Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill

on behalf of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: I move, That the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time. Tuatahi, kei te mihi au ki a koutou kua hara mai nei ki tēnei Whare o tātou i tēnei rangi. He rā nui tēnei kia tīmata ai tēnei wāhanga, kia haere ngā kōrero i roto i te Whare Pāremata mō ngā wā e toru. Nā reira nau mai, hara mai rā. Hara mai rā me ngā tini mate kua pā ki a tātou anā, ko Tino Moana tētahi i hinga mai nā i te pō, te tama a Thomas Moana. Tana tama, a Tino. Nā reira, ngā mate kua pā ki a koutou otirā, ki a tātou, takoto, haere ki ngā tīpuna mātua hei whāriki mā mātou. Ehara mā mātou e whakaroa te kōrero ki a koutou ēngari, ko te mea pai ki ahau kia haere tika ai koutou ki reira, ā, ki mua o Te Kaihanga. Nā reira, rātou ki a rātou, tātou ki a tātou, tēnā tātou. Nā reira, nau mai, hara mai. He rā nui tēnei mō koutou. Kei a tātou nei i roto i te Whare ētahi kōrero e tautoko ana te huarahi e pai ana mō koutou kua whakatakotoria e koutou. Nā reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ngā iwi katoa o Te Tau Ihu, nau mai, hara mai rā.

[Firstly, I greet you collectively who have arrived here in this House of ours today. This is an important day, which allows this session to commence so that the debates in Parliament can proceed throughout the three readings. Therefore, welcome, come hither. Come forth with the many deaths that have touched us, such as that of Tino Moana, son of Thomas Moana—his son Tino—who died last night. And so, to the deaths that have touched you and, indeed, all of us collectively, lie there in state and go forth to the ancestral forefathers as a mat for us. We will not prolong the tributes to you, but the nicest gesture from me is for you to go directly there to be before the Creator. And so, they the dead remain there among themselves, and we the living to ourselves. Salutations to us, welcome, welcome. This is a great day for you collectively. We in this House have statements to make that support the best way forward for you in respect to what you have placed before us. So congratulations and well done to you all, the tribes of the Prow of the Canoe. Welcome, and, indeed, welcome.]

At the appropriate time I intend to move that Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill be considered by the Māori Affairs Committee. Today we turn south from Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara. We look across Raukawa Moana, past the resting place of Te Wheke-a-Muturangi, to the lands of Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka Māui, the prow of the great canoe of Māui, Tikitiki-a-Taranga. It is my honour to welcome to the House the sons and daughters of Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui, and Ngati Toa Rangatira.

All eight iwi of Te Tau Ihu had valid customary rights that should have been protected, honoured, and guaranteed by the Treaty of Waitangi when it was signed in 1840. But within years of the Treaty being signed the Crown illicitly acquired millions of hectares of Te Tau Ihu lands and resources. The Crown failed to obtain the full and free consent of the rightful landowners. These massive land acquisitions were invalid in both British and Māori law. They were clear breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

We are here today because the Crown failed to protect, honour, and guarantee the rights of Te Tau Ihu iwi, Te Tau Ihu whānau. For us in 2013 to even try to comprehend what this loss meant all those years ago, and what it means today, we need to understand how Te Tau Ihu whānau were living at that time. In the mid-1800s the waters around Nelson, Golden Bay, Marlborough Sounds, and Kāpiti were the equivalent of our modern-day motorways. They were expressways for trade, and the merchant ships, cutters, and vessels plying the waters of Raukawa Moana were owned by tangata whenua iwi of Te Tau Ihu. The flax, pigs, tobacco, meat, potatoes, timber, and maize on board those ships were grown on Te Tau Ihu lands, and cultivated, harvested, and processed by Te Tau Ihu people. They owned the lands, the storehouses, and the ships that carried their produce throughout New Zealand and abroad.

Even before Europeans arrived on these shores, the people of Te Tau Ihu were trading across Aotearoa. When you take millions of acres from people who have only ever known a life of enterprise and self-determination, you are not just taking away land; you devastate an entire way of life. You are taking away an identity; you are taking away a birthright.

The Crown, governors, and officials acted ruthlessly, sidelining the Treaty and deliberately giving new settlers advantages over Māori. As a result, the Crown’s purchases left Te Tau Ihu Māori in poverty. Today the Crown stands before the families of Te Tau Ihu and acknowledges the social, economic, and cultural devastation carried by generations of families. But, through it all, the peoples of Te Tau Ihu remained steadfast, they remained at the helm of Te Waka-a-Māui, and they did not leave. Their identity was intact, but never destroyed; their way of life devastated, but never wiped out.

In the face of incredible injustices, generations of Te Tau Ihu people have made an incredible contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand; they always have. Ngā mihi ki a koutou. Archaeological evidence from this rohe proves that our ancestors’ epic voyages were planned, purposeful, and often were return journeys. Hemi Matenga of Whakapuaka literally connected New Zealand to the world in 1876, swimming out in dangerous conditions and dragging to the shore our first undersea telecommunications cable. Te Tau Ihu has produced countless Olympic champions, sports stars, and All Black greats. Māori businesses in this region are industry leaders across a range of sectors, including wine, hospitality, and tourism. And who can forget that Te Tau Ihu leaders were at the forefront of the historic foreshore and seabed battle—an iconic moment for Māori who marched in our thousands to this Parliament on a freezing cold day in 2004.

Te Tau Ihu people have always punched well above their weight, and when it comes to our country’s political, cultural, historical, economic, and sporting history, today is another of those milestones. Many of the things these people have lost due to the actions of the Crown can never be totally replaced, yet the people of Te Tau Ihu still wish to settle their grievances with honour and with mana. Although only one settlement bill is being considered by Parliament today, the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill gives effect to eight deeds of settlement. This is an amazing milestone and a testament to the determination and leadership shown by the eight Te Tau Ihu iwi, who have managed to overcome their differences to get to this point. Tēnā koutou.

The Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill will provide redress to three Kurahaupō iwi—Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, and Rangitāne o Wairau. These three iwi signed their deeds of settlement in 2010, and for them today has been a long time coming. I acknowledge their patience and their pragmatism. In a region with extremely overlapped iwi interests and where Crown redress was becoming increasingly scarce, the three Kurahaupō iwi have shown great leadership by foregoing their claims to forestry interests, in exchange for other commercial redress. This extremely bold decision unlocked the regional stalemate and enabled negotiations of other Te Tau Ihu groups to progress.

The Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill will also provide redress to four Tainui Taranaki ki te Tonga iwi—Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu, and Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui. I also commend the patience and resilience of the Tainui Taranaki iwi, whose negotiations were put on hold while the Crown addressed other issues raised in Te Tau Ihu.

Last but certainly not least Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill will settle the claims of Ngati Toa Rangatira. In many respects, the Ngati Toa negotiations presented new challenges to the Crown, in particular because of the geographical spread of the rohe of Ngati Toa, straddling both sides of Te Moana o te Raukawakawa, including cultural redress of extreme significance to the iwi and in New Zealand in general. Redress over the maritime interests of Kāpiti island and Ngati Toa, as well as the Haka Ka Mate Attribution Bill, which recognises “Ka Mate” as the taonga of Ngati Toa, are extremely innovative forms of redress and I acknowledge the determination of Ngati Toa in getting to this point.

The Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill is the culmination of years of hard work and tough decisions, not only for the Crown but also between yourselves. You should all be proud of what you have achieved. The journey to get to this day has not been easy or brief. We remember the many who have passed on but whose determination has led this legislation to this House.

Mā whero, mā pango, ka oti te mahi.

[By chiefs and commoners the work is done.]

There are many whakataukī about Māori working together—countless proverbs, all about putting differences aside for the greater good. Today we witness the wisdom of our tīpuna, who coined these whakataukī, and we see those words into action. Today we witness a milestone in a journey that is not just about the wonderful idea of Māori working together but will be a transformative step for the people of Te Tau Ihu. Today we see this taking place before our eyes as we introduce legislation to resolve the historic grievances of eight iwi. I support this bill. Māku e tū nei i roto i tēnei Whare ki te whakamana, ki te tautoko i ngā iwi o Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka-a-Māui, me ō rātou hiahia kia whakaoti pai tēnei kaupapa. Ka nui ngā mihi ki a koutou.

[I stand in this House to empower and support the tribes of the Prow of Maui’s Canoe, plus their wishes for this matter to be completed well. My acknowledgments to you collectively are huge.]

I consider that the bill should proceed without delay to the Māori Affairs Committee. I commend this bill to the House. Tēnā koe.

Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. Kāti, tihei wā mauri ora ki te whaiao, ki te ao mārama. E Te Wai Pounamu, takoto, rapua te mea ngaro. Hoki ake nei ahau ki te rū o Waitaha, he roimata tōku kai i te ao, i te pō. E ngā iwi o Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka, tēnā koutou. Rangitāne, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kuia, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Kōata, Ngati Toa Rangatira, tēnā koutou. Haere mai, haere mai, haere mai. Nō koutou tēnei rā, ko tēnei te rā whakahirahira. Haere mai nunui mā, teitei mā, nau mai, piki mai ki Te Ana o te Raiona, ki te Pāremata i tū ai a nunui mā, a teitei mā ki te whakatutuki i ngā wawata ō rātou mā. Tēnā koutou i ngā mate e hinga atu rā, e hinga mai nei. E te rangatira Amohanga Stafford, haere, haere atu rā. Moe mai i te ringaringa o Te Ariki. Āpiti hono, tātai hono, ko te hunga mate ki te hunga mate. Āpiti hono, tātai hono, tātou te hunga ora ki te hunga ora, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker. Well then, to the world of light, life, and enlightenment, behold the breath of life. To you the South Island, lie there, seek that which is lost. Allow me to go back to the Canterbury earthquake, where tears consumed me day and night. To the tribes of the Prow of the Canoe, greetings to you collectively. To you Rangitāne, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kuia, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Kōata, and Ngati Toa Rangatira, welcome, welcome, welcome. This is your day, and a very significant one at that. Welcome the great and illustrious. Welcome and come aboard the Den of the Lion, the Parliament, where the great and the famous stood to fulfil the aspirations of those who have passed on. I acknowledge you, the deaths that have fallen there and here. Esteemed elder Amohanga Stafford, farewell, depart. Rest there in the arms of the Lord. The lines are joined; let the dead be among themselves. The lines are connected; let the living be among themselves, so greetings, salutations, and acknowledgments to you and to us all collectively.]

It is a pleasure to speak in support of the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill at its first reading. The northern portion of the South Island is known to Māori as Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Māui—the prow of Māui’s waka. It is an area steeped in European as well as Māori history. English explorer James Cook called into Tōtaranui—Queen Charlotte Sound—seeking directions. One of the local chiefs took him up a hill and pointed out Raukawa Moana, and then the cheeky bugger went and renamed it Cook Strait. That was back in 1769.

In 1819 the war parties of Ngāpuhi of Northland and Ngāti Toa of Kāwhia took part in Amiowhenua—the encircling of the land. They split in two and went down both sides of the North Island. It was while raiding here in Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara that a Ngāpuhi chief pointed out a whaling ship to Te Rauparaha and told him of the advantages of being close to Pākehā. It was while on this journey that Te Rauparaha started to formulate a plan to bring his tribe, who were under pressure in Kāwhia, down to the Kāpiti coast.

In 1820 Ngāti Toa and their confederates, Ngāti Kōata and Ngāti Rārua, under extreme pressure from Waikato-Tainui were forced from their ancestral lands at Kāwhia, Taharoa, Marokopa, Kiritehere, and Waikawau. These defeated tribes headed for north Taranaki to seek refuge with their relations Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Mutunga. That, in turn, put pressure on Ngāti Toa’s hosts. After spending the season growing crops, Ngāti Toa, with Kōata, Rārua, and now Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Mutunga, left to come down to Kāpiti. From 1822 through to 1839 these tribes engaged with the original inhabitants and tribes in what became known as New Zealand’s civil war. It was during this period that Te Tau Ihu became settled—and I use that term relatively, as it was quite an unsettled settlement.

In 1839 we had more Pākehā interaction. This time the Wakefields and their New Zealand Company were in town, looking for land, and it is at this juncture in our history that things start to go wrong. The reason we are here today is that story of resettlement. It covers a period of 40 years of history, from 1820 to 1860.

Roughly 20 years of northern Māori trying to settle a new land were followed by 20 years of Pākehā doing the exact same thing. The problem for these two sides was that they were playing with different rules. This led to misunderstanding and eventually conflict—cue the introduction at this time of the cleverest Pākehā of all the Pākehās who had come to the new colony of New Zealand up to that point: one George Grey. This man, who led the colony as both Governor-General and Premier, had a very big hand in why we are here today.

