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Tēnā rā koutou raurangatira mā, wāhine mā, tāne mā, takatāpui mā, tipua mā. Haere mai rā, haere mai rā, whakatau mai rā. Tēnā koe e te māngai. E tiki ana ki a tuku mihi ki ngā atua, ngā kaitiaki, me ngā tupua e karapoti nei i a tātou i tēnei [00:00:30] wā. Tēnā koutou. Ki te honga mate, koutou kua riro atu, koutou kua takahia nei i ngā tapuwae o ngā mātua tīpuna, e moe. Te Atiawa, Ngāti Mutunga, otira Taranaki whānui, tēnei te mihi kia koutou katoa i raunga i tī nei i tēnei rohe ātāhua. Nā koutou i rangatira ai tēnei kaupapa. Huri atu rā ki a koutou katoa, ngā hō mahi, me ngā manuhiri [00:01:00] tuārangi. Tēnā koutou. He mokopuna au. He mokopuna tēnei, no te uranga mai o te rā. No te Tairawhiti. Nōku te honore nui. Koa whai wahi mai au ki te whakakanohi ngā hapori hūhua ki te tūranga i te whare nei. To everyone here in your purple fabulousness. Yee [00:01:30] -ah! As we acknowledge the The haukainga of this rohe and the beauty of their home, I acknowledge the pain and anger facing them. Shelley Bay and Mauwhenua may have replaced Ihumatao and Seoul in the headlines, but the fact is that whānau, hapū and iwi all over the country are fighting in some form to protect their whenua, their awa and their moana. Fifty -two [00:02:00] successive governments and their agencies have failed to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi despite it being the contract that confers their right to govern. In this 53rd year, Parliament with the mandate given by Māori to Labour again, the return of the Māori Party and some kick -ass activists joining the Green Caucus. Shout out to Te Anu Tui Ono and Ricardo Menendez -March.[00:02:30] I hope that we will collectively create actual systemic change. The constitutional transformation outlined in Matikimai Aotearoa, for example. Mr Speaker, I commit to working with Māori MPs across the House so we can collectively work for what Māori have identified they need, and not what our Government might think they should have or should settle for. I acknowledge the workers in this whare, Mr Speaker, my colleagues and the staff we rely [00:03:00] on to do our job. Shout out to my cousins Al and RJ Smiler who have worked here for years. To the Speaker, the Office of the Clerk and staff across Parliamentary Services, you took a bunch of exhausted candidates and inducted us to the bright -eyed MPs you see before you today. To the Class of 2020, I look forward to working with all of you. As we learn how things have always been, let us aspire to how things could be. Te whānau kakariki. [00:03:30] Shout out to our co -leaders, the Honourable Marama Davidson, the Honourable James Shaw, our party co -convenors, staff and the volunteer leadership across our provinces, branches, networks and campaign teams. To our membership who put me high on the list, I will prove every day. That your faith in me is justified. Thank you to all of those who voted to ensure we were the green foam on that red wave. [00:04:00] Especially, especially those who voted green just to get me in. Um, I am particularly grateful that I was able to tell my father -in -law, Tuisabe Lalio Aiono, that his vote got me elected before he passed away in December last year. He was a solid Labour voter for 70 years, and for the first time, he split his vote. When the Electoral Commission came to his home, he told them he wanted to vote for the Kerekere Green Party. [00:04:30] No rush, we can talk about the name change later. So, let's talk whakapapa. My father was Karauria Te Rao Kerekere, but everyone called him Bison. He was born to my beloved nana, Elizabeth Beti Kerekere, and the man she was not allowed to marry, but got pregnant to, my koro, Pani Baniruru. As the eldest grandchild, Dad was raised from birth by [00:05:00] his grandparents, Kahungunu and Barbara Kerekere in Gisborne, where I was born and where I live. We whakapapa to whanau a Kai, Ngati Oneone, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Rongowhakaata, me Ngai Tamanuhiri. Through you, Mr Speaker, shout out to my whanaunga in this whare, the Honourable Meka Whaitiri, Shannon Halbert and Ariana Williams. And to those who came from Gisborne and around the country to be here today. Dad passed away 15 years ago after dedicating the last years of his life carving our meeting house, Te [00:05:30] Poho o Hiraina, at Pākohei Marae. He was a hard man and a hard worker. He taught me that only those who do the work should have the say. It led to my own mantra that we must get to where the decisions are made, but when we get there, make sure we are qualified to sit at that table. So dad, for 40 years I have done the work, and I'm uniquely qualified to be here. My father is as responsible for me standing here today as he is for the years of counselling. I had to have. [00:06:00] True story. Shout out to Ali Anderson and the Lower Hutt Women's Centre for that. When I was 12 years old, my father would introduce me to his friends as the first Māori Prime Minister. So, in the back of my mind, I always thought that I would be here. I first spoke in Parliament as an 18 -year -old, as one of the rangatahi representatives to the Hui Taumata, the Māori Development [00:06:30] Conference of 84. Although I've been asked to consider running over