Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
Question No. 3—Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
3. Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: Does he stand by his statement that “My focus in government is upon fixing the bad outcomes of colonisation and building on the good ones”?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister of Housing) on behalf of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: Yes, and I note my wider quote where I said, “People can argue about history and that’s appropriate, everybody will have a different point of view, I certainly have no doubt that there were many bad things that have happened as a result of colonisation and what I’m focused on is … improving them and restoring them and that’s the focus of our government.”
Hon Marama Davidson: What specifically are the “good” outcomes of colonisation that he is planning to build on?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Unlike that member, I don’t view history in a binary way. History is complicated. Colonisation brought to New Zealand things like Westminster democracy, the rule of law, economic development.
Hon Carmel Sepuloni: Mansplaining!
Hon CHRIS BISHOP: How can it be mansplaining to answer a question from a woman in Parliament? Seriously, like—ridiculous. On the other hand, colonisation brought immense suffering for many people. It brought the loss of land for tangata whenua, it brought disease, and it brought illness. And, of course, we are all engaged in a national effort to remedy and right the wrongs of the past and that’s what this Government is committed to.
Hon Marama Davidson: How does cutting the budget of the Waitangi Tribunal, which has exclusive authority to determine the meaning and effect of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, contribute to “fixing the bad outcomes of colonisation”?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Well, all Government agencies are being asked to make savings. The member will be aware of the coalition Government commitment around looking at the scope, purpose, and the nature of the inquiries of the Waitangi Tribunal. That work has yet to begin, but it will begin in due course.
Hon Marama Davidson: Is he concerned that cutting the funding of the Waitangi Tribunal to pay for tax cuts will affect its ability to scrutinise the Government’s proposed Treaty Principles Bill?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP: No, and I reject the characterisation of the member’s explanation.
Fa‘anānā Efeso Collins: Does he think the Treaty principles of partnership and participation, as developed by the courts, remain relevant to “fixing the bad outcomes” for Māori in areas such as justice, health, and education?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Yes.
Fa‘anānā Efeso Collins: Has he met with representatives from iwi and hapū since becoming Minister, and, if so, have they raised with him any concerns about the Government’s approach to Te Tiriti?
Hon CHRIS BISHOP: On behalf of the Minister, I’m not able to comment on that because I don’t have visibility over the Minister’s diary and what happened in those meetings, I’m sorry.