Throughout these settlement readings the theme to all of my kōrero has been that to understand Māori history is to understand whakapapa, and with today’s bill I will declare my own interest in that whakapapa and history. Most will know of my Ngāi Tahu connection, but that part of my whakapapa also includes the blood of the northern raiders of Te Tai Poutini, the Ngāti Rārua chief Niho and his confederates, Pikiwhara and Horomona and others who made their homes in Te Tau Ihu in places like Motueka, Golden Bay, Pākāwau, and West Whanganui Inlet, who decided to invade the West Coast. Tūhuru, my Ngāi Tahu ancestor, an ariki of Te Tai Poutini, made peace with Niho through the marriage of his daughter Nihorere in an effort to bring about peace for his hapū. I am a direct descendant of that peace deal, that tatau pounamu, the jade door of peace—something my whānau hold precious. As the saying goes, grandchildren bring common sense to fighting grandfathers.

The bill before us covers the eight iwi of Te Tau Ihu and legislation for the Ka Mate haka. What this bill and other historical reports have shown is the way many families of the northern alliance missed out on a share of payments for having land sold from under them and the subsequent failure of the Crown to sort the problem out during inquiries of royal commissions. Grey’s willingness to do deals with Te Rauparaha and Ngāti Toa went a long way to alienating whānau and hapū from Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Rārua, and Ngāti Awa from payment for their lands at Tai Tapu and Pakawau, as well as being left out of the Nelson Tenths and the Motueka Tenths and the Wakatū Incorporation and other such organisations that have come into being since the days of Grey.

In this bill there are stories of land being granted to the Crown for the purpose of educating Māori children of the time. In Nelson the Crown opened a school for a couple of years but it was soon closed and the land that was gifted went not back to the owner but was alienated from Māori by the Crown. The Ngāti Toa case of Whitireia Park is an even worse case of the Crown’s broken promises. Ngāti Toa never got their college for Māori education; they lost the land completely. Petitions and inquiries were of no avail.

Then came the famous case of Wī Pārata v Bishop of Wellington. Wī Pārata was a chief of Ngāti Toa, a former member of this House and an MP for Western Māori. He retired from Parliament to take up the land cases that affected his iwi, namely Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Toa. This case was famous for those famous—or infamous—words uttered by Judge Prendergast: “The Treaty is a nullity.” when summing up the Whitireia case that Wī Pārata ultimately lost. That is the way Pākehā New Zealand fought back in Wī Pārata’s day and even before. Māori had no rights and the Treaty meant nothing to Pākehā. The Church of England paid the price with some Ngāti Toa accepting Mormonism as their religion. The Crown saw this ruling as justification to ignore the principles of the Treaty.

And so today, here we are on Thursday, 6 June, although in Parliament time we are actually still on Wednesday. But this day sees the Crown starting that process to say sorry and to reimburse these eight iwi as best as the Government can with what little resource is at its disposal. It is at this point that I take up my late colleague, friend, and chief, Parekura Horomia’s plea for more money. I implore Minister Finlayson and his Office of Treaty Settlements, because without fail in every bill that came before this House, Parekura Horomia wanted just a little bit more for Māori. He had been a Minister of Māori Affairs at a time when Treaty negotiations were handled a bit more slowly, they were handled a bit differently from the way negotiations are handled today. But, be that as it may, he never failed in asking Minister Finlayson for a few million more, for a few more yards of earth, or a couple more trees. So I leave you with those words from beyond the veil.

This bill and settlement is nearly 500 pages long. It covers eight iwi in the kaka kamate. I have touched on only a few subjects close to my whakapapa. In subsequent readings, I look forward to debating other parts of the bill that affect other iwi such as Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa, Rangitāne, and Te Ātiawa. These people have a story to tell, and over subsequent readings their story and history will come out. Again may I acknowledge all representatives from ngā iwi o Te Tau Ihu who have travelled here today, and the teams of people, negotiators, past and present, from both sides, who have worked so hard to bring us to this historic day. Ka nui taku kōrero i tēnei wā nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[That is enough from me for now, so acknowledgments and greetings to you and to us all.]

I commend this bill to the House.

Rau rangatira mā, tēnei taku mihi atu ki a koutou. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou.

[To the leaders of a hundredfold, this is my acknowledgment to you collectively. Welcome, welcome, welcome.]

I am tempted to begin by saying “Alleluia, the bill is finally before the House”, but I do not want to sound like an evangelist preacher or like Mr Auchinvole from the West Coast, so I am going to confine my comments to saying I am absolutely delighted that the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill is finally in here. It captures years and years of work on the part of all of those represented in the gallery today and their advisers, and the good work—the great work—of the Office of Treaty Settlements.

After I became the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations at the end of 2008 I was told that the agreements in principle for these iwi were getting to a stage where they could be signed. Well, in February 2009 they were signed. Then I was told: “Well, we should be able to get them through to deed of settlement and then to legislation reasonably quickly.” It became something of a Homeric epic. The first deed of settlement was signed with Ngāti Kuia at Labour Weekend, as I recall it, then the Rangitāne o Wairau settlement was signed on a very important day, 4 December 2010—and I am still grateful to Richard Bradley for the birthday cake—and then the Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu deed was signed just a couple of weeks ago, to conclude the signing of all the deeds of settlement. In between those dates there has been a huge amount of work put in by all the people in the gallery to seeing that this legislation could be introduced today.

There are so many people I wish to acknowledge, and I think it is entirely appropriate that they be acknowledged in Hansard for their contributions. The two previous speakers, the Hon Dr Pita Sharples and Rino Tirikatene, have referred to what the legislation is about, and I will say a little bit more in a couple of minutes, but I just want to say this. Earlier in the week we signed a deed of settlement with Ngāi Tūhoe. I said, and it was reported on television and in the papers, that if people doubt the validity of the exercise we are undertaking, they should read the facts—read the historical facts. The historical facts for these iwi are set out in various parts of the legislation.

As always happens, over the last few days I have had some unpleasant emails saying: “Well, where are the facts?”, “There is no basis for this claim”, and “Tūhoe don’t deserve things”—and, no doubt, I will get it after this legislation. But any fair-minded person who reads the facts of what happened at the top of the South Island will understand exactly why this legislation is necessary and why this historical process that we are working through is absolutely necessary for the future of our land.

So I do want to stand here and acknowledge the iwi negotiators who have worked so very hard to get to this stage. As I said, the negotiations have been long. They have been very, very testing. There have been numerous stops and starts. It is only because of their commitment, the commitment of the negotiators, of the trustees, and of the iwi members, that we are here today. You have my sincere respect, and I salute all of you.