the years since, it was only five years ago, and after I received my moko kauwai, that I finally felt I could accept the title of politician. And all the colonial baggage that comes with it. Shout out to Maddie Drew, who told me I should run in 2017, and to current and former Green MPs Jan Logie, Metiria Turei, Marama Davidson, Denise Roche, Mojo Mathers, and Catherine Delahunty, who modelled how to [00:07:00] maintain their activist credentials in this place. When I did my swearing -in, I held a copy of the Tairawhiti page from the Te Tiriti o Waitangi, known as page 7. Uh, it was a way of acknowledging that my ancestors signed the treaty in good faith. It helped to resolve the dissonance I felt, and a little bit of hypocrisy, that, uh, at having to swear allegiance [00:07:30] to the Queen. That whole thing, how the British Empire was built on the oppression of indigenous and black people, just makes it really awkward. Shout out to all of the people seeking freedom from white supremacy, from the Black Lives Matter movement, Movement to indigenous peoples across the world. We stand in solidarity with you. Mr. Speaker, I recall that you used that same page when you did your swearing -in. One day, maybe today, if I need more time to advocate for iwi [00:08:00] of Ikaroa -Rāwhiti, I may remind you of that. My mother... My name is Erin Kerekere, who joins me here today with her best friend and my godmother, Susan, and my Ryan whānau. Mum was raised in Dunedin by her parents, our nana and grandad, Lorna and Tom Ryan, who lived into their 90s. We hail from County Clare and County Tipperary in Ireland. It wasn't until I visited Ireland several times over the last few years, including with Mum, that I began [00:08:30] developing an Irish identity. I welcome the wisdom of my Irish ancestors. Now it is easier for them to guide me. Once, I painted an artwork for my mother with the whakatauki, Nau i whatu te kākahu, he tāne ko tāku. It means that she and my father made the cloak, the foundation of who I am, and I added the bōra, the adornment, which is everything I've done with the life they gave me. From my father, I gained strength and the confidence to meet high expectations, to [00:09:00] lead, to stand. From my mother, I learned organization, resilience, and survival, to plan, to withstand. From my father, I learned to say what had to be said and never apologize for it, especially when it was wrong. When people did not want to hear it. From my mother, I learned that people have feelings. And... LAUGHTER And there are different ways to say the same thing. LAUGHTER [00:09:30] From them both, and a special connection I have with the goddess Mahuika, I have a drive, a fire, that keeps me going through tiredness, pain, and disability. And if we're talking adornment... I'd like to think I bring a certain rainbow flair to the world. Yeah. Hashtag paint parliament purple. Uh, shout out to Anahita Lexing Kirkless who made this tarapauahi especially for me to wear today. I [00:10:00] acknowledge all the artists, weavers and performers who express in myriad art forms and with their bodies what is so often so hard to capture in words. And to our poets and writers whose words bring us clarity, solace, inspiration and vision. If my parents created the foundation of that kākahu, it was my siblings, Desmond, Lorna and Lynn, who helped me stop it unravelling. As we dealt with the roller coaster that was our childhood and to be fair most of my life. Thank you. It [00:10:30] was my best friends, so many of whom are here today and in spirit, who told me I looked fabulous in that kākahu, but who held me up when it grew heavy. And it was my mentors who made sure I wore that kākahu with purpose and clarity. I honour those who have passed, Eti Lauwhiso, Marjorie Raukupa, Maena McKenzie, Ereha Patirehu Murchie and Jennifer Edwards. Of the many still with us, I acknowledge Brenda Tahi and Christina Hurihia Wirihana. They [00:11:00] smoothed some of my rough edges, and they sharpened some others. I aspire to the powerful and graceful leadership, the mana wahine they exemplify and I strive for. It brings to mind the Māori women who signed away their birthright of mokokauwai to join the franchise for women to vote in this country. Every Māori woman in this house shows their sacrifice was not in vain. E rikirikia ana i te whakaro, ka whai mana ano oku tupuna i te kitenga atu [00:11:30] o te moko kauwai te mataora ki te whare paremata. Me te huhua ano hoki, penei o te minita Nanaia Mahuta, me ngā rangatira o te pāti Māori, Debbie Ngarewa -Packer, rāua ko Rawiri Waititi. My own moko kauwai represents waiwai pākura, the footsteps of the pūkiko. This is not only an ancient term used in carving and weaving, but also about holding space. As I do in my work, and as my artwork, Mana [00:12:00] Takatāpui has done, hanging in the rainbow room here for many years. In 1992, one of the best things happened to me. I met my life partner, Alofa Aiono. Shout out to Val Little and Sue Rostrum, who I will forever thank for helping make that happen. I joined the Lauofo and Aiono families from Samoa. I acknowledge Alofa's [00:12:30] mother, the late Lina Malatina Lawofo from Luatuanu three of her beautiful sisters represent her here today, Aunty Otelia, Aunty Carol and Aunty Sita. I acknowledge Alofa's father, the late Tui Sabelalo Aiono from Fasito the last of his line. Tui and Lena were among the first families in Porirua and founding members of the PIC Church. Their baby daughter bringing me home was a little bit unexpected.