Tena tatou katoa e te whare

Te tino rangatiratanga - ka ngaro i te ture nei
Te mana o nga tangata whenua - ka ngaro i te ture nei
Our sovereignty is lost under this law
Our authority as people of the land is lost under this law

Those words were spoken by a strong supporter of the Maori Party, Huirangi Waikerepuru, when the hikoi arrived to oppose this Marine and Coastal Area Bill and they represent the feelings of Maori throughout Aotearoa, opposed to this racist bill that will become law when the Maori Party votes for it.

Mr Speaker, this is a sad moment for Maoridom, the end of a long and hopeful, but ultimately tragic journey that began when 50,000 marched to oppose Labour’s confiscation of our rights to the foreshore and seabed in 2004, blossomed when the Maori Party was elected to win back those rights in 2005, whose hopes were lifted by the review in 2009, but sadly betrayed in 2011, when the Maori Party decided to vote against the people who put them into power, and in support of the continued confiscation of Maori rights to the foreshore and seabed.

Mr Speaker, 89% of Maoridom does not want this racist bill, but still the Maori Party is telling everyone that This is a Maori Party Bill and We are pleased to stand here in support.”

Even though Tariana Turia said that “if we were negotiating on what is fair, just and moral, then we would have a very different outcome”

Even though when asked “Who is running the timetable” Te Ururoa Flavell said “National”; and when asked “Who wrote the bill?” he said “National”; and when asked “Whose bill is this?” he said “National's”,

And even though Rahui Katene said, “We knew that the test the Court of Appeal put in place … was far too high and that few would be able to meet the test”.

So confused and contradictory are the comments of the Maori Party MPs whose votes will turn this racist bill into law, that I struggled to understand why they would do it, but a friend explained it like this, and I quote:

Isn't it amazing how you can become so embroiled in a fight that you don't even notice who you're fighting anymore? You become so defensive you stop hearing the other person’s argument, even if it’s reasonable. You switch off; you only hear the voices that agree with you.

You know deep in your heart, that you're wrong, and in those moments when you have only yourself to answer to, you even acknowledge that you might be wrong... but you blindly carry on in your course of destruction, because you're stubborn …

It takes a huge amount of humility to back down when you've invested so much energy in the fight, but unless you do find a way to gracefully acknowledge you're wrong, you continue to reap angst and disharmony, and you alienate people you care about.

I think that’s where the Maori Party is at. I hope they find the mana they need to step back, refocus, and see who the REAL enemy is

Mr Speaker, I support the repeal of the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed Act, and I support Moana Jackson’s proposal that we take that repeal, and simply add to it a 2 year moratorium to give Maori the opportunity to come back with a better deal than this.

And in closing Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank:
- The Maori Party for raising this issue albeit they gave up without winning tupuna title;
- The Review Panel for their excellent and insightful report;
- The Minister for fronting hui although his viewpoint was never accepted;
- The Greens for their consistent support for the Maori view;
- The 50,000 who marched with us against injustice in 2004; and
- The 500 who marched for us against injustice in 2011

But most of all, I thank our Maori people:
- for their courage in the face of the continued denial of their rights;
- for the compassion that they display for others; and
- for the deep and abiding love they have for this land we call Aotearoa;
- a love they share with other New Zealanders who, I know, also care passionately, about this land;
- but a special love that comes to Maori by being born of this land;
- descendants of a people to whom the takutaimoana is and always will be a part of their very existence;
- and although others might say that they have given up;
- I pledge to Maoridom that for me at least, this fight will not end until Maori finally have tupuna title to the takutaimoana that they truly deserve

tu te ao maori
tu te rangatiratanga
tu motuhake
tena tatou katoa

ENDS

© Scoop Media