As has been said, eight settlement bills are going to be enacted through this omnibus bill, so there are numerous acknowledgments. If I miss out anyone, then I apologise. The Ngāti Apa settlement would not have been possible without the dedication of the Ngāti Apa Ki Te Waipounamu Trust. Peter Mason, Brendon Wilson, and Paia Rīwaka-Herbert are just a few of the people who represented Ngāti Apa over these years.

I particularly want to pay tribute to the late Kath Hēmi, a wonderful woman, a strong woman, who was instrumental in leading the charge in the tribunal, but, sadly, who is not with us today to witness this occasion. Taking the deed to her on the morning we signed the deed settlement, when she was in Wairau Hospital, so that she could sign it was a real honour. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kuia charitable trust, through its wisdom and patience, has made a settlement possible for its iwi. Mark Moses, Ray Smith, and Waihaere Mason represented Ngāti Kuia throughout the settlement negotiations, and their commitment deserves mention today. Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau Inc. has made the Rangitāne settlement a reality through the hard work, dedication, and perseverance, of Judith MacDonald, the ever-optimistic Richard Bradley, and Jeffrey Hynes—he wanted me to say that.

The Ngāti Koata Trust, with its intelligence and commitment, has made the Ngāti Kōata settlement possible. Roma Hippolite, Allen McGregor Hippolite, and Jeanette Grace have proudly represented that great iwi and have to be recognised for their hard work. It is because of the dedication of the Ngāti Rārua-Ātiawa Iwi Trust and its efforts and determination that Ngāti Rārua have achieved this milestone. Rōpata Stevens, Lee Luke, Barry Mason, and Molly Luke, whom I see in the gallery today, carried the Ngāti Rārua flag through the negotiations and have to be mentioned for their fantastic efforts.

The Ngāti Tama settlement would not have been possible without the zeal and perseverance, the hard work and commitment, of Robert McKewen, Fred Te Miha, and Jo Westrupp. Through the hard work and diligence of the Te Ātiawa Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu Trust, the Te Ātiawa settlement was made possible. I salute Harvey Ruru, Sharon Gemmell, and Glenis Payne, who have championed Te Ātiawa’s interests. Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Inc., through Te Kaha, their negotiations team, have secured the Ngāti Toa settlement. I particularly acknowledge Matiu Rei this morning. He has fought the good fight for his iwi for well over a quarter of century. Tiratū Williams, Iwikatea Nicholson, and Te Ariki Wineera Jr staunchly represented Ngāti Toa.

It is appropriate—I have mentioned Kath Hēmi—to mention others who began this journey and are no longer with us: people like Chris Atutahi and Janice Manson. But, most important, I acknowledge those who suffered because of the acts or omissions of the Crown, and those tribunal claimants who have carried the burden of their tīpuna’s claims. So thank you very much for all you have done. Thank you for your patience. There were many times when I said the bill was just around the corner, and for some of you it became one of the great litanies of the time, but we are here, and I acknowledge all of you for your tremendous work.

There are some other people I want to mention before I briefly traverse the bill. I want to acknowledge the Crown negotiators. Ross Philipson started it. Paul Swain, such a good fellow, helped with the negotiations. I also acknowledge the Parliamentary Counsel Office. It is increasingly, in my mind, the unsung hero of the legislative process. Without its dedication, this leviathan bill would not be able to be introduced, so to Bill Moore and his team, I say thank you.

It is an omnibus bill. It brings together a number of settlements, as is well-known, and it will come out of the select committee as four bills. I particularly want to say something about Part 11, which will become the Haka Ka Mate Attribution Bill. That is a really interesting piece of legislation. As Dr Sharples said, a lot of work needed to be spent on that, because it is new territory. We have had Wai 262 and we have had the World Intellectual Property Organization looking at how we go about protecting traditional cultural expressions, and this is a very first step. The important thing is that that legislation contains a review clause, so that in 5 years’ time we can have a further look at it in light of recent international developments. So I am very, very pleased that we have reached that stage and that we will be able to look at traditional cultural expressions such as the haka, and this is the first step.

I always recall the day that we signed the agreement in principle in the Legislative Council Chamber. There was no headline in the paper dealing with the amount or the land or the history, but simply the headline “All Black Haka Goes to Maoris”. I wondered about the Dominion Post then, and I wonder about it now.

So, finally, I want to commend this bill to the House into the safe hands of that great New Zealander, Mr Tau Henare. I know that he is as keen as mustard to get on to this bill and to get it back to the House as quickly as possible, so that it can be legislated and so that the people of Te Tau Ihu can get on with building their pūtea.

Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. E tāpiri ana aku mihi ki ngā iwi katoa o Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka-a-Māui. Tēnei, ka mihi atu ki a koutou katoa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora mai tātou.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker. I add my acknowledgments to those accorded to all the tribes of the Prow of Māui’s Canoe. I salute you all, greetings, greetings, and greetings to us.]

It gives me great pleasure to be able to stand and continue to support the Treaty settlements process in a way that will ensure the safe passage of this bill, the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill, through the Māori Affairs Committee and back into this House. I want to acknowledge our former colleague, Parekura Horomia. This will be the first time that a settlement bill has gone through without his purview over any part of it, and it is with some sense of sadness and, I guess, nostalgia that we will be having a less colourful debate on all parts of Treaty settlements without him here.

I want to acknowledge, actually, the former Te Tai Tonga members of Parliament. In the gestation of getting to this point, I am sure that their stewardship and support of the ambitions of the iwi within Te Tau Ihu helped get this bill a little bit further towards where it is today—namely, Mahara Okeroa, Rahui Katene, and now Rino Tirikatene. It is a satisfying point in your own history, and certainly as a member of Parliament representing a rohe, when iwi are able to get their historical Treaty claims settled. We certainly understand more than many within this House that it is not only recognising the hurts of the past but restoring opportunity for the next generation.

I want to acknowledge all those who are not here and who have, sadly, passed away and who contributed in some small or great way to pulling this settlement together. We have got eight iwi sitting amongst us, and they will all know the names, and they will all feel that they are here today. I too want to acknowledge the contribution of those who are not with us.

Sitting in Parliament and reflecting on how the Treaty settlement process has evolved over time, I have seen a fair few bills come through this House. It is with some regret that moving towards comprehensive claims and large natural groupings as a matter of pragmatism can in some part be the point of contention for many. But we have all moved on. Parliament has moved on in terms of improving the process. Iwi have seen, to some extent, the necessity of trying to ensure, without losing their sense of unique identity within a large natural grouping process in a comprehensive claim, that they can still get through the business.

