New Bay MPs give maiden speeches

Angie Warren-Clark delivers her maiden speech in this still image from Parliament TV.

Two Bay-based Labour list MPs have made their maiden speeches in Parliament.

Jan Tinetti and Angie Warren-Clark addressed the house one after the other this afternoon. There were emotive stories, family shout-outs, lots of thank yous and a few laughs.

Tinetti reminisced in vivid detail about some of her earliest experiences with education, including the primary school classroom when she discovered learning was "magic", inspiring her future career.

"I wanted to be the magic creator, the magic nurturer and the magic giver - so I became a teacher."

That career spanned 27 years, of which the last 11 were as principal of Merivale School.

"Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to lead within your amazing community - it really was my dream job."

She went on to talk about the challenges schools had faced in recent years and how quoting statistics on poverty desensitised people to the realities of living in poverty.

"It's not only the 10 per cent of my roll who were living in cars, tents and garages.

"It's the mums who keep their children at home because they feel shame because they had no food to feed them lunch.

"It's the question I never ask, 'What did you get for your birthday?' because the answer was often nothing.

"And, sadly, poverty is the ex-pupil who took his own life because he couldn't see a way out.

"These children deserve so much more."

Warren-Clark also ruminated on her childhood: swimming and exploring the countryside with her "BFF Melly Fay" - who was in the House to hear the speech - drinking from streams, only heading home to watch Ready to Roll at 6pm.

She spoke about how her 15 years in the field of domestic violence intervention - including as manager of Tauranga Women's Refuge - had changed her.

"The faces of the women we walked alongside - the bruises, broken bones, tears, loss of self, their unrelenting fear ... will never leave me.

"Violence in our country is common, it costs us billions of dollars a year. The cycle is perpetuated generation upon generation. We must do better. We must eliminate violence as a way of life in our country."

Warren-Clark spoke about Pike River Mine and her desire to see the mine re-entered, and the remains of the men who died there brought home.

"I call to my cousin who lies cold in the depths of the mine to wait just a little longer."

She made special mention of her grandmother in Hamilton - directly disobeying an order from the woman herself to not talk about her.

"I'm sorry to disobey you this one time Nana. You are worthy of being recorded in Hansard, you are kind, gentle, and loving."

What is a maiden speech?

- Usually an MP's first major address to the House
- MPs use it to set the tone for their time in Parliament
- Often very personal, discussing their upbringing
- Opportunity to set out their goals and aspirations as an MP

Source: parliament.nz