Hon TARIANA TURIA (Minister for Whānau Ora) on behalf of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: Tēnā koe. Ki a koutou o Ngai Tāmanuhiri me Rongowhakaata, ka nui te mihi rawa atu ki a koutou kua tae mai nei ki te w’akanui i tēnei kaupapa o te Tiriti o Waitangi.

[Thank you. A really huge acknowledgment to you collectively of Ngai Tāmanuhuri and Rongowhakaata who have arrived here to celebrate this matter pertaining to the Treaty of Waitangi.]

I move, That the Ngai Tāmanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill be now read a second time. Today has been a special day in this House of Representatives because this is the fourth claims settlement bill to be passing through the House today. Essentially, what we are witnessing is the generosity of these claimants in accepting a very small percentage of what in effect was taken from them.

For some New Zealanders, they will be aware of the land’s history as the place of the first land mass of New Zealand sighted by a young surgeon’s boy on the Endeavour, Nicholas Young. Sadly, for most New Zealanders, they would not have any knowledge of the history of this wonderful land, and neither would they have any understanding of the issues that we are talking about today in this House. Apparently, Nicholas Young, who was the ship’s boy, received a gallon of rum and had the privilege of this historic place being named in his honour.

But today we highlight the historic significance of this iconic site as the landing point for the Horouta waka, one of the first migrating waka to arrive here in Aotearoa. So it is important and timely that we acknowledge Ngai Tāmanuhiri’s history with this important place that has significance for all New Zealanders, and, more particularly, for themselves and for those in the Gisborne area. Of particular note in this legislation is the vesting of the Young Nick’s Head Historic Reserve in Ngai Tāmanuhiri, and the name change of this historic place to Te Kurī a Paoa / Young Nick’s Head Historic Reserve.

I go back to the comments earlier today that were made by the Hon Tau Henare, who said that we need to look at these settlement readings as opportunities for celebration. For the people of Ngai Tāmanuhiri, an iwi of over 1,700 people based in the Tūranga—Gisborne—region, it is indeed a celebration to have restored to them today the significance of Te Kurī a Paoa recognised in their name as mana w’enua. We cannot, however, overlook the tragic history that has seen us get to this point today.

When we talk about the lands of Ngai Tāmanuhiri we are talking about one of the most breathtaking landscapes in Aotearoa, and, indeed, some may well say in the world. Their area of interest extends from Kōpututea, south of Gisborne City, down the coastline, over Wharerata Forest, to Paritū. From Paritū the area extends inland towards Lake Waikaremoana. As the people would say: mai i Paritū ki Kōpututea [from Paritū to Kōpututea].

This claims settlement bill relates specifically to the Crown’s role in the war in Tūranga in the 1860s, the pressure placed by the Crown on the people to sign a deed of cession for all of their land, the operation of the Poverty Bay Commission, and the operation and impact of the Native Land Court. The actions of the Crown resulted in the marginalisation, both socially and economically, of Ngai Tāmanuhiri, which has negatively affected that iwi right up to the present day. The Crown’s breaches in the Tūranga region have been described by the Waitangi Tribunal as amongst the worst anywhere in New Zealand. It is right that this House should acknowledge the past failings of the Crown and endeavour to develop a better relationship in the future between itself and Ngai Tāmanuhiri. The Crown hereby acknowledges that it did, through its interactions with this iwi, Ngai Tāmanuhiri, breach its responsibility to them under the Treaty of Waitangi.

I want to acknowledge that for many years they have been pursuing settlement of grievances over the loss of w’enua as a result of the enactment of a variety of legislation by the Crown since 1871. On 26 March 1992 Wai 283 was lodged by Tūranga iwi comprising Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, and Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki. In 2008 Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, including Nga Uri o Te Kooti Rikirangi, and Te Pou a Hao Kai—including Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngā Ariki Kaipūtahi, Te Whānau a Kai, Te Whānau a Wī Pere, and Te Whānau a Rangiwhakataetaea, as a collective of Tūrangi-nui-a-Kiwa—signed an agreement in principle with the Crown to negotiate a settlement deal. In 2009 the three groups separated to negotiate their individual interests, and that brings us today to this settlement.