So with that said, I note that members before me have pointed to the detail of the bill. The parliamentary process has evolved to the point where, I believe, all members in this House have understood the huge value New Zealand’s history gains in rewriting and recording the historical record. We have learnt, through the select committee process, the briefings that we receive, and the submissions that we gain around the particular aspects of each settlement, what it really means. We can never underestimate the importance of that public education role of members in this House to be able to then go back to their own rohe and be able to combat a lot of criticisms that always come towards Treaty settlements, much in the same way that the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Minister Finlayson, spoke about in terms of some of the negative narrative around the recent Tūhoe settlement.

So, in ensuring that this bill gets safe passage through the select committee process, I look forward to being able to understand the more unique aspects of each of the eight iwi and their requests within the context of their settlement. I look forward to understanding in more detail advice from officials, where they will maybe point out some of the more difficult aspects of trying to get to the point of agreement. I look forward to noting those things within the next debate, in the second reading of the bill in the House, so that people are mindful that there are still areas where we have to be ever-vigilant as parliamentarians and also, on the other side of the ledger, as iwi, to ensure that the main clause of every settlement bill—that this “Act binds the Crown”—is upheld over time. To be an enduring settlement, it is critically important that it is one that locks the relationship in to a longer view than just today, just tomorrow, but for the next generation.

The settlements that have been reached within the context of the bill I think foreshadow a new era of opportunity and change. As I said, the pillars of the settlement undertake to rewrite history, to correct history, and to restore a sense of natural justice to a history that was preserved within the context of each iwi but not well known within their wider community. I believe that the issues around statutory acknowledgments that are all contained in various aspects and ways for the eight iwi will ensure that when we walk this land people will see that there is a whole other sense of belonging that is affirmed to a whole other generation of New Zealanders. That will be a positive thing, certainly for our kids and certainly for their kids, and we would not get it without a settlement of this nature.

In terms of the cultural redress, often in Treaty settlements all the detail hidden within the cultural redress can reveal some very unique and innovative things. So, again, I believe that some of the most powerful opportunities for new things like new recognition of rights have actually been contained within the cultural redress area. Commercial redress—well, a bird cannot fly without feathers, without wings. The commercial redress will obviously be an opportunity for the iwi to have an economic base to be able to build from and to be able to grow from. But they go hand in hand. One does not go without the other. I know from reflecting on settlements within my own rohe that, more and more, another generation is trying to fuse together the cultural and the commercial redress in a way that holds integrity for the next generation.

The rights of first refusal can be a fairly technical part of the bill. I have just been looking through it at how it hinges together. I know from our own experience back home that there are fish hooks in it. You can bet that before the select committee I will certainly be putting my eye over that to ensure that the right scrutiny that you deserve as iwi, and the way in which this process is anticipated to work, do work in the way we want them to.

In terms of the Ka Mate attribution I again agree with the Minister. This is the attribution that will be a template at the front end of what the protection of intellectual property rights for Māori could start to look like. It will evolve over time, but we have started somewhere. I want to acknowledge the work that has gone in to this from Toa Rangatira around the attribution. Depending on whether you lived in Kāwhia or came down on the heke, there are two parts to the story. Because I can whakapapa to it, I will tell the versions that I have heard. Those who stayed back in Kāwhia said that Te Rauparaha was too big for his boots, and he got booted out. Those who went on the heke said that Kāwhia was not big enough for them and they needed to move on.

But really the here that I guess I wanted to connect to with my Toa Rangatira kinsmen was that there is a proud history of connection there, which in some small way is recognised through the heke, through Te Rauparaha, through the fact that Toa Rangatira has had footprints all the way down through the heke into Te Tau Ihu. Again, I want to ensure that from an intellectual property protection point of view we utilise this model of a template as an opportunity to see what more could be done in terms of the restoration of Māori knowledge and rights and intellectual property that could be furthered under the Wai 262 report.

I will not take up too much more time except to say that in the second reading of this bill I expect to report back more substantially on the detail of some of the considerations of the Māori Affairs Committee. I want to acknowledge the huge step forward that together the iwi of Te Tau Ihu have taken to reach this point. I also want to acknowledge the huge amount of effort that all the technical advisers for the iwi, all the kaumātua, all the people, and all the negotiators put in to ensure that we can stand here today again reaffirming how proud we can be to live in a country that wants to try to set the record straight. Kia ora mai tātou.

Tēnā tangata whenua o Te Tau Ihu te rā, ki Ngāti Apa ki Te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui, me Ngati Toa Rangatira. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. It is my privilege to rise to speak to this bill, Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill. It is a privilege to be a representative in this House when these settlements are being brought here to enshrine them in the history books and in the legislation of our country, Aotearoa New Zealand. Before I go much further I should declare my interests, like my colleagues have already, in that I whakapapa to Raukawa and claim connection to Ngāti Toa through Te Rauparaha’s mother Parekōhatu. So those are my interests declared. But this is your day.

In bringing these settlements to the House I recognise and pay tribute to the many people over very many generations who have bravely fought for justice for their peoples, for their lands, and for their resources. It has been a long journey to gain recognition of the wrongs that were done, and for the Crown to attempt to address the wrongs and also apologise for its acts and omissions.

The legislation as it appears in the bill states that this is a full and final settlement. The Greens’ position has always been that although we will of course support this bill, we also believe it is not a full settlement. How can it fully compensate for the injustices heaped since 1839 upon the iwi represented here today in Te Tau Ihu rohe?

We do not agree that it is a final settlement, either. We know that even now the Crown may intrude on the rights of iwi, and we uphold the right of iwi to challenge the Crown when that happens and to seek further compensation. Furthermore, how can a settlement be final when the coming generations of these people may still suffer from the losses that have happened over the last 180 years or so? How can this be a full and final settlement when we know that this is a Crown-driven process—that the Crown really determines who is recognised and who is not? This will come out more, I am sure, during the select committee process. That is not really so very different from the actions of the Crown in the early 1900s, when it allowed the division of land and placed ownership of collective land in individual hands.

This stance is not to undermine in any way the enormous amount of work that has gone into getting these settlements to this place. However, the Greens must state clearly that we maintain that this is a deal. It has come with much blood, sweat, and tears, and we must never underestimate its importance, and we certainly do not undervalue the worth of the Crown’s apologies. I acknowledge the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, his staff, and the staff of the Office of Treaty Settlements and their work in delivering a full apology to the people of these iwi. Even so, this settlement is a deal. It is the best that could be negotiated at the time, and the settlement deeds themselves say that they could never possibly compensate for the full costs of the losses suffered.

