this is actually the first settlement that has been introduced by this Parliament and passed by this Parliament today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI acknowledge those who have been part of that process\u2014of course, past Ministers; Paul Goldsmith, your stewardship of this legislation; the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee; negotiators; the officials; and to you all here today; and viewers tuning in from across the country, for your patience and your persistence to get to this stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow is an opportunity for your iwi to focus on the future. It has been well traversed that you\u2019ve got a great opportunity here, today, with the financial redress, with the cultural redress, and with the acknowledgment from the Crown of what was done to your iwi and to focus on the future. We certainly look forward to partnering with you wherever you need support. It is my pleasure to stand and be here today and to witness this important occasion. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EN\u014D reira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022 data-id=\u0022582536184f79b33ac34c53abf6925cc4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022582536184f79b33ac34c53abf6925cc4\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) (16:52)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ETuatahi e tika ana ki te mihi ki ng\u0101 wh\u0101nau i p\u0101ngia e ng\u0101 parekura taiao, t\u0113nei te mihi aroha ki a r\u0101tou i t\u0113nei w\u0101. Ki a koutou Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua tae mai nei i t\u0113nei w\u0101, t\u0113nei te tino mihi ki a koutou i whakarangatira i a m\u0101tou i t\u0113nei w\u0101, t\u0113nei te mihi ki a koutou ng\u0101 rangatira. Tino waimaria m\u0101tou ki te tautoko t\u0113nei kaupapa, n\u014D reira t\u0113nei te mihi ki a koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, haramai, haramai, nau mai.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000422\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EFirst, it is right to extend my acknowledgments to the families affected by natural disasters; this is a message of sympathy to them at this time. To you, Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, who are present here today, this is a sincere greeting to you who have honoured us at this time. I acknowledge you, the esteemed ones. We are truly fortunate to support this matter; therefore, I acknowledge you, greetings to you all, welcome\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000423\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002291c0e777ce3d4711ace36a15c7e22ffe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002284de92b6493efb4d24854d542f4b7cdd\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Be positive!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000424\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229121be22ed55c76fb408f005e590fc36\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, we\u2019re in the wrap-up stage\u2014what was that, Minister?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002291c0e777ce3d4711ace36a15c7e22ffe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022101b5677dc882abc7c63807132d41eea\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Be positive!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000426\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226bcc590d531ecef603eec3c1e0ccf024\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: The Minister said, \u201CBe positive!\u201D I was thinking about that\u2014I was thinking about that. Funny enough, I was listening to a lot of k\u014Drero today, and I\u2019ve got something for you, Minister, since you want me to be positive. I was thinking about our t\u012Bpuna M\u0101tene Ruta Te Whareaitu and Te Rangi\u0101tea, who\u2019ve been pardoned with the settlement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000427\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe funniest thing happened to me a couple of hours ago. T\u0101me Iti gave me a call. He\u2019s wondering about a pardon too, Minister\u2014he\u2019s wondering about a pardon too. This is a true story. T\u0101me gave me a call a couple of hours ago. We\u2019ve got a very caring Minister over there, the Minister of Justice, so I\u2019ll put it on the floor now, because I don\u2019t know if we want to wait 100 years for T\u0101me to get pardoned, do we? I\u2019m just so glad you\u2019re interested in my k\u014Drero there, Minister, because what the Crown sees sometimes as terrorism is not seen at all like that by our people. T\u0101me actually worked for me for several years and wasn\u2019t always on time to mahi or anything. We had a foreshore and seabed protest down here, and he was my radio reo commentator for the day. He forgot that and joined the protest, and he ended up spitting at the Labour Party. But I was thinking about the pardon, and I was thinking about when T\u0101me said that, and then he reminded me it was Labour who actually threw him in jail at the time. He was actually rather, Minister, looking for a bit of an audience with Helen Clark, so you might be off the hook there, Minister, in terms of T\u0101me Iti.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000428\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs you know, I\u2019ve got, obviously, whanaunga in terms of Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto with regards to Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, but I was thinking about Archie Taiaroa, your ancestor. When I first came into\u2014a few years ago now; I\u2019m getting old\u2014the iwi-urban debate\u2014we remember that in the 1990s\u2014fronted by my mother, myself, and John Tamihere, and one of the main people we negotiated with was Archie. He never gave us a bloody cent. He used to get stuck into us. I was thinking about him, and he goes, \u201CYou bloody two, you think you know it all.\u201D I didn\u2019t know why he was saying that about me and John Tamihere\u2014I have no idea\u2014but he\u2019d just rip us to pieces. We\u2019d be talking about urban M\u0101ori rights, and Archie used to say to me, \u201CYou come back to Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto, boy. You come back to Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua. You\u2019ve got the battling wh\u0101nau. That\u2019s where your ancestry is.\u201D So I was thinking about Archie and the contribution he made. He was just such a unique individual. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000429\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just think it\u2019s appropriate, Minister and everyone here, to remember people like that. People like that who were brave and courageous drove this kaupapa in a Treaty settlement time where National were good. They\u2019re not very good today, but in those days, they were good. They\u2019ve gone off the track. Seymour\u2019s got them off the track, and Winston\u2019s in la-la land, and so poor National, eh? You get aroha for them when you hear their lovely speeches\u2014beautiful speeches\u2014and then they go back to kicking out the Treaty legislation and all that sort of stuff.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000430\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut I was thinking about Archie. I was thinking about what\u2019s been put in place. Today\u2019s a tribute to all those people\u2014a tribute to Mr Bell. Where\u2019s Mr Bell? Where is he? Is he around there? Good to see him there. Kia ora. Thank you for your contribution. Tim\u2014what\u2019s his name?\u2014is here. T\u012Bmoti\u2019s here? He\u2019s not here. We\u2019ve got our P\u0101keh\u0101 chief negotiator, Tim Castle, eh, T\u012Bmoti? You\u2019ve got to have a P\u0101keh\u0101 sometimes, negotiating at the table. It helps with this lot over here. So we say thank you to Tim Castle.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000431\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe say thank you to Aaron Rice-Edwards\u2014terrific, the contributions, eh, in terms of what you do. I was thinking with Mr Bell up there, I\u2019ve known a lot of Graham Bells. Most of them are called \u201CDing-Dong\u201D and you\u2019re called \u201CTinka\u201D Bell. Ha, ha! Well, thank you, Mr \u201CTinka\u201D Bell for your contribution. Sorry I missed the mihis this morning too\u2014sorry I missed the mihis this morning too. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000432\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut, you know, so many contributors, and it is right to acknowledge all our MPs: National MPs, Barbara Kuriger, Suze Redmayne, absolutely; and, of course, the tuahine over here, Deb over here\u2014Deb Ngarewa-Packer. She always gives me a slap. She goes, \u201CDeb Ngarewa.\u201D, you know? It\u2019s right we acknowledge our P\u0101keh\u0101 MPs who have been part of the settlement, who have worked with our M\u0101ori MPs. That\u2019s when you get the best benefit of Parliament\u2014that\u2019s when you get the best benefit of Parliament. I acknowledge those two in particular. I don\u2019t think they\u2019re in the House. But Deb over here, even though we\u2019re after her seat in Te Tai Hau\u0101uru, I acknowledge that she\u2019s done a terrific job.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000433\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut I say to everyone today, as others have said\u2014they\u2019re a bit more sombre than me\u2014that these are tough times, but this sort of business is incredibly important. It\u2019s incredibly important. We whakakotahi for the kaupapa because these settlements must go through. Despite what happens in the House, despite the type of debates we get into, we as M\u0101ori have no choice. We must work with whoever the Government is, and that\u2019s why I mihi to you. Even if they make us riri. Even if they make us h\u014Dh\u0101, you know? I mihi to you all there. I see my friend Soraya up there. You didn\u2019t all vote for her last time; you all voted for Deb over there, Deb Ngarewa. Good to see Soraya up there. We\u2019ve got a good one for you this time, though, Deb Packer. I just want to say: this type of bill is so important. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000434\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn many ways, we\u2019ve reached the end, but it\u2019s also a way\u2014despite our criticism of the Government\u2014of the House to come together for one of the most important kaupapa in front of us. It doesn\u2019t matter that $20\u00A0million does not really\u2014well, it does matter\u2014reflect the loss. That\u2019s not the point. Our kaum\u0101tua, our kuia, our Archies, all our people of the past who lined up in the Treaty settlement process, no p\u016Btea from the Crown\u2014a lot of times, no p\u016Btea from the iwi\u2014come down to Wellington, did the business, this is your day\u2014this is your day. Thank you for coming.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000435\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThanks to the Minister, thanks to the former Ministers, for putting this forward, but there\u2019s a lot of other kaupapa that we want to work on, and that Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua, I\u2019m sure, will want to work on too. What\u2019s the future for our rangatahi in terms of the settlement? What\u2019s the future for the iwi? How are you going to work with urban M\u0101ori, going forward? How are you going to work in a political sense? All those p\u0101tai\u2014all those questions\u2014are in front of you. How are you going to challenge the Crown to keep connection and commitment, so that the tribe does not just get labelled with all the bills and all the problems and everything? All of that has to be worked out over the next year or two.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000436\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA lot of challenges in front of you, as a tribe. But I mihi to you. I think about the area. I think about my wh\u0101nau. When I was a kid, every Christmas, my parents used to send me to this exciting, brilliant place called Taumarunui. I\u2019ll tell ya, it was tough territory. I always said to Archie, \u201CWhat\u2019s our connection?\u201D, eh? And you said, \u201CThat\u2019s your connection: the big bright lights in exciting Taumarunui.\u201D Goodness gracious me! But I can\u2019t help it. My wh\u0101nau\u2019s there. Kokiri Trust is there. My auntie Christine Brears is there, she\u2019s running things. Our family is Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto; we\u2019ll always be Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto. We\u2019re part of the tribe. I better sign up so I can get a piece of the settlement, also! \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113nei te mihi ki a koutou. T\u0113nei n\u014D t\u0101tou katoa. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022 data-id=\u0022f45ed7882f3327e2dbb24a7cabc7c64c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000437\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f45ed7882f3327e2dbb24a7cabc7c64c\u0022\u003ERIMA NAKHLE (National\u2014Takanini) (17:02)\u003C/span\u003E: After the Hon Willie Jackson, I feel like we need to just calm it down a little bit, come back to me. I rise as the final speaker in the third reading of the Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Claims Settlement Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000438\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI was privileged to take part in the mihi whakatau this morning. There\u2019s a lot of you that travelled a long distance to take part in this exceptionally profound and historic event. Thank you. I thank you for travelling, thank you for giving the time, and thank you for showing us, again and again, how important this type of kaupapa is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFirstly, I\u2019d like to recognise and acknowledge the chair of Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua Iwi Trust, Mr Graham Bell, who I too discovered is a \u201CTinkerbell\u201D of sorts. But I couldn\u2019t really put that reference together with this wise gentleman\u2014but, you know, your wh\u0101nau have their reasons.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000440\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to acknowledge also the deputy chair Lois Tutemahurangi\u2014thank you for everything you\u2019ve done and thank you for being here and thank you for the sacrifices. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000441\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to also acknowledge the chair of the trustees board, Aaron Rice-Edwards; thank you for being able to unravel sometimes the nebulas of info that we, as a committee, just needed some clarifications on, and you had quite a way with that, but I must admit the real treasure is your daughter, so I hope to see her very soon one day.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019d also like to acknowledge my friend Suze Redmayne, the MP for Rangit\u012Bkei. And thank you to my colleague Carl Bates for mentioning earlier that she is very sorry that she can\u2019t be here. There are certain commitments that sometimes we can\u2019t wriggle our way out of. She did ask us to also send you her apologies and she has a lot of love and care for Ng\u0101ti H\u0101ua. Madam Speaker, she also asked me to film the waiata, so I hope you can give me that indulgence later on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000443\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis morning, \u201CTinka\u201D Bell was talking about true justice. It really resonated with me when you said that it\u2019s not about winning or losing; it\u2019s about learning, it\u2019s about growing, and it\u2019s about making amends. I thought about that, I thought \u201CMaking amends. It\u2019s us here with this settlement bill that are trying to make an amends.\u201D We\u2019re trying and we\u2019re doing it with true intentions, but, of course, nothing will ever right the horrible, horrific wrongs, or compensate in full.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EYou also said, Mr Graham Bell, that the way forward is to restore mana. It made me think of something that my beautiful friend Whaea Anne Kendall, the co-chair of the New Zealand M\u0101ori Council, constantly tells me, that nobody can take away someone\u2019s mana. People can try and trample on it, but mana is inherent. When I looked across at all of you sitting in the Banquet Hall today, I thought all of you are filled with mana, because, despite the horrible history, despite what\u2019s been taken away from you, you have given me a big lesson in grace. In Lebanese, we say that grace is \u201CHiba min Allah\u201D, which means \u201CIt\u2019s a gift from God\u201D. It truly is a gift if you can forgive and you can allow us to make amends, despite the horrific history that you endured.