[00:13:00] Over many years, I went from being Alofa's friend, to her girlfriend, to her partner, to being their daughter -in -law, to their daughter. In honour of Tui and Lina Eono, Mr Speaker, I commit to supporting the Pasifika MPs in this house and working for Pasifika peoples here and in the islands. Alofa and I had to wait 14 years to have a civil union. Shout out to former Labour [00:13:30] MP Tim Barnett for that mahi in this house. And through you, Mr Speaker. Speaker, shout out to Labour MP Louisa Wall for subsequently guiding marriage equality into law. Of course, the trappings of monogamous legality are not the be -all or end -all of rainbow relationships, but it is an option we should have. Aloha. With you, all things are possible. [00:14:00] At our ceremony, we unveiled our tattooed rings and vowed that our commitment to each other was written in blood, rising above challenge in this life and into the next. And so it is. My third whānau is Te Whanawhana, a national trust I founded 20 years ago this year to advocate for takatāpui to tell our stories, build our communities and leave a legacy. We believe that to uplift takatāpui, those Māori with diverse genders, sexualities and sex [00:14:30] characteristics, we must uplift our whānau and our rainbow communities. Shout out to Tīwhanawhana who have my back today and every day. Especially my co -leader Kevin Honui, our board and our Kahui Whakawahine. Tīwhanawhana is the tūranga waiwai for all my work for our Takatāpui, Māori and Rainbow people. Change happens at many levels. But some change for Takatāpui, Māori and Rainbow people can only happen here. [00:15:00] Banning conversion therapy sooner rather than later. The long -awaited third reading. Of the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Bill, for example. This election we broke the world record for queer representation. With four of our ten MPs being rainbow, the Greens are certainly the proudest party in the proudest parliament. However, we are all cisgender, meaning we all identify with the gender we were assigned at birth. It has been a very [00:15:30] long time since 1999, when the legendary Georgina Byers was the first transgender MP in the world. particularly for your work in representing trans women, whakawahine and sex workers in this house. Historically, te ao Māori accepted those with diverse genders and sexualities [00:16:00] as a normal part of society, so long as you had your children and did your job. And they acknowledged that those with diverse sex characteristics, who we call intersex now, were sent to teach us. I coined the term mana tipua, To recognise this whakapapa. Colonisation however resulted in the suppression, the criminalisation and the pathologising of those people. And resulted in whakatāpui and rainbow people often not being accepted today. That is why [00:16:30] takatāpui rights is a treaty issue and a Māori priority for the Greens. The Human Rights Act 1993 currently does not specifically acknowledge the intersectional discrimination and violence experienced by trans, intersex and non -binary people. My first member's bill therefore adds two new grounds to the list of prohibited [00:17:00] grounds in the aptly named, aptly rather than succinctly, um, human rights. Prohibition of Discrimination on Grounds of Gender Identity and Expression and Variations of Sex Characteristics Amendment Bill. I hope this will make it easier for Takatāpū and our rainbow whānau to take cases to the Human Rights Commission and that the mana of explicit human rights protections will help redress the historical trauma that has occurred.[00:17:30] This amendment bill will go into the biscuit tin next week. But I invite the government to just introduce it, you know, at your leisure. In association with the other legislation I might have mentioned. So, I used to worry that I would be forgotten. It was irrational when a simple unliked search will lead you to much of my life's work. But whakapapa is everything. Because of the gendered violence and abuse that far too many of us suffer as children and young people in [00:18:00] this country, I could not have children of my own. So I collect them. To well over a hundred nieces, nephews and greats, especially those who have lived with us, I hope you all feel how much the aunties love you. To all the young people I have been privileged to work with and mentor in Māori, Takatāpō and Rainbow communities. You are never just the leaders of tomorrow, you are the leaders we need right now. Many of you I call my kids, and you know who you are because I expect more of you than anyone [00:18:30] else. I need your counsel now more than ever. So to all of the rangatahi here and watching, you are my heart, you are my legacy. Finally, as I like to say, Why do we get up in the morning if not to change the world? I have done that in every other part of my life and I intend to do it here. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora hui hui mai tātou katoa.
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