The settlement contains an apology to Ngai Tāmanuhiri for these occasions when the Crown did, through deed or omission, breach the Crown’s duties to Ngai Tāmanuhiri under the Treaty of Waitangi. These breaches include the unnecessary use of force at Te Waerenga-a-Hika, and summary executions at Ngātapa, the Crown’s detaining of some of Ngai Tāmanuhiri without trial on the Chatham Islands, and the failure to protect Ngai Tāmanuhiri’s fundamental property rights. Sadly, it is a familiar story that we are telling today and one, in fact, that we have repeated.

The intention of this Treaty settlement is to provide some redress to Ngai Tāmanuhiri for the wrongdoing they have suffered at the hands of the Crown in the past. To this end, the Crown recognises the traditional, historical, and spiritual connection of this iwi with special places owned by the Crown in Ngai Tāmanuhiri’s area of interest. This settlement will provide cultural redress, commercial and financial redress, and Crown acknowledgments, which form the basis of a Crown apology to Ngai Tāmanuhiri.

The bill was referred to the Māori Affairs Committee on 16 February 2012, and the committee reported back to the House on 6 June 2012. The committee recommends that the bill be passed with minor technical amendments. One amendment adds the company number for Wharerata Forest Ltd to the bill.

I would like to thank my parliamentary colleagues on the Māori Affairs Committee for their work on this bill, the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, and, more important, the w’ānau, hapū, and iwi of Ngai Tāmanuhiri for their patience, their perseverance, and their resilience in enabling us to consider this legislation today. I hope that the resolution of these historic Treaty claims will help to foster better economic and social prospects for Ngai Tāmanuhiri and a more positive relationship between the Crown and them, which I hope will be built upon a spirit of collaboration. Nā reira, tēnā koutou katoa.

Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) : Tēnā koe, Mr Assistant Speaker. Hei tīmatanga kōrero, me mihi atu au ki te whānau, ki ngā pānga o roto o Te Tai Rāwhiti, Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, me ō rātou hūanga, tae noa ki roto i Te Aitanga a Māhaki kua tatū mai ki Te Ūpoko o te Ika i tēnei rā. Hāunga noa, ki te mātakitaki i a mātou, otirā, ki te tū tei ki te noho hei hautū i te wairua o ngā kōrero, i te wairua anō hoki, i te akiaki nei i a mātou kia eke pai ai ō koutou whakaaro i roto i tēnei ture i whakairongia ai hei whakatutuki i ngā nawe tūpuna, ngā nawe whenua. Nā, kia whakawhiwhingia atu ngā pānga i tēnei wā hei kaupapa whakatuputupu mā koutou, mā tātou i roto i ēnā pito o te Ao Māori. Nā reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. As a starting point, I must extend my salutations to the family and my connections within the East Coast, Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Rongwhakaata, and their relations, as far as Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, who are here in Wellington today. That aside, they are here to observe us in so far as being a sentinel and guide in terms of the spirituality of the discussions, and to provide us with the spirit as well, so that your views in this legislation are well fulfilled; those views were chiselled out to resolve grievances by ancestors and those relating to land. Now, a provision of resources at this point in time would become a developmental mechanism by you and us collectively in all extremities of Māoridom. Acknowledgments and salutations to you all.]

We stand to support the passage of these claims settlement bills, and have done so on all the major settlements of a historical nature, because that is how it should be. It is getting almost tedious that I should acknowledge the work that this particular Minister, the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, has put in to the task, but one cannot escape the truth on this matter. Often in politics things are shadow and light, but on this case there is very little difference between what we would have sought to do and what the current Minister is shepherding through the House.

Ngai Tāmanuhiri not only have waited a long time but, like a lot of other iwi, are in provincial New Zealand, and the challenge is always going to be how you take these endowments in provincial New Zealand and then turn them into a flow of benefits and opportunities for ongoing growth that meets the aspirations of people who often live in a part of New Zealand where economic growth may actually not be as strong as in metropolitan New Zealand. And for as long as we as Māori actually want to receive our endowments in the form of resources located in our rohe, in the haukāinga, etc., then that is always going to require a very special blend of leadership skill, but that task now lies with the stewards of the settlement, as it leaves the hands of the legislators. There is no shortage of examples as to what can go swimmingly well and what can go horribly wrong. I have no compunction in saying that once we join together as a body of legislators, the task then falls to the leaders and the generations coming through in relation to the iwi.