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000445\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs you said, Mr Bell, this is a time for social transformation for your people. I pray for that. I know, under the leadership of many of you here in this room today, with the guidance of your t\u016Bpuna, I\u2019m very confident that social transformation in your beautiful area of our country will take place. God bless you all. All the best going forward. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000446\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000447\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000448\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a09e1f93bb964951420013f498ae8d7b\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: We talked before about the celebration following this reading. We look forward to your waiata. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000449\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EWaiata\u2014Te Poroporoaki n\u0101 Te Whareaitu\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000450\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EWaiata\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsTerm\u0022 style=\u0022font-style: italic\u0022\u003ERuawhet\u016B te Maunga\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000451\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022954d31f967bc38df697800568a1fa061\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you so much. I\u2019m just going to give the House a moment or two to let the gallery clear so that we\u2019ll be able to hear Minister van Velden present her speech for the next bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000452\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00220cefc58dc6637634d5c90a2afe256ac7\u0022\u003EEmployment Relations Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fc41ae5871ccee654d07a768dd9f8aac\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00222204e041e14c40fcbec76cc14f0da486\u0022 data-id=\u00227db89f1f7ea4613c7c5c4dc22d9ada86\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000454\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222204e041e14c40fcbec76cc14f0da486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227db89f1f7ea4613c7c5c4dc22d9ada86\u0022\u003EHon BROOKE VAN VELDEN (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety) (17:11)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Employment Relations Amendment Bill be now read a second time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000455\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill is a key part of the Government\u2019s commitment to providing greater certainty for businesses and workers, supporting economic growth, and ensuring our employment relations framework is fit for a modern, dynamic economy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000456\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to begin by acknowledging the work of the Education and Workforce Committee. The committee has carefully considered the bill, received thousands of submissions, and recommended a number of targeted changes while keeping the bill\u2019s core objectives intact. I thank the committee members, officials, and all those who took time to share their views.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000457\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe committee\u2019s recommendations align with the Government\u2019s own decisions on how to enhance the bill. The bill, as reported back, remains focused on the same four core areas. These are: providing greater certainty for contracting parties; strengthening the consideration of accountability for the employee\u2019s behaviour in the personal grievance process; providing an income threshold for ineligibility for unjustified dismissal personal grievances; and removing the 30-day rule to improve freedom of choice and cut red tape at the beginning of employment. Together, these changes will improve labour market flexibility across the spectrum, whether that be through more flexible contracting arrangements or more opportunities to develop future business leaders in high-wage, high-impact roles.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000458\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday, I want to highlight two sets of changes proposed during the select committee: the refinements to the contractor provisions and the adjustments to the income threshold for unjustified dismissal personal grievances. The bill introduces a new gateway test that provides a clearer and more efficient legal test for clear-cut, genuine contracting arrangements, which gives weight to the intention of contracting parties. This is a significant step forward for business certainty. The committee has recommended some refinements to the gateway test criteria to reflect the realities of contracting work. These refinements will ensure that the test covers the intended types of contracting arrangements where they meet the substantive criteria.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000459\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe gateway test now explicitly covers situations where a business facilitates work for a third party. This ensures that the gateway test is fit for purpose for contemporary platform-based working arrangements that offer job and income without direct contractual obligations in that relationship. For the intention criterion, the test now clarifies that a business can specify in the written agreement that the worker is either an independent contractor or not an employee. This means businesses that don\u2019t classify workers as independent contractors can still use the gateway test.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000460\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor the restriction criterion, the test makes clear that contracting a worker for full-time work will not, in and of itself, constitute a restriction on working for others. This addresses a risk that the Employment Relations Authority or the Employment Court might interpret full-time work as a restriction on being able to do other work. For the subcontracting criterion, the test now enables businesses to vet subcontractors for relevant qualifications or criminal records, where justified by the nature of the work. This strikes a balance between the contractor\u2019s ability to subcontract work and the business\u2019s ability to ensure quality of work is retained.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000461\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThese changes respond to submitters, who sought greater clarity of arrangements covered and flexibility in the new gateway test. The result is an improved gateway test that offers businesses and workers the clarity they need to plan ahead. The bill also sets an income threshold above which an employee cannot seek a personal grievance claim on grounds of unjustified dismissal. This is about improving labour market mobility and enabling businesses to give workers a go in a high-earning, high-impact role, and fostering the next generation of talent, which I\u2019m sure all of us across this House will be in favour of.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000462\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to point out two significant adjustments the committee has proposed to the threshold. First, the threshold will now be based on total annual PAYE income from the employer, not just base salary or wages. This ensures all forms of employer-based remuneration\u2014that being bonuses, commissions, and employee share schemes\u2014are captured, reflecting the reality of many types of modern pay structures. I\u2019m aware that many of these structures are common in start-ups and growing companies that could benefit from the threshold, where agility is critical for success.