As others have already mentioned, these settlements include financial and commercial redress. For Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu, for example, that amounts to just over $12 million, and other amounts for the other iwi. It frequently saddens me that many New Zealanders and, indeed, some parties in this House, see settlements as some kind of largesse from the Crown—that somehow these settlements are undeserved.

Sadly, a lot of people in New Zealand do not know our history. Most people in New Zealand do not visit the website of the Office of Treaty Settlements and read the historical accounts that have been painstakingly researched, and they are included in the deeds of settlement. The details, I have found, can be harrowing to read. They must have been far more harrowing to have lived through, as these iwi have. For those who gripe about the financial redress, they need to bear in mind that this Government bailed out a South Island finance company to the tune of $12 billion, and that finance company did not even lose the names of their places or their land.

The impacts of the losses have been huge. This is an excerpt from the Ngāti Rārua’s settlement about the socio-economic impacts and cultural loss: “By the late nineteenth century, Ngāti Rārua had retained interests in the Nelson Tenths estate, including the occupied Tenths at Motueka, a handful of Mohua reserves and the Wairua district reserves. Most of these reserves were either too small or of poor quality for their owners to participate in the colonial economy … As settlers took up the land around the reserves, Ngāti Rārua and other Māori owners were hemmed in, losing the option of grazing their stock on Crown wasteland and of accessing traditional food resources located outside of the reserves. This development and the inadequacy of the reserves often led to inter- and intra-iwi competition creating rifts within communities … In the late twentieth century the Māori population of Te Tau Ihu, including Ngāti Rārua, still registered poorly across a range of social and economic indicators, and the position of Māori culture and language was weak.”

These settlements return some land to iwi, but will never return the land that was lost. They do provide for cultural redress, and some of that redress includes vesting lands and returning wāhi tapu, overlaying classifications in some areas, the recognition of the particular cultural, spiritual, historical, and traditional association that iwi have with some significant areas, deeds of recognition of iwi in relation to areas of Department of Conservation - managed land, and the changing of some names to their original names and some unnamed areas being granted their original names. I note that some of the settlements also give important areas of land back to iwi, which they will keep for a week before handing back to the Crown for the enjoyment of all New Zealanders.

I acknowledge that this is a day of celebration and that iwi wish to move into the future with hope and with their pride restored. I acknowledge the huge generosity of those iwi who are part of this settlement, because it benefits us all.

I will finish my speech by quoting one part of the apology in the settlement deeds. It says: “The Crown hopes this apology and settlement will mark the beginning of a renewed and enduring relationship … based on mutual trust, co-operation and respect for Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.”, and I guess that highlights the dishonour that the Crown did to itself.

It is my sincere hope that as a country we will abide by the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and this bill is a huge step towards that. Congratulations. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

E aku rangatira, e aku kaumātua e ōku kuia, tēnā koutou, ā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou. Tēnā koutou i haere mai i tēnei rā ki te whakarongo i ngā mema o te Whare Pāremata o Niu Tīreni nō reira, nau mai, haere mai ki taku Whare. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[To my leaders, elders, respected women elders, greetings, greetings, and greetings to you collectively. Acknowledgments to you who have come here today to listen to the members of the Parliament of New Zealand. Welcome, welcome to my House. So compliments, acknowledgments, and congratulations to you all.]

Most of the speakers here have some relationship with Te Tau Ihu iwi. I too have a relationship with Te Tau Ihu. One of my flatmates was from there. She is a woman. As a Ngāpuhi, my job is to make sure that we do not get blamed for stuff that we did not do. But can I start by saying: another day, another dollar. When I picked up the bill I thought to myself: “Woo hoo! What a good settlement.” But then I realised that it was for eight iwi. Although I laud every Labour settlement and every National settlement—and I emphasise “National settlement” in a couple of ways—I think our side has done an extremely good job of ploughing through the settlements. I also use the word “national” in terms of our country.

Something still tells me that we, the Crown, have gotten off reasonably lightly. But then I also think to myself, and I note, that of all the Commonwealth countries around the world, we actually lead the list in reconciliations, in a reconciliation process, so my hat does come off to the negotiators on the iwi side and on the Crown side. My hat does come off to the Minister and to all those people who play a role. And yes, there are legs on the old dog Paul Swain, whom as an Opposition member of Parliament I had a lot of time for, and still do. It is good to see that the skills that we learn here can be used by everyone when we do leave here.

I was ploughing through the bill, looking for an apology from the Marlborough Express, but I could not find one. We sit down and do these settlements, and we can think that only last week a media organisation decided to use its editorial power—because that is what it is, it is power—to poke fun at this country’s indigenous people. I want to say, and put it on the Hansard record of the House, that I find the actions of the Marlborough Express and also the Christchurch Press to be utterly disappointing.

I want to name a few things and put them into this context: Wounded Knee, Cochise, Geronimo, Chief Joseph, the Trail of Tears, and Sitting Bull. Those are all names of places and people who have been memorialised, not only in the United States but also around the world. I wonder why we do not memorialise our own indigenous people. I wonder why we do not memorialise the areas of significance to this nation. There are areas of significance throughout all of our nation. I will not go into them, because that might condemn me to talking about my Ngāpuhi heritage too much, and I do not want to get into that area. But I do think that as part of the reconciliation process this has to be the first part. This has to be where we go in terms of reconciling our past.

I love the fact that my colleague and my friend the Hon Nanaia Mahuta said that it is not about rewriting history, but it is about correcting history and that concept of history that we, in our school years, in our formative years in the education system, did not learn about all of this. That is another part that I hope one day this country can bring itself to—to memorialise and to educate our next generations about what actually happened to whom and by whom and the reason why we are all here. I think if we get to that space, that would be great. That is a promise from me as the chairperson of the Māori Affairs Committee.

Make no mistake, these days are what I live for in this House. It is not about a taxation bill or an industrial relations bill or whatever. That is boring stuff, although they have to happen. This is what gets me going because it shows that our nation is a nation of leaders throughout the world on indigenous issues. We can pat ourselves on the back and we can say congratulations to each and every one of us.

I agree with my colleague from the Greens that it is not enough. But just like anything, it will never be enough. The sentence for a crime that happens in our community will never ever be enough.

I want to promise as the chairperson of the Māori Affairs Committee that we will visit every area affected in the bill. We will listen. We will have fun. We will have laughter. There will be tears of joy and tears of sadness. That is part of the reconciliation process. That is part of getting to know who our nation really is. Do not forget that our nation is only 160-odd years old, so we still have time to fix what is to come, and make this a truly—truly—bicultural nation. You cannot have a multicultural nation unless you go through the process of biculturalism.