I remember the debate as to whether or not Young Nicks Head should either be lopped off or have the name changed. It is fitting, as I recall, that that debate first surfaced in the days of a former Minister of Māori Affairs, the Hon Tau Henare, and his erstwhile colleague Tū Wyllie, who for a mercifully short period of time I had to tolerate in the fishing industry—but that is another matter. Te Kurī a Paoa is a fantastic name that reminds Māori New Zealanders, and also that small number of Kiwis who ought to show a bit more respect, to dedicate a bit more attention to our indigenous names. I remember when one of my kids was going to the kura kaupapa, there was a great waiata. This son of mine actually shared a class with, I think, Tūtekawa Wyllie’s daughter or son, and they made great play of the song to do with Paoa. The great line I loved was about Te Mimi-o-Paoa. Of course, I will avoid turning that into English, but it will enter the encyclopaedic-like record of our House.

Whoever are the Ministers of the future holding key roles, such as the Minister of Conservation, the quality of their stewardship in the context of this settlement will come down to the willingness of the bureaucrats to observe the provisions and uphold the spirit of the deed of settlement. All we can do is enter into the House’s records what we believe we are doing here today, because, unfortunately, where resources are required to be either shared or managed to serve the purposes or the interests of a community wider than the direct settlement group, you are always going to get conflict. But we should remind ourselves and try to leave perhaps a set of parliamentary breadcrumbs for the people of the future who would be in the bureaucracy where we are hoping to see, through protocols, a growth in the relationship between this iwi and the future executive leaders either in the bureaucracy or future Governments. That is what a relationship—whether we like it or not—is about, and it is going to be either bounded or informed by the vicissitudes of that particular time. That is about all we can say.

There will be ongoing challenges that the group and other Māori groups face in relation to the land that is going to be restored by the Ngai Tāmanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill—the Wharerata Forest, for example. There will be ongoing issues where this group and other Māori groups have an intersection and a compromise or a balance between Māori aspirations and their settlement forests and New Zealand’s international obligations to do with climate change and other such matters. These are probably a lot more demanding, quite frankly, than the delay often associated with getting settlements through.

The Māori Affairs Committee, which I have not, by and large, had the chance to sit on, has actually been well led by the Hon Tau Henare. I say that it was well led because it is more than likely going to take a very large percentage of his CV, which will be required in 2014. The man has been a parliamentarian since 1993, and I will have him remember that in 1993 a sprightly, feisty young urban Māori, Raymond Tau Henare, was welcomed by the Anglican Māori Pastorate at Pendennis. One of our very old kuia kaumātua was still alive. Tau gave a mihi, and we cooked a feed and had speeches, etc., and as we finished the meal the old kuia turned to me and she said: “Hey, koro, did the MP actually arrive today?”. But we have all learnt as we move on our journey, in fairness to the Māori Affairs Committee.

Just before I wind up I want to share a few observations about an issue that this settlement group is going to have to deal with, as well, once a resource becomes scarce. The scarcity problem that we are dealing with at the moment—and there are Māori interests associated with it—is water. You cannot talk about an ancestor like Paoa, or you cannot talk about the resources around the rohe of this particular area without reminding ourselves that there are deep interests that have yet to be settled. I wish this group, which is in the House today, good luck and Godspeed in dealing with those issues, but the less that is said of an inflammatory nature about these resource issues, the better. It is inflammation that actually protracts the process to getting settlements.

It is with goodwill, and I believe that on this side of the House we have shown goodwill and there has been goodwill in the select committee. As we move to redress the debts of history we should celebrate the passage of a bill, not unlike we are doing today. So the frivolity and joviality aside, to the select committee and in particular the Minister and other Ministers who may have played a role in expediting the passage of the bill through the background work, etc., kia kaha, kia manawanui, kia ora, tātou katoa.