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000463\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESecond, the threshold itself will be lifted to $200,000. This ensures that the number of people captured by the threshold doesn\u2019t increase in light of adopting a wider definition of income, striking a balance between flexibility and protection. This figure will be adjusted based on upward movements in average wages every year after 2027. These changes reflect the feedback of stakeholders that wanted to ensure the policy intent is delivered in a fair and workable way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000464\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill\u2019s other provisions are unchanged substantially. The bill retains its measures to strengthen the consideration of and accountability for the employee\u2019s behaviour in the personal grievance process, including removal of eligibility to all remedies when an employee engages in serious misconduct. The bill also revokes what is known as the 30-day rule. This will allow employers that are party to collective employment agreements to hire new employees on bespoke flexible terms for the first 30 days of employment, which will reduce compliance costs. These terms could include a 90-day trial period if both parties agree, supporting the Government\u2019s intended expansion of the 90-day trial policy and making hiring easier.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000465\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn conclusion, this bill is about restoring confidence and balance to the employment system. It supports business growth and innovation while maintaining core protections for employees. It responds to the realities of a changing labour market, and it does so in a way that is clear, pragmatic, and future focused. I thank the select committee, again, for its work and for all of those who took the time to contribute to the process. The changes proposed during select committee consideration have improved the bill, and they align with the Government\u2019s own decisions on how to enhance the bill. I commend this bill to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000466\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220fb8f3af28d9bb5b8d7234f5bd4f62fd\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229f071e5323b640f383726a46f39e8187\u0022 data-id=\u0022b7139a7288273329dc691f6327c03d5c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000467\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229f071e5323b640f383726a46f39e8187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b7139a7288273329dc691f6327c03d5c\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Labour\u2014Te Atat\u016B) (17:19)\u003C/span\u003E: The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, in her opening remarks, thanked the Education and Workforce Committee for its work and its decision to endorse the bill and propose a number of amendments. I want to make it very clear to everybody who is not in the House today but who is listening on the radio or online to this debate that it was only the members on that committee from the governing parties who voted to support this bill. The rest of us know that this bill is an absolute dog, and no amount of soothing tones by the Minister, with some sort of clinical neutrality, saying that this is all about efficiency\u2014it\u2019s about the agility to sack workers; none of this nonsense language can cover up the fact that this is simply a right-wing, ideological attack on the rights of working people in this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000468\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the Labour Party\u2014and we\u2019ll hear from Green Party colleagues shortly\u2014we are absolutely implacably opposed to this bill because it is taking New Zealand backwards. Now, hordes of young New Zealanders are voting with their feet and going to Perth, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and numerous other places to get away from the sickening economic malaise caused by Nicola Willis\u2019 and Christopher Luxon\u2019s failed economic management and to get away from expensive housing, high unemployment, and low wages. This bill does nothing to address those problems. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000469\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt offers those young, skilled, and bright New Zealanders who are leaving this country\u2014it gives them no hope. It does nothing for the failing public health system. It does nothing to reduce homelessness or improve the situation for first-home buyers. It does nothing to offer meaningful, decent work for New Zealanders. It actually does the opposite. It makes life more precarious for New Zealand workers, and by tilting the playing field away from New Zealand workers and towards employers, it will undoubtedly depress wages further. It is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000470\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill is very important because it is about jobs. Low pay and insecure work are a curse on this country. Governments of all stripes\u2014we spend all our time and money fixing up the social problems caused by insecure work, low pay, and unemployment right now, and this bill actually makes those things worse for most New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000471\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s very important for people to understand that both sides of this Parliament clearly understand and know that the employment relationship is, at its heart, unequal by the very nature of it, and this is enshrined in the Employment Relations Act. It is based on a power imbalance. Employers have more power than workers\u2014hello! Both the major parties and both sides of this House understand that, but the difference is that, on our side of the House, we seek to redress that balance to protect the weaker parties and to give them more rights. And what do the National Party, the ACT Party, and New Zealand First do? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000472\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EActually, I would ask New Zealand First colleagues in the House to think about that today, as a party that increasingly parades itself around as a friend of the New Zealand working class. As far as I know, they are voting for this bill, which strips New Zealand workers of their rights and protections in the workplace. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000473\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat side of the House consistently\u2014every time they bring a bill to this House that deals with matters of employment law and rights at work, they take rights away from New Zealand workers. The Minister has couched her justifications in the language of balance and certainty, but the Employment Relations Act, which this bill is amending, is based on the idea of balance and the inherent imbalance of power, which is something that successive New Zealand Governments, for 25 years, have recognised and supported. But this bill throws that commitment out the window, and as for certainty, the only certainty\u2014the Minister talked about certainty in her speech\u2014that this bill delivers is that it gives employers the certainty that they can ride roughshod over the rights of employees and they will not be held to account for it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000474\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere are three key points that I want to talk about that are in the bill. One is the erosion of the personal grievance system, which lies at the heart of the State\u2019s interaction with employers and employees\u2014their right to take a personal grievance and have it heard and have it mediated, or for a solution to be negotiated. Not content, this Minister, with stacking the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) with people that she brazenly describes as pro-business, she has been getting rid of people on the Employment Relations Authority who adjudicate over personal grievance cases. She has been getting rid of them and deliberately and openly stacking the ERA with her own appointments, who, she says, are more pro-business. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000475\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI say to the members on that side of the House, take this as a warning. If you gut our public institutions in that way, which have been based for decades on the idea of having a carefully negotiated balance\u2014if you gut those, you not only take away public confidence in those institutions but you invite future Governments to do the same thing. You will not be in power for ever; in fact, after this year, you probably won\u2019t be in power for very long. In the education system and in industrial relations\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000476\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221c4577b5a99db76a61e1a671c4ceea04\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Don\u2019t bring the Speaker into the debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000477\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229f071e5323b640f383726a46f39e8187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227eae2504412f37a3443517b07ae5d5c4\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014yes, thank you, Madam Speaker\u2014think very carefully about the way that you gut public confidence and the balance that underpins institutions like the Employment Relations Authority.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000478\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut, not content with that, this Minister is gutting the law of personal grievance. The Minister didn\u2019t mention this in her speech, but this bill removes reinstatement or compensation as potential remedies if an employee has contributed in any way to the problem being considered, and what that will undoubtedly mean\u2014because we all know that in any conflict in the workplace or elsewhere, there are always two sides to every story. This very likely means that those remedies will no longer be a feature of the personal grievance system. There will no longer be compensation and reinstatement, and that will make a mockery of the system. It hollows it out, and it will make it no longer a meaningful way for New Zealand workers to get redress for injustice or for conflicts in the workplace to be solved in a way that is fair and meaningful. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000479\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe second provision in the bill that I wanted to talk about is the entrenching of the vulnerability of workers who have been deemed to be contractors. This bill is Minister van Velden\u2019s way to give the middle finger to the Court of Appeal, and what it had said in the Uber drivers\u2019 case was that those Uber drivers were, under New Zealand law, found to be employees. In future, because of this law that\u2019s being passed through this Parliament, workers, like the Uber drivers, will not have the ability that all workers in New Zealand have had for a very long time, which is to go to the court and ask for it to be resolved as to whether they are, in fact, employees and whether the real nature of the relationship is one of employment or whether they are, in fact, contractors. She and the Government parties are taking that right away from workers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000480\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to do a shout-out to Mea\u2019ole Keil and all of the Uber drivers, and to the union movement, including FIRST Union, who have waged such a great campaign in defence of those workers. They are part of a global movement that is standing up for the rights of gig workers and platform workers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000481\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe provisions in this bill put in place this so-called gateway test, which is, in fact\u2014as the Council of Trade Unions noted in their submission to the select committee\u2014not a gateway, but it\u2019s a trapdoor. It will, effectively, stop workers from going to the next step and having the real nature of the relationship tested by the court because they can be deemed a specified contractor. Just by putting a label on it\u2014yes, there are other criteria. But it will make it much, much easier for employers to say, \u201CNo, I believe this person is a contractor.\u201D, and they will be treated as one. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022 data-id=\u0022b0c1f4246212323b334ca2303c4ce45a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000482\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b0c1f4246212323b334ca2303c4ce45a\u0022\u003ETEANAU TUIONO (Green) (17:30)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. There was a lot that I agree with from the previous speaker, the Hon Phil Twyford\u2014nothing from the first speaker, the Hon Brooke van Velden. However, he did call it a \u201Cdog of a bill\u201D. I couldn\u2019t help but think that that was an insult to dogs\u2014an insult to dogs. This bill is worse than that. This bill is just another rubbish bill from a Government with an anti-worker agenda. I know that colleagues on this side of the House can\u2019t wait to vote that lot out to chuck this into the tip.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000483\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s really important for us to really think about this legislation in the context of all the reforms that have been taking place at pace. There\u2019s been an avalanche of anti-worker legislation coming over from that side\u2014all part of the National Party and ACT Party coalition agreement. I think there are some people on that side that regret that coalition agreement, because how many of these bills have come through the House where that side have had to swallow a whole lot of dead rats?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000484\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think about it in the context of the cancelling of the fair pay agreements. I think about the context of the pay equity claims. I joined with many colleagues out on the steps when we found out that they were cancelling 33 pay equity claims for the country\u2019s poorest w\u0101hine women workers, primarily. Making it harder to do partial strikes\u2014they\u2019ve done that as well. So much anti-worker legislation has come through this House because of that agreement. The result of that is we have a record number of people getting on a plane and going overseas. Our young people are getting on a plane and going overseas in the tens of thousands because of the way that this Government is treating their jobs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000485\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe thing, though\u2014what I have learnt over the last two years\u2014is that if you want to get something for the workers through, you\u2019ve actually got to go around Brooke van Velden. You\u2019ve got to go around Brooke van Velden. I would like to acknowledge today the work of Greg Fleming and Camilla Belich, actually, to get modern slavery legislation on the floor\u2014actually supported by the National Party, by the looks of it. Finally, the way to get around Brooke van Velden to get some actual workers legislation that the House could actually support. She did mention in her speech that the select committee supported the changes of her bill. But she neglected to say that it was just the Government parties.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI often lament and worry about National Party colleagues on that side of the House, having to run around to the ACT Party tunes to do what they want to do. Because some of them actually try to do what\u2019s right. They tinker around with these bills to try to make them better for the workers. That\u2019s the sense I get from some of the Government MPs on that. However, the foundations of this bill are rotten. The foundations of this bill are terrible, and that\u2019s why we will be opposing this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000487\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere were around 3,590 submissions in total that the select committee received. But here\u2019s the thing: only 1 percent of the people that submitted supported the bill\u2014overwhelming opposition to the bill. That\u2019s how bad this bill is. There was a bit there that was said about mucking around with the personal grievance system\u2014a system that has been in place for years. A system which gives people a fair shot. If you\u2019re not being treated well at work, then you can put in a personal grievance and have that sorted out. Well, she wants to get rid of that. She wants to muck around with that and make it more and more difficult for people to get a resolution.