I do want to end by saying a few words about the attribution of Ka Mate, not so much about Ka Mate itself, but what we are doing is hugely significant. Never forget that we did it first. New Zealand did it first—again. We seem to lead the world in race relations, and we seem to lead the world in the treatment and the reconciliation process, so I am over the moon that that is actually a step right out of left field. I stood in the House as the Minister of Māori Affairs and put through the education amendment bill about kura kaupapa and Te Aho Matua, which was right out of left field. This, again, is something that I think our nation can be proud of, and laud to the world that this is the way to go in terms of reconciling our past with our present, which will become our future. Kia ora.

Kia ora, Mr Speaker. E ngā mana ngā whānau o Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka-a-Māui. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. It is my pleasure to add my voice to the celebration of today, and to congratulate Te Tau Ihu and all the whānau who have been involved in getting us to the point that we are at now. I also want to acknowledge the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and his team, who have brought us to this place.

There are two parts to this process. There is the part of us trying, as the Hon Tau Henare has said, to go through the truth and reconciliation of the history of Aotearoa New Zealand. What I want to highlight, as always, is the generosity from our hapū and iwi, who are settling, as Denise Roche has said, for a lot less than what was taken from you. That spirit of generosity always has to be acknowledged because without it we would not be able to move on. For me, this process that we are in signifies us moving on, it signifies a maturing of our nation, and it also signifies a strength in Māoridom. We will take some of our whenua back, we will take some pūtea back, but we will also take, which I want to highlight, the opportunity for us to take some of our names back, and to have customary use of eels, which is in subpart 8 of Part 2 of the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill. We will take back statutory kaitiaki and customary use of tītī.

What I want to say about these developments is that in some ways they are constitutional recognitions. It is quite interesting that at the moment we are having this constitutional dialogue and certain things are off the table, but, in fact, what these Treaty settlements are doing is recognising hapū and iwi as first sovereigns of Aotearoa, because you will participate in processes and on boards in partnership with the Crown. I actually think that the most significant aspect of these Treaty settlements is that you are being recognised as hapū and iwi specifically for your kaitiakitanga, your guardianship, your right to be involved in these processes forevermore. So that, for me, is the major significance of these settlement bills.

I also wanted to say that this signifies the crossing of a halfway point in terms of the Treaty settlement process. I saw some information earlier in the week that said that we have had 62 settlements, totalling $1.4 billion. So the fiscal cap that was rolled out in the 1990s, trying to limit this truth and reconciliation process, is well and truly over. I want to acknowledge the fact that we have not been constrained financially in terms of that redress. We have got about another 60 to go.

I also wanted to specifically highlight “Ka Mate! Ka Mate!” and thank you on behalf of New Zealanders—and thank you on behalf of Māoridom, actually—for the use of “Ka Mate! Ka Mate!”. I cannot wait to go to the rugby on Saturday night. I am going to go and watch the All Blacks beat France, but what I will also enjoy is the fact that “Ka Mate! Ka Mate!” will start that match. I think that that significance can never be underestimated. I know that Ngāti Toa Rangatira have been fighting since 1998 to trademark the haka, and what this legislation does is essentially cut out that legal fight and recognise for ever that Te Rauparaha was the composer and Ngāti Toa for ever are the legal owners of “Ka Mate! Ka Mate!”. I think that is hugely significant, and I think it is hugely significant that there is a 5-year review clause in this legislation, because who knows what will happen in the future? So there will always be, through this bill, protection of your ownership in some ways of “Ka Mate! Ka Mate!”, or a recognition that it originated from your tūpuna.

I do not want to hold up the settlement process today. I am no longer on the Māori Affairs Committee. One of the things that I have loved about being in this House is having the honour of hearing the submissions from whānau and visiting all the areas that Tau has talked about. It is an incredibly humbling experience to share this day with all of you. I hope that you take some sense of satisfaction from it. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

It is, indeed, a pleasure to take a call in the later stages of the first reading of Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill, and I want to thank the other members who have curtailed their speeches to give me this opportunity to speak as the member for Kaikōura, which includes the Marlborough Sounds and Marlborough. It is indeed a pleasure to stand in the House before those people whom I have called friends—and I have enjoyed their wisdom and direction and guidance as I have been in that role as a member of Parliament—and to talk on this first reading. I recognise the wisdom of the other speakers and the size of the bill, which the chairman of the Māori Affairs Committee alluded to. There is a lot of work.

I just want to talk principally about the Kurahaupō grouping and what they have achieved. We were here in 2009 with the signing in principle. We had those occasions out at the maraes in Marlborough, where we signed the deeds of settlement, and, of course, the way that time moves on is quite remarkable. But what I want to put on record is the already tremendous contribution that Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa, and Rangitāne are contributing in the way forward in that region. I just see that, although this legislation is to work with the Crown, it is, in actual fact, supporting and reinforcing the mana and the opportunity of that grouping of iwi.

So just to put on record, Kath Hēmi, that tremendous woman who never failed to back off from the way forward in ensuring that there was redress, and also Laurie Duckworth, a tremendous man working in the background there to ensure that everything was kosher and that those iwi remained healthy. Of course, today, with the leaders Richard Bradley and Judith MacDonald, along with the Smiths, the Masons, the MacDonalds, the Hyneses—and I also want to put on record the support that the Hon Doug Kidd had for the marae at Ōmaka. So much has to come out, and will do so, during the process at the select committee, and I look forward to the time that we get back in the House here for the second reading. Kia kaha. What a wonderful occasion, and I want to see more smiles on the faces of the people in the gallery. Thank you.

Ka tangi te tītī, ka tangi te kākā, ka tangi hoki ahau, tihei mauri ora. E ngā iwi, e ngā reo, e ngā mana, e ngā mātāwaka, tēnā tātou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. E rau rangatira mā, ka mihi ake i runga i te karanga o te rā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā anō koutou katoa.

[The muttonbird calls, the parrot calls, and I call too, behold the breath of life. To the tribes, languages, authorities, and ethnic groups, salutations, greetings, and acknowledgments to us and to you all. To the leaders of a hundredfold, I commend you on the call of the day. Well done, and congratulations once again to you all.]

As my esteemed colleague Nanaia Mahuta said before, I would like to acknowledge that although Parekura is not here in person, he is very much here in spirit, and how sad it is that he is not here today to weave his special magic. But, as I said, I am sure he will weave that magic in spirit.