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) : I agree with Mr Jones, as I do on many occasions, that this has been a jovial and quite inspiring morning as we have dealt with this Ngai Tāmanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill and with other legislation. I want to take a call to address this settlement that I was so proud to be associated with, along with Mr Horomia and Mrs Turia, on 5 March 2011. But first I want to make some comments—gentle comments—about the emerging Green Party line, which seems to be that settlements are mere deals. Well, quite frankly, I regard those comments as sanctimonious, insensitive, and fundamentally incorrect. I actually get quite angry when I hear them, because how dare they diminish the importance of these settlements? These are not mere words contained in deeds of settlement. They are a genuine attempt, in this case by several administrations—first, Michael Cullen and Parekura Horomia, and more latterly Mrs Turia and me—to deal with these issues, to put genuine grievances to rest, and to plan to move forward.

I do not know, but I do not think Ms Delahunty was at Muriwai Marae on 5 March 2011, but Mr Horomia was, and certainly Mrs Turia was with me, and it was a great day. We went up to the top of Young Nicks Head and initialled the deed up there, and then went down to Muriwai Marae. Muriwai Marae is a famous marae situated to the south of Gisborne. I always get almost overwhelmed when I go into it and look at the honours board for those who lost their lives in defence of this country in the First and Second World Wars. In that respect, I particularly acknowledge that great New Zealander, Mr Raihānia, who affiliates to Ngati Porou and to Ngai Tāmanuhiri. He is a great New Zealander; one of the last remaining members of the 28th Māori Battalion. And there we signed the deed of settlement on that rather cloudy morning.

I recall that for the first time ever as Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations I read out the full Crown acknowledgments and the apology, and I said to Mrs Turia after it was over that it was quite eerie, it was very quiet, and asked her what was going on, and she said that actually people were weeping. So for Ms Delahunty, in a fit of moral superiority, to stand up in this House and describe what happened on 5 March 2011 as a mere deal, and to say that the Greens would do so much better but they never offer anything constructive, is something I find profoundly insulting and, quite frankly, annoying.

The second point that I wish to talk about in the context of the second reading is to pick up the point made by Mr Jones in his wonderful contribution on the issue of the local leadership body, because he talked about the importance of natural resources and referred to water. What we hope to do through this legislation is to establish a local leadership body. It will be a statutory body. It is another one of those mechanisms that has been worked out after discussions with local iwi in the Tai Rāwhiti region to contribute to the sustainable management of natural and physical resources in the area for the enjoyment of present and future generations, and I believe this is going to work very well. The membership of the board are going to be representatives of the Ngai Tāmanuhiri settlement trust, and also Rongowhakaata, and, we hope, in the not too distant future the Te Aitangi-a-Māhaki Trust and then members of the council. This is going to be a body that over time will deal with these issues in Tai Rāwhiti in a very sensible and pragmatic way, adopting a “we’re all in this together” kind of approach for the benefit of all the people of that wonderful region, which is led so well by that outstanding mayor, Meng Foon.

So I actually thought it was a very positive day. I think that what both administrations have done is not do some cheap and nasty deal; this is an honourable settlement. This is a genuine attempt on the part of the Crown to achieve a just and durable settlement with these people who have suffered much over the years. My advice to the Green Party is: get off your flea-bitten old nag; do not be so high-handed when you are dealing with these issues; and recognise that you do not have a monopoly on moral superiority, and that both the National and the Labour Governments over the years have genuinely tried to achieve a just and durable settlement in this part of the world. I am going to leave it there.

I want to acknowledge the huge efforts of the various people in this great iwi who have worked over the years, and I will name them personally towards the end of my third reading speech. I have acknowledged Nolan Raihānia. He always gets very embarrassed when I acknowledge him in the House, but he is a great New Zealander and his contribution to this country through the 28th Māori Battalion, in farming circles, and in Mr Horomia’s part of the world needs to be brought to light and acknowledged. I will leave it there.

CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) : Tēnā koe. He mihi nui ki a Ngai Tāmanuhiri me te iwi o Te Tai Rāwhiti katoa, tēnā koutou, ā, he mihi nui ki te Whare Pāremata.

[Thank you. A huge acknowledgment to Ngai Tāmanuhiri and the entire tribe of the East Coast, salutations to you collectively, and a big greeting to Parliament.]

