Dr ELIZABETH KEREKERE (Green): Kia ora koutou. The Greens have long supported this kaupapa, and it's reflected in policies across our Māori, democracy, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi policies. We aim to promote and support guaranteed tangata whenua participation in local governance through the establishment of Māori wards and to remove barriers to the establishment of Māori wards. In fact, this bill is very similar to a Green member's bill in Marama Davidson's name that was pulled from the ballot in May 2017. It failed its first reading the following month because the combined Greens, Labour, and Māori Party seats at that time only totalled 48. It is, of course, a very different story now. 