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000488\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAlso, I support what has also been said about the Uber drivers as well. The thing about the Uber drivers is this: they won every single time in the courts. They won in the Court of Appeal, they won in the Supreme Court, and now we have amendments in this bill which will make it harder for them to get their workers\u2019 rights. They say, \u201CWell, actually, we\u2019re not blocking action.\u201D Well, actually, they are. They\u2019ve got this thing called the \u201Cgateway test\u201D\u2014the \u201Cgateway test\u201D. In order for you to be able to access the courts to actually get your classification clarified, you\u2019ve actually got to jump through another hoop\u2014a harder hoop. What this does is it makes gig economy workers even more vulnerable. This is something that we should be championing as a House. We should be backing the workers\u2014we should be backing the workers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000489\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI hope our colleagues in the New Zealand First Party are listening, because they were making a lot of noises at the end of last year, saying that they were listening to the workers. Maybe they\u2019ve been too distracted trying to make America great again and have forgotten about what makes New Zealand first. That is about backing the workers. I would encourage the workers and I would encourage the unions as well: if you want to flip this bill, you might want to give them a call and see if that will work, because this bill is outrageous and it\u2019s egregious. We have so many of our workers going overseas as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000490\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo a big shout-out to the Uber drivers who took this case successfully\u2014well done. A big shout-out to the unions who backed them as well to create that momentum and pressure. But can you imagine it? You get through the court system, you\u2019ve won every single way, they\u2019ve taken the side of the workers over the big corporation, and what does the Government do? Back the corporation\u2014backs the Uber company over the Uber drivers. It backs the corporations. This is an example of corporate greed over the public good of the workers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000491\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut there\u2019s more horrible things in this bill; for example, the 30-day rule. They want to revoke the 30-day rule. For people that don\u2019t know what that is: if you go to a job and there\u2019s a collective contract on there, you can actually get those benefits as well, and then maybe you might want to join the union. With the revocation of that rule now, you don\u2019t get to do that. You can show up there and the boss can show you what that looks like, but it isn\u2019t automatic. What that shows is that that side doesn\u2019t care about the imbalance between employers and employees\u2014between the bosses and the workers. This will make it more and more difficult. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000492\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the other things I think is really important to note as well\u2014and I\u2019ve heard people calling it the \u201CFire at Will Bill\u201D\u2014is that it will create a fire-at-will culture. I think it\u2019s really important for us to unpack that as well. That is around those personal grievance provisions. Just to acknowledge the work of the select committee, who raised it, I think, from $180,000 to $200,000 as well. But what that means is if you\u2019re going to work your way up and you get up to that level, you can no longer take a personal grievance. They can actually just, at will, fire you. If you get out of line, then you\u2019re down the road. You can\u2019t actually access that system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000493\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis is how it looks like with this bill: if you think you\u2019re actually an employee and your boss is treating you like a contractor, guess what! The gateway test is going to keep you down there as a contractor in precarious positions. Often, those jobs are low-paid jobs as well, but if you manage to get through that and work your way up and you\u2019re getting a bit of coin\u2014you\u2019re getting back up there\u2014well, guess what! You better keep your mouth shut, because now you\u2019re up there as well. You\u2019ve got to make sure that you toe the line; otherwise, if you get out of line, you don\u2019t get to access the personal grievance system. So it\u2019s bad for both across the spectrum of workers. It creates different classes of workers and it\u2019s bad for both of those classes of workers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000494\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t know what we can do to improve this bill. Honestly, we\u2019ve got the committee of the whole House stage coming up, which we will look to actually try to make some amendments to improve this bill, but I can\u2019t see that happening. There are so many terrible, bad things about this bill, made in the context of an avalanche of anti-worker legislation that has come through the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000495\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s another example of a Government that doesn\u2019t care about the workers. They don\u2019t care that our young people are leaving the country, getting on the plane, going to Australian pastures where, actually, they have better workers\u2019 rights and actually get better jobs. I mean, why would they hang around? What we need to be doing is making sure that we respect workers, that we do everything that we can to protect their rights so that people stay here: good jobs, being able to put food on the table, keep the lights on, providing enough money so that our young people see living here as a pathway to prosperity. This is not happening under this Government and I hope that the National Party members on that side wake up to it before this agreement that they\u2019ve got with the ACT Party forces another one of these rubbish bills down the legislative chute.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000496\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Green Party will absolutely not be supporting this bill. This bill is anti-worker. This bill is bad for people, it\u2019s bad for the communities, and it\u2019s actually, essentially, bad for the economy. It\u2019s only good for the corporations and not for the people. We reject this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022 data-id=\u002249be20e5a3a7eadef3ecc9cdf71a30a7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000497\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002249be20e5a3a7eadef3ecc9cdf71a30a7\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM (National\u2014Northland) (17:40)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Anyone would think that the world is about to end. Well, actually, I think we, on this side of the House, understand that the world is changing: we\u2019re going into a gig economy, and taking Uber rides has become something that we\u2019re all using all the time, even those on the other side of the House, as it happens. Whilst we are focused on going to the future, the people on the other side of the House want to go back to the 1970s where everything\u2019s controlled and no one can do anything without going and joining a union. I\u2019d like to make it quite clear: we support those Uber drivers who actually want the flexibility and want to do what they want to do. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022 data-id=\u0022c73b5ea6755daba674138bdc5f9016cc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000498\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c73b5ea6755daba674138bdc5f9016cc\u0022\u003EHon MARK PATTERSON (Minister for Rural Communities) (17:40)\u003C/span\u003E: I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to speak to this Employment Relations Amendment Bill. This is the age-old battle between capital and labour, of course, that both National and Labour and the parties to their left and right engage in. New Zealand First sit in the middle and often find ourselves as the arbiter in these employment relations bills, and this is the impact we hope to have on this piece of legislation, as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000499\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt does make a suite of changes to our employment relations framework, and\u2014as Grant McCallum has just pointed out\u2014this is a gig economy, this is a changing world and changing nature of work; there does need to be more flexibility. New Zealand First has always supported and been a champion and recognised the need to have an employment framework that does recognise the need for flexibility.