The waiata “Haramai a Paoa”refers to Paoa the navigator, the great navigator, who came here and lost his dog around Te Kurī a Paoa. I am not an expert on that waiata, but in Tai Rāwhiti it is always sung and it is always said, because of the significance of Te Kurī a Paoa. So it is a great day to see Te Kurī a Paoa having its name vested and its mana acknowledged—a mana that can never really be taken away no matter what. So the mana of the people of Ngai Tāmanuhiri, who have asked me to speak about this settlement today, also cannot be taken away. I mihi to them today and say thank you to them for their guidance and their support.

Muriwai is a beautiful but small community at the foot of Te Kurī a Paoa. It is about a 10-acre block surrounded by land that has been alienated through various means, which we have outlined in many Treaty settlement discussions. Te Kurī a Paoa has a history that goes way back to Paoa and then to the events that Minister Turia referred to around the arrival of Captain Cook. I always wonder whether Young Nick saw them first or whether the people of Ngai Tāmanuhiri saw him coming first. It is not something anyone actually knows. But it was the beginning of a very interesting history between two peoples. That is why Te Kurī a Paoa is such a significant part of the settlement.

It does sadden me that John Griffin, a New York stockbroker, gets to decide who has access to Te Kurī a Paoa. Although Te Kurī a Paoa / Young Nick’s Head Historic Reserve is now vested in Ngai Tāmanuhiri, they have to ask an American stockbroker whether they can go there. There is something not quite right about that that needs more work. Maybe it was not possible to settle it through a Treaty claim, but it is about saying to Mr Griffin: “Actually, there were some people here already, and their mana is on that maunga, and they fought hard for that maunga.” I have climbed that maunga a number of times with kaumātua. In fact, during the struggle for Te Kurī a Paoa I was in charge of the chocolate run. They got me to run up the mountain to take chocolate to those who were sitting on top of the mountain, doing their noho to raise the issue of their right to their maunga. To those people who stood on that maunga, who camped on the top of that maunga in the freezing cold, in winter, to whom I delivered chocolate, I want to pay tribute, because it has been a long time coming, and, honestly, to honour some of those kaumātua who got up that maunga, which is no mean feat.

Ngai Tāmanuhiri, just like their beautiful and wild maunga, are a staunch people with whom I have shed tears. So it is not with a feeling of superiority but with a feeling of respect that I stand here to acknowledge them in all their struggles, and to acknowledge that they in many ways have accepted the settlement but they would have liked more. When I am disparaged for talking about deals, I think it is important to acknowledge where that rhetoric came from and who gave it to me. So I honour those people who feel they could have had more but accept that this is all they could get. That is not to diminish the efforts of the Māori Affairs Committee, or the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, or anyone else involved. We are all children of history. We are all negotiating what we can. But I will also be honest and say that that is how some of those people feel. They may not speak for all, but they speak, and they want me to speak, as well.

In terms of the redress, the Wharerata Forest and other things will be a very powerful part of the settlement, but also challenging. Ngāti Rangiwaho, who are part of Ngai Tāmanuhiri, are already concerned about the catchment, the river, and the effect of forestry on that river. Hopefully, today means that they will have more ability to look after their catchment, because for Ngāti Rangiwaho it is really important. What happens upstream affects what happens downstream. They were struggling with Juken Nissho and other forestry people in terms of how that forest got managed. They now have 50 percent ownership, with possible future rights, and I hope that works for them, because it is a very important part of the settlement.

I also would like to leap back in history for a moment and think about Te Kooti, because Ngai Tāmanuhiri are people who paid a huge price for their association with Te Kooti. Te Kooti landed at Whareongaonga, an amazing place inside their rohe, and the very first Ringatū sermon was given on the beach at Whareongaonga. So within their rohe there are many things that represent not just Pākehā history, which is very important, but Māori history, and the coming together of both those histories. The more we learn about those things, the better we can understand how Ngai Tāmanuhiri have survived this process.

They live on a small block of land surrounded by people who have wealth, who have land, and who have many things that they have lost, but their spirit in terms of the hīkoi that Ngai Tāmanuhiri took on Te Kurī a Paoa will never be lost. I really do honour the fight that has led to this point, the struggle, which some of us were part of, that led to this point. Under the previous Labour Government we asked for a full return. We do not have a full return of the maunga, and we do not have full access, but what we do have is a very important, symbolic moment in time around the ingoa, around the naming. So there are things to celebrate as well as things to stand up for.

