SHOP TRADING HOURS ACT 1990 REPEAL (EASTER SUNDAY LOCAL CHOICE) AMENDMENT BILL

First Reading, Wednesday 9th December 2009

TE URUROA FLAVELL (Māori Party—Waiariki):

Ā, tēnā koe, Mr Deputy Speaker, kia ora tātau katoa e te Whare. Ko tēnei take, he take nui i te Ao Māori, otirā, he take nui hoki i te Whare Pāremata i te mea, e toru, hipa noa atu pea o tēnei momo take kua tae ki mua i te aroaro o te Whare Pāremata. Arā, he kōrero mō te wā o te Aranga o Ihu Karaiti. Kāti, ko tā te Pāti Māori i tēnei wā he noho tōtara wāhi rua. Ko ētahi kai te whakaae atu ki tēnei pire, ko ētahi kei te kī, kāti engari, ko tōku ngākau kei te kī me tautoko ake i tā Todd McClay kōrero. Āe, nō roto o Rotorua te mema nei, he mema kua whakaara ake i tēnei take mō te painga o Rotorua. Nō reira mōku ake, kua tautoko i tāna i tēnei pānuitanga tuatahi.

Ko te aronga o tana ngākau, mō te āhuatanga o ngā mea tūruhi, ngā pākihi o roto i te tāone nui o Rotorua. Ko tāna i te tuatahi, ko tōna aronga e hāngai tonu ana ki a Rotorua engari ā te wā pēa, kai tēnā, kai tēna, kai tēnā tāone, kai tēnā tāone tōna tikanga. Mā rātau anō rā tērā e wetewete. Ko te mea pai o tēnei ki a au nei i te tuatahi, kai tēnā tāone, kai tēnā tāone te tikanga, ka tahi, ka rua, ka riro mā tēnā kaunihera, mā tērā hapori e whakatau, āe, kāo rānei, ka mutu, o roto i a au o Te Arawa, o Rotorua, ko te tūmanako mā Rotorua tonu e whakatau i te tikanga mō Rotorua.

Ko te mate kē o ēnei momo pire, he painga anō o roto, he kino anō rā roto. Nā, ko te wāhi o Te Aranga ki te ao Māori, he wā whānau tērā, he wā hura kōhatu, he wā whakakotahi i te whānau. Tērā kōrero tērā, ka mutu, kai te rongo ake ki ngā kōrero ā ētahi o te Reipa e mea ana, kei wareware te āhuatanga ki ngā kaimahi i roto toa. Ka mutu, ko roto o Rotorua ko te hunga me kī, e hāpai nei i te mahi tūruhi. He mea tērā mō te pūkoro o te tangata. Nō reira, kua tukituki ngā take e rua, ā, ko te āhuatanga o te whakatā, te whakakotahi nei o te whānau. Ka mutu, ko tērā e pā ana ki ngā pākihi. Kei te rongo ake i te kōrero o te Reipa, kua raruraru pea, kua herea pea ētahi o ngā kaimahi o roto i ngā mahi tūruhi. Te tikanga ā-Māori nei, kua hiahia ki te haere ki te hura kōhatu engari tērā pea, ko te rangatira kei te kī, kāo, me noho ki te mahi. Nō reira, kua āhua raruraru i reira.

Nō reira, ā kāti, kua rahi tēnei me te mōhio anō hoki kua tata ki te tina. Me pēnei rawa te kōrero, kua noho tōtara wāhi rua te Pāti Māori engāri mōku ake, kua tautoko ake i tēnei pānuitanga tuatahi anake, kia kite mai ai, kia rongo anō hoki i ngā hiahia o te hapori. 

 [Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and greetings to us all, the House. This matter is of great significance to Māoridom, and to the House of Parliament as well, because there have been perhaps three or more instances in the past when a bill of this type involving the Easter break has come before Parliament. At this time, however, the Māori Party is divided. Some agree with this bill, while others disagree, but my heart tells me that I must support Todd McClay’s address. Yes, this member is from Rotorua. He raised the matter of how Rotorua will benefit from the bill. For me, personally, I will support what he has stated in this first reading debate.

While the focus of his attention is primarily on aspects of tourism and business in the city of Rotorua, eventually each individual town will decide what is best for it. They alone will determine that. For me, the good thing about this is that, first, each town will have the right; second, it will be left to each council and community to decide whether it is yes or no, but for me of Te Arawa and Rotorua, hopefully it would be left to Rotorua to determine what is best for it.

The problem with these types of bills is that there are both advantages and disadvantages in them. To Māoridom, the Easter break means family and unveiling time, and also time for the family to come together as one. That is that aspect. Hearing some Labour members saying not to forget those who work in shops is another. As well, there are those in Rotorua who champion the tourism industry. That, of course, is a source of income for the pocket. So the two purposes conflict, in respect of having time for a break and bringing the family together, and the matter relating to business. I have heard what Labour has stated about how some workers in the tourism industry become somewhat troubled or constrained. Traditionally, Māori would want to go to an unveiling, but on the other hand the employer may perhaps demand that they remain at work. So there is a dilemma.

So, leave it at that. Knowing that the dinner break is almost upon us, this is enough. I say again that the Māori Party is divided on this, but for me, personally, my support is for this first reading only, so that the wishes of the community are again seen and heard.]
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