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000500\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a series of tweaks that have been made by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety. We do support some of the tweaks to the gateway test, but we have also taken note of the Court of Appeal decision. We support the lift to $200,000 for the personal grievance provisions. We certainly heard some feedback that the previous threshold, which was $180k, was capturing the likes of health professionals and, actually, making us unappealing in terms of the international market. It was a bit of an impediment to hiring some of those health professionals, as an example, so we think $200k is a threshold that is better suited.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000501\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn terms of the select committee, it attracted 2,587 submissions. New Zealand First, alas, is not represented on the Education and Workforce Committee. But I do want those submitters to know that we have taken note of those submissions. We have also had considerable engagement with workers\u2019 representatives and the unions that have thrown up some concerns\u2014obviously, as they\u2019ve submitted\u2014and we want them to know that we have heard these concerns. We do share some of them. The personal grievance provisions, in particular, are really important. There\u2019s a power imbalance there. How do we get a situation where we can\u2019t weaponise; where we don\u2019t have people weaponising personal grievances as the Minister and employer groups would attest to\u2014that\u2019s essentially their case. But how do we get it where that power imbalance isn\u2019t so much that it makes genuine personal grievances from employees just too hard to take?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000502\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe have heard the concerns, we are reading the submissions, and we are talking to representatives of both the unions and of business. We will continue to engage with the Minister on this. We will continue to support the bill through the process, but we do have some concerns and some tweaks that we would like to see. With that, I conclude by saying we will support the bill, but we do want to see some changes. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002283161f716e34bae9ac8c6da7f0a9d16f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The next call is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223b11bafcf5b5427480393ffeef4fe6e8\u0022 data-id=\u0022fdd9676d100031f6561ee4438fd0aa76\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b11bafcf5b5427480393ffeef4fe6e8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fdd9676d100031f6561ee4438fd0aa76\u0022\u003EORIINI KAIPARA (Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014T\u0101maki Makaurau) (17:44)\u003C/span\u003E: Just like many other bills this Government has introduced to this House in the last two years, the Employment Relations Amendment Bill offers little hope and security to thousands of everyday working families: mums, dads, uncles, aunties, rangatahi, grandparents and adults struggling right now\u2014right now\u2014in this very moment. It\u2019s not about flexibility. It is not about opportunity; it is about power\u2014power shifted away from workers and handed straight back to multinational corporations. And it\u2019s driven by the likes of Uber, a global giant with a track record of avoiding employment law, underpaying workers, and fighting unions at every turn. It\u2019s mind-blowing. It really is mind-blowing how near identical their wish list is; it\u2019s almost copied verbatim into New Zealand law. It\u2019s basically Uber\u2019s wish list right here in this House, and we are here debating it, and the Prime Minister is championing that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000505\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis Government claims to be fixing the basics, but the basic principle of employment law is that work deserves dignity and workers deserve protection. Instead, this bill heightens vulnerability to unjustified dismissal and opens the door for a race to the bottom on wages and conditions. The Public Service Association has rightly called this bill the \u201CFire at Will Bill\u201D, as my colleagues to the left have explained to this House. The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions has described it as a \u201Cradical employment bill\u201D that threatens every worker in Aotearoa, and you know what? They are tika\u2014they are correct. With this bill, gone are the mechanisms for workers to fight for fair pay and treatment. With this bill, gone are the main measures to hold bad employers to account. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000506\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn T\u0101maki Makaurau, in my rohe, I see wh\u0101nau juggling multiple jobs. I see them working long hours and still unable to make ends meet. I see rangatahi\u2014youth\u2014entering a workforce or waiting to enter a workforce that offers less protections than what their parents got. I see kaum\u0101tua\u2014elderly\u2014still working because retirement is really not an option. They have no other choice but to continue working to put kai on the table. I feel the tears welling in my own kanohi when I see my own family, including my father, going to jobseeker hui week after week and being told that he is too qualified or too underqualified to fit the mould of the only jobs available to him right now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000507\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe rules have changed so much in the last two years that the system can\u2019t even keep up with the demand. It doesn\u2019t even recognise Aotearoa New Zealanders. Many of my constituents in T\u0101maki Makaurau are also tangata moana and they keep our hospitality, construction, security, cleaning, and delivery driving industries thriving, yet these are all lowly paid jobs. They\u2019re high-pressure jobs and this bill tells them: \u201CYour rights are negotiable and your security is optional\u201D. M\u0101ori and Pasifika women are not only the lowest paid and least recognised leaders in Aotearoa, in this country, but, just like every other woman, they\u2019re working for free\u2014they\u2019re working for free by earning much less than their male counterparts. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000508\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFrom a Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori perspective, this bill fails every tikanga that exists. In fact, it fails miserably to recognise the mana of tikanga and the need for tikanga to be embedded in employment law to safeguard M\u0101ori workers. We\u2019re not the same. You can\u2019t treat everyone one and the same. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKei hea Te Tiriti? Kei hea te mana o taku iwi M\u0101ori?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000509\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EWhere is the Treaty? Where is the power and authority of my M\u0101ori people?\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000510\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFurther, this bill fails to recognise that cultural differences exist, especially in T\u0101maki-makau-rau, the largest multicultural city in the world. Where is diversity recognised in this bill? It\u2019s not there. My people of T\u0101maki Makaurau, they don\u2019t need any more rhetoric; Aotearoa doesn\u2019t need any more of that. They need fair pay, they need jobs, they need job security, and they need the right to challenge injustice. They need a Government that stands with them and not over them. To this end, I will continue to fight for them, for the rights of all workers, and especially for our rangatahi and our w\u0101hine.