I think that the first refusal for the land under Muriwai School is another one of those examples where it would be great if we could go further than that and actually acknowledge that that land is their land, that it always has been their land, and that that is their kura. The people of Muriwai School also went on the hīkoi to Wellington to call for the return of Te Kurī a Paoa. So they have more than paid their dues. These people have more than paid their dues and paid their time in terms of fighting for their place and for their right to their place. I think it is important to acknowledge that even though they are an iwi of 1,700, they are iconic in so many ways, and their place in the history of the nation belongs to all of us.

I agree with other speakers—I think it was the Hon Tau Henare—when they talk about the story of this country needing to be known. So everyone who has heard of Young Nick also needs to know who Paoa is, and everyone who has heard of Captain Cook needs to know who Te Kooti is, and not just the scaremongering but the true history of Te Kooti, his relationship with Te Tai Rāwhiti and everything that the people went through. I urge all of us to keep telling the story of Te Kurī a Paoa / Young Nick’s Head as an opportunity for peacemaking, because if there is one thing that the Green Party believes is important about the settlement processes, the Waitangi Tribunal, and the negotiations—whether you call them settlements or deals—it is that they are an opportunity for education and peacemaking, and that is our responsibility from here on.

Ngai Tāmanuhiri are still not wealthy. They still have very little land. But they do have their mana, and one of the things that people from that iwi said to me about being part of the Waitangi process was how powerful it was for them to tell their story to themselves, to their young people, to their rangatahi; for kuia and kaumātua to get up and talk about Te Kurī a Paoa and talk about the issues with Wharerata, for Ngāti Rangiwaho to tell their story; for all of that storytelling to be laid before the tribunal so that redress could be developed and an apology could be fully made, which is what the settlement process has always been about.

But there is more than that. There is still that issue—and I will keep on saying it—about resourcing Pākehā to get educated. There is more that we need to do to get educated about the history that has taken place not only in Te Tai Rāwhiti but in other parts of the country. But having, I suppose, family connections with farming families who live at Muriwai, having attended Anzac Day at Muriwai, I know that we come together on Anzac Day, but there is other coming together that also needs to happen. Part of that coming together is Pākehā people not only on the East Coast but in other parts of the country saying “Hey, I need to know more about these words.” Te Kurī a Paoa should not be just something that slips off the tongue; it is a story of a dog and a man, of a people, of a time, of a present, a past, and a future, and of a mountain where important things happened for all of us—to our nation.

Anyone who flies in on a plane over Gisborne will see that the mist hovers around the maunga and then it becomes clear and you see the sharp edges. That is like the history of Te Tai Rāwhiti, which we are talking about this morning in debating these two settlement bills related to Tai Rāwhiti. This history is sharp. We need to keep progressing it. I am proud to speak and proud to see progress. Kia ora.

Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti) : I want to join and mihi to Tāmanuhiri mō tō rātou kaha i te whai kaha hei oti atu tēnei taumaha. E mōhio atu tātou mai i te wā e tae atu te waka o Kāpene Kuki e tū atu te tamaiti a Young Nick e karanga atu “Land ahoy!”. I reira kē te whenua engari, e mōhio atu tātou i reira kē e noho mahana a Tāmanuhiri i mua a tōna tae. Te mate hoki, e mauri atu ngā whakaaro ō rātou i runga i te Endeavour i reira e mahi atu te mahi kino ki wēnei o Tāmanuhiri. Engari, e mihi kau ana ki a rātou, e whai atu i a rātou, e rere atu, hinga atu ngā pakeke o te kāinga, rātou mā. Mō rātou e ora ana, e whai atu, e manaaki atu i ngā whānau o Te Kurī-a-Paoa me ō rātou kārangatanga mō Paoa me tō rātou awa. E mihi kau ana ki a rātou.

[I want to join and mihi to Tāmanuhiri on their efforts to work hard so that this serious matter is completed. We all know that right from the time when Captain Cook’s vessel made land there, that lad Young Nick stood up and called “Land ahoy!”. The land was there, that is for sure, but we know as well that Tāmanuhiri were living warm there before the arrival. The problem, of course, was that those on board the Endeavour got carried away with the idea to set upon those of Tāmanuhiri with evil intent. But I really do pay tribute to those of Tāmanuhiri who sought redress, and where some of the elders, those of home, have passed away, as far as the ones who remain alive and follow on with the work in terms of looking after the families of Te Kurī-a-Paoa and their callings in terms of Paoa and their river, I truly admire them.]