I would like to acknowledge the many, many people who have worked so hard. It has taken many, many years and much hard work, so I acknowledge all of those who have worked hard to get us to this stage. There is only a short way to go, but it is very, very important that it is not rushed. I should say I look forward, along with my fellow members of the Māori Affairs Committee, to looking at the submissions on the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill and working out the small details, because the devil is always in the detail. It is very, very, very important that these final stages are looked at under a microscope so that we have something that all New Zealanders can be proud of, and so that it unites not only the eight iwi involved but all of New Zealand.

I would like to also say that Minister Finlayson has done magnificent work, and I would like also to highlight some of the words that he spoke. It is so lovely to have a Minister who when he gives an apology you can tell that he means it. The other day when we were there for Ngāi Tūhoe, Minister, that was such a magnificent day and a magnificent apology, and it is a shame that some members of the media chose to denigrate it in some way. Our Minister Finlayson spoke of the great courage of Māori and of their generosity and compromise. We see that in every settlement—the compromise that Māori have made. It is a tribute to all Māori in New Zealand how we can look at something and go: “OK, we are going to do the best we can here. We are going to reach settlement, and we are going to move on.” So I would like to honour all of the iwi involved and the negotiators for the hard work that has been done but also, again, the hard work that is still to come.

The Minister said that this is an omnibus bill—and it is—and, as alluded to again by my esteemed colleague Nanaia, there is also a uniqueness here. It is lovely to see the uniqueness of each iwi preserved within this settlement. Then we come to something that I would like everybody to consider, and that is the importance of lasting education. We must educate New Zealanders about these settlements, what has happened before, the courage, the strength, the tragedy, the pride, the loss, and the devastation, and, therefore, through all that, through the recognition of that, through the education, that continuing education, we will have true healing in New Zealand. Let the pounamu work and weave its healing magic.

I would also say that it is fitting that our haka’s origin, home, and guardianship are recognised. And as “Ka Mate! Ka Mate!” has presented a synergy and united all New Zealanders for many years on battlefields, in sport, and for New Zealanders who are overseas feeling lonely, I think that it is very fitting that “Ka Mate! Ka Mate!” can unite all New Zealanders with the settlement of this bill. I look forward to seeing the bill in the select committee. Good luck. Thank you.

Tēnā koe, Mr Deputy Speaker. E ngā tangata whenua o Te Tau Ihu, kia ora. Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui, Ngati Toa Rangatira. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. To the home people of Te Tau Ihu, hello there. To Ngati Apa of Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia and Rangitāne of Wairau, to Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Rārua and Ngāti Tama of the Tau Ihu, to Te Ātiawa of the South Island, and to Ngati Toa Rangatira, salutations, acknowledgments, and greetings to you all.]

I feel privileged to be a representative here today while this settlement bill is introduced. Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill is a bill that reflects some redress—just some redress—for the tangata whenua of the rohe of my childhood and much of my adult life, with Pelorus, Ōpawa Kaituna, and Wairau being the awa of my rohe.

I would like to acknowledge those who have passed on. There are far too many whom I have known, enjoyed the company of, and respected, and just some of the families were the Staffords and the Walkers. I remember Kath Hemi, and there are others.

I like it that the bill recognises Rangitāne’s historical association in the Endeavour Inlet, just over the hill but on the slopes of the same maunga, Aorere—Mount Stokes—my maunga, where I lived in Anakoha Bay for 6 years. Thanks to Uncle Peter—Peter Waaka of Ngāti Kuia. At 300 metres high on the slopes of Aorere, I looked out at TīTī Island and the Chetwode Islands, and again their association to Ngāti Kuia and Rangitāne is given recognition in this tome of a bill. I looked further out, of course, to Takapourewa—Stephens Island—and I think it has been part of previous settlements. I note the number of other islands and places that are given historical recognition at this point too for Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Apa, and others.

I recall during my childhood in Blenheim being at school and hearing the stories of the archaeologists at the Wairau boulder bank—the Wairau Bar. It was the place I used to bike out to, to look at lizards and katipo spiders. Those stories enthralled us, but what we were not getting when we were there was the real history. What we were not getting was the substance of mana whenua, which this bill, at last, acknowledges.

This bill acknowledges the mana whenua of other friends and of many, of course, whom I do not know. It is essential that we have the Crown apology. I acknowledge the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and those who have dealt with this bill, and the fact that there is the apology as part of the settlement.

As my colleague Denise Roche has said, this is a deal; it is not really a settlement. But it is some redress as we go along. Some hapū may not feel that this is for them, and some—and I am thinking of my good friend at Kaituna—may have some variation—[Interruption] Ah ha, Rangitāne behind me. My friend has been probably the best educator for me about the history of what has happened through this area that has been covered. It has been fantastic—far too late at night many a time, through to the small hours, through to the daylight hours even.

I look forward to this bill progressing through the House. I am pleased to be in a party that has an overlay of Te Tiriti o Waitangi before its other principles of stewardship and social justice, as we do in the Green Party. I look forward to this bill progressing. This is a great day of celebration. I am really, really pleased to see you all here and to be part of it. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

I am very pleased to stand here, perhaps as the last speaker, in this first reading of the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill. To the iwi of Te Tau Ihu, kia ora, greetings. Welcome to this House, which is our House and your House. I would like to acknowledge you here today. I would like to acknowledge the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, the Hon Christopher Finlayson, who, I believe, has been a great leader in the processes of bringing settlement to the different iwi of Aotearoa New Zealand. I think that we can be very pleased and even proud to say that in these last two parliaments we have seen great progress being made, and all on important issues, which are very important not only to you but to the people of New Zealand.

So I acknowledge you today; you who have carried remembrance of the past and also carry a vision for the future, you who stand at this gateway with this legislation about to go to the Māori Affairs Committee. This is legislation that will in some way redress the past but will also release your future—a future that I believe will be great, a future that is full of promise. I am a member of that select committee, and I am very pleased to serve on it under the leadership of the Hon Tau Henare. I acknowledge also the work of the Office of Treaty Settlements and the great work that it has done in this process. Kia ora. May it go well. Thank you.

The debate now having concluded, I think, for the purposes of explanation to the whānau in the gallery, I will outline the process. We will vote on the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill. That will be one motion. Presuming that the bill passes, we will then vote to deal with the bill, which is to send it to a select committee. That is the second motion. If the whānau in the gallery wish to respond with a waiata, that would be the time, and I will indicate that. Then, because we are moving on to other business, it would be helpful, if the bill for which you are present here is finished, that you make room for the Ngāti Whātua people. So, as efficiently as possible, you might like to move from the gallery at that point, after the waiata, to make room for the Ngāti Whātua people.

Bill read a first time.

Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.

Waiata