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000511\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETo this end, Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori will push harder for fairness, equity, and mana motuhake for tangata whenua. We will continue to prioritise M\u0101ori, and we stand vehemently opposing this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022 data-id=\u002223d7220afbbd2845405e06eb98f80c9d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000512\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002223d7220afbbd2845405e06eb98f80c9d\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH (Green) (17:49)\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s not very often that I try to reach across the aisle with common shared experiences, but I think one thing that many of us from across probably all political parties share is that we have all benefited from the labour of drivers, whether it\u2019s from a taxi company, a cooperative, or, for example, an Uber. I don\u2019t know if members across the House actually take the time to often ask the driver how they\u2019re doing, how they\u2019re getting on, whether they\u2019re struggling with the current economic conditions. But, for example, recently when I landed in this city, Wellington, I was talking to my driver. I asked him how long he had been working. It was 9\u00A0p.m. He had been working from the morning. He told me that he didn\u2019t used to work these long hours a few years ago, and that his children were now asking him when he was going to get home. One of the few reprieves he had is that at least he could buy some chocolate for his children shortly afterwards.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000513\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat story, to me, made me incredibly sad. It\u2019s a tale that we\u2019re hearing across the country\u2014that people are working longer hours simply to make ends meet. Funnily enough, one of the things that did come up in this conversation was in the very same bill. It was unprompted; I didn\u2019t even have to do any political propaganda to get the conversation to this point. He asked me where the bill was at. We ended up talking about the fact that Uber as a corporation had stripped many drivers of their abilities to make ends meet, through their aggressive tactics. For this driver, the job cuts led by this Government have meant that there were simply fewer passengers to take around and less disposable income.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000514\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn this bill, what it does is it is, effectively, a handout for Uber, a company that has made, in recent years, for example, $400 million-plus in profit and has paid a million dollars in tax. What we know, despite all the celebration of this gig economy by members across the House, is the gig economy is not just giving people more flexibility; it often is stripping them of their means to survive. In the case of Uber, if any members across the House have ever dared to talk about the conditions of Uber drivers with their driver, what they would know is that Uber as a company does not adequately protect their drivers. Drivers often don\u2019t know who they\u2019re picking up. Passengers have the ability to, basically, strip an Uber driver of their ability to make ends meet if they make a complaint about the driver, and the drivers have, effectively, almost zero recourse to be able to get their jobs back if Uber disconnects them from the app.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000515\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat this means is that the so-called gig economy that the Government is celebrating is precarious. It does not lead many workers\u2014certainly the drivers that members across the House talk about\u2014to the ability to make ends meet, particularly if that\u2019s the single source of income that those workers depend on. More and more, I am seeing, for Uber drivers, that the Uber app is the only source of income that they have access to. Why is that? Because there are simply not enough jobs out there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000516\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the other components of the bill, we heard the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety talk about how this would make it easier to hire people. I think the Minister is misidentifying the current problem, which is not that it\u2019s hard to hire people and that\u2019s why we don\u2019t have lower unemployment; it\u2019s that there are simply no jobs available, in large part due to decisions being made by this Government to cut jobs and to not put a focus on creating enough jobs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000517\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAt the very same time, young people, for example, entering their first job, will be subjected to worse conditions, because, for example, if you enter into the hospitality industry with this collective agreement, you could have benefited for those first 30 days from the improved conditions that that collective agreement could have given you: security of hours, better pay, better health and safety conditions. Yet we are being told that, apparently, stripping that immediate access to the collective agreement to then be able to determine as to whether you want to sign up to the union is actually going to be better for workers. It is not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s make no mistake: this bill is, effectively, a handout for Uber. New Zealand First, who just spoke prior to me, should be renamed to \u201CUber First\u201D, because, genuinely, you know, I know Teanau talked about how some of these members have regrets, but none of the parties have shown any regrets at supporting this bill. It\u2019s a shameful bill that will worsen conditions for workers at a time of a cost of living crisis, at a time where we should be supporting working people to live with dignity and have enough to make ends meet and support their families. The Green Party will be fighting every step of the way to throw this bill in the bin.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022 data-id=\u0022a443cae13e3d375569a75cd636b5e544\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000519\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a443cae13e3d375569a75cd636b5e544\u0022\u003EDr VANESSA WEENINK (National\u2014Banks Peninsula) (17:54)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It looks like I\u2019ll be the last speaker this evening in this second reading of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. This came through the Education and Workforce Committee, and we did spend a lot of time coming up with some potential improvements for the bill, which the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety spoke about earlier. One of the things that we looked into very deeply was the threshold for the ability to be able to take a personal grievance for unfair dismissal. We heard from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS)\u2014from my old profession\u2014and they very strongly wanted that provision withdrawn.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000520\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EWell, the good news for the ASMS and all the doctors out there is that this is a provision that can be contracted out of in any single agreement or in a collective agreement. I hope that all of the people will take notice of that and understand that their unions have not been totally disempowered, and if they think that the unions are all that great and worth paying their money for, then they should be letting them know that. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000521\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022345791da2b0814309f7bb38c21e82be6\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This debate is interrupted and is set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 February 2026.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000522\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20260129b9cae36f41c99e5ac0000523\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 5.56 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"