I want to congratulate and thank the Ngai Tāmanuhiri Whānui Trust, which represented Ngai Tāmanuhiri in negotiations. We are one step away from finalising it next Thursday. The bill records the settlement package comprising a historical account and an apology and the transfer of two cultural sites to the Tāmanuhiri Tutu Poroporo Trust, vesting Young Nicks Head Historic Reserve in Ngai Tāmanuhiri, and the site will be renamed Te Kurī a Paoa / Young Nicks Head Historic Reserve. It is one thing that I have angled at and wondered why you keep the name, Young Nicks Head, on there, but I suppose it appeases people, and their generosity certainly is recognised. I was privileged enough to go up with the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations on the day of the blessing and the signing up on the site, and it was certainly a wonderful and historic event. I wanted to climb up but they took us up in a helicopter, and I was very thankful for that. But those of Tāmanuhiri trudged up and trudged down, and because the Minister was in such a hurry I had to go and support him and go up with him.

I want to say that we tend to slant history only from the point of view of the coloniser. I do not say that disparagingly, but I do say it seriously. It is time that we learnt our stories and I support the reality of why that is important to them. Again, as I have been prompting the Minister to ensure that those ministries, like culture, heritage, conservation, and fisheries are really set to the task. I want to give a special suggestion about Tāmanuhiri and go back to Rongowhakaata to encourage the Minister to consider—I know he is the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage—that there is a continued slap in the face for the people who live there, with the sewage still running out into their bay, which is something they really cherish. It would be a good indication if resources were there to support them. I know that the local mayor and the elders have pushed for that, along with the negotiators. So it is something that is done in goodwill. There have been a lot of dastardly things done to these people, and it would not be too far beyond to recognise that that would help out. It is important to them, the takutai moana and the wāhi of Young Nicks Head, as they are renaming it.

There is $11.7 million and all of those monetary things that happen in this claim. There is actually an interesting situation that has grown in these negotiations, and it is about the transfer of the Wharerata Crown forest licensed land to Wharerata Forest Ltd, a company in which Ngai Tāmanuhiri will purchase a 50 percent share, and the Crown will retain the other 50 percent on trust for any other Wharerata claimant with an established historical Treaty claim. That is very interesting. I hope that the Crown ensures that the Treaty of Waitangi process pervades across the whole 100 percent of this forestry, and it does not sit on 51 percent and never mind the 49 percent. I want to say that seriously, and directed at the Minister. The accumulated rentals of approximately $8.2 million will transfer to Wharerata Forest Ltd on settlement day. So there is a kick-start there to help them to get to where they want to get to. But certainly their generosity needs to be recognised—their generosity in even agreeing to that—in the sense of the paru that goes into that bay continuously every week. Whose responsibility is that? Is it the council’s? Is it the factories’ that are around there? Is it everybody else’s? I would again encourage the Minister—and I would ask the person talking to him about finance to refrain from that and listen to this here, because he is not caring at all about what is happening in Hawke’s Bay or Heretaunga. Minister Finlayson, can I please say to you, as you are talking to one of the Ministers about finance, to remind him about the allocation in that bay.

Hon Member: I’m on to it.

Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA: That is good, but I want to remind and prod you, as Mr Joyce steps back in here, that they need some serious support about the pollution that continues to go into the bay of the foreshore of Tāmanuhiri and Rongowhakaata. I would remind my worldly friend from Tukituki that he does not have the disaster that they have in the bay. Let us not just settle this and do what is in here; let us consider that also. We would support you most seriously on that. Apart from that, I want to commend the Minister again—and my colleague Michael Cullen is not here—and all of those people in Tūranga Nui who are looking forward to next Thursday to finalise it. Let us not let the chance go by, just signing up protocols between Government agencies that mean nothing. There is a real pollution hazard there that needs to be considered. And, Minister, the composition and the construct of the company that manages the Wharerata forest has to be closely watched and supported by the Crown so they do not get strung out in the commercial markets and cannot operate. It is an interesting situation that half is given and the other half is retained for other groups. I just want to commend and really recognise the Tāmanuhiri people for the effort that they put in. Kia ora.

