Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Whare Claims Settlement Bill

There are two Supplementary Order Papers. They have been approved by the iwi. The first one is the technical Supplementary Order Paper 6 required to break up the omnibus structure of the bill into two bills. The second one, Supplementary Order Paper 7, is required to correct several minor drafting and technical errors, and also to clarify the intent of the provisions of the deed of settlement in respect of the settlement of the historical claims. The jurisdiction of the Waitangi Tribunal is preserved, but it is amended to ensure that the tribunal can complete its reporting on the Te Urewera inquiry and make findings, but not recommendations, on the claims relating to Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Whare.

I want to take just a brief call. The Green Party will be supporting this Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Whare Claims Settlement Bill. My colleague David Clendon was on the Māori Affairs Committee, I understand, when this bill was being discussed there. We support the bill and we will be supporting the Supplementary Order Papers, but I do think it is worthwhile putting on the record for the House that there are still some ongoing issues with this settlement. There are still concerns that some iwi and some hapū are excluded from, or do not yet have access to or a seat on, the River Forum, for example, which is responsible for developing the documents on how the rivers are to be cared for and managed in the future. I think that is an issue for those who are excluded from responsibility for decision making over areas, over rohe. I note too that there were concerns from the submitters about the extent to which the Rangitaiki River document as incorporated into regional plans is at a lesser status than that in the Waikato River settlement. This one is related to that, I understand, and there was some disappointment that it will not have the same status as the Waikato River planning documents do.

One of the major issues for iwi that arises again and again—and we will continue to see it through settlements—is the extent to which they are separated out from the actual decision-making that happens over the environmental issues that are pertinent to them. In this case, it is the rivers. They are entitled to be decision makers over what happens. In this legislation, in this settlement, you can see how layers of bureaucracy have been put between these iwi and hapū and their right to be decision makers over their own rivers. In part, that is expressed in the disappointment that their river document will not have the same status as the Waikato one. The regional council will be able to recognise and provide for it, but is not required to take it into account in its planning. It is not part of the regional plans as a first step, if you like, for the decision-making process.

I just wanted to place it on the record that despite these concerns, the Green Party will support the bill. We support the iwi and hapū having further engagement with the River Forum, and will continue to fight to have their voices heard at the decision-making table, rather than as separated-out layers underneath that. Thank you.

The question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 7 in the name of the Hon Christopher Finlayson be agreed to.

Amendments agreed to.

Parts 1 and 2, schedules 1 to 6, and clauses 1 and 2, as amended, agreed to.

The Committee divided the bill into the Ngāti Manawa Claims Settlement Bill and the Ngāti Whare Claims Settlement Bill, pursuant to Supplementary Order Paper 6.

Bill to be reported with amendment presently.