BRENDAN HORAN (NZ First) : I would reiterate my earlier comments on the close whakapapa links between Ngai Tāmanuhiri and Rongowhakaata. It is significant that both settlement bills, the Ngai Tāmanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill and the Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill, are considered so closely together today, and hopefully will conclude together next week when Royal assent is given, and shortly thereafter will be the receiving of the settlement assets. I would acknowledge that the journey to reach this point has been arduous and fraught with peril. However, it is pleasing that through this current period there have been high levels of support through the ratification process, consistent in what we observed in the Māori Affairs Committee process, where there has been overwhelming support for Ngai Tāmanuhiri. I would therefore acknowledge the hard work of the negotiators. I thank my parliamentary colleagues. I once again humbly acknowledge the hard and immensely significant work of all those who have gone before. We in New Zealand First look forward to the third readings next week.

Tēnā koutou e rau rangatira mā. E hari te ngākau i tēnei rā i te tūtakitanga o tātou i runga i te kaupapa nui o te rā. Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui. Nō reira, mā Te Atua koutou e tiaki, e manaaki mō āke tonu atu. Huri noa, huri noa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā anō tātou. Greetings to all people. It is great to have kōrero-ed with you all about our kaupapa today. Continue to be strong, courageous, and stout-hearted. Therefore, may the blessings of God keep you and care for you always. Once again, to all of us here in this gathering, greetings, greetings, greetings. Kia ora.

Hon TAU HENARE (National) : I have the honour and privilege of being what I think might be the last speaker on the Ngai Tāmanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill. I echo my colleagues in the House about all of the claims settlement bills that we have done this morning—in particular, the close relationship between Tāmanuhiri and Rongowhakaata not only whakapapa-wise but geographically as well.

I do echo the sentiments of the Hon Parekura Horomia, who raised the issue of pollution and a sewage matter. Although not particularly a Government responsibility, we almost certainly stand behind any local council moves to clean up what is their responsibility. We would stand behind the local council in having a look at any solutions.

I want to echo also the sentiments of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, the Hon Chris Finlayson, who, in my mind, is the best Minister that we have had in charge of Treaty negotiations for his foresight and for his ability to look ahead and get things rolling. I also echo his sentiments about the Green Party. If people think that the church of Scientology is bad, they need only look at the Greens to see, maybe, that Scientology is OK. I tell you what, my message to Kennedy Graham, who is the most sane one in the Green Party, is that maybe he would like to think about doing a Katie Holmes.

On that note, I know we should not use this opportunity to dis on each other, but, I suppose, as a Māori and as a person who has been involved in Māori politics for a long time—and I am not saying I speak on behalf of other Māori politicians—to use some colloquial language of “O-town”, 274, it really narks me how non-Māori get up and speak as if they know everything about it. That is one of the things that maybe we should not do—

Catherine Delahunty: I think I said I wasn’t an expert.

Hon TAU HENARE: —Catherine. Maybe what we should do is actually think about the big picture. Like I said earlier this morning about my theme about all of this in terms of the tapestry story that I have been trying to weave for the last couple of hours, we miss so many opportunities to tell the story. I know my kids are all right because they are part of the story, but what about the kids out there who are not part of the story? What about the kids out there who need to know about their country’s history right from even back before the time Captain Cook got the message that there was a nice plot of land that might look nice as a golf course one day? It is all of those things in our history that we need to be able to stand up in this House and talk about—the bad things as well as the good things. There is no point in telling a story with all good stuff in it. It actually has to contain all the bad stuff, as well, to see that whole picture of where the nation is.

Like I said before—and I have said it in the House and I have said it outside—at least we do not throw bombs at each other. I am proud of the fact that we can have our issues. I am proud of the fact that there are no terrorist actions in this country. I am proud of the fact that we have a society that allows the intelligent and the non-intelligent to have a say about things that concern them. This bill, and the bills that we have done this morning, is just a little part of the great, fantastic tapestry of New Zealand’s history, which we should be damned proud of and should stand in this House and represent. So, again, I commend the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, the Māori Affairs Committee, and the House for their work on Treaty settlements. Kia ora.

• Bill read a second time.