Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill

I move, That the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill be now read a third time. As we all know, we gather in this House to consider, to debate, and to address matters of State and matters of Government—matters that often define us as a nation. Very few things can be more defining than the occasion of a third reading of Treaty settlement legislation. This is an occasion that brings the Crown and iwi together for a common purpose: to reconcile past differences and to seal our shared commitment to a more enlightened and rewarding future together. In this House today, as we debate the third reading of the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill, we welcome the people of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, their leaders, and their supporters. To them I pay my respects, and in so doing I acknowledge Kīngi Tuheitia me Te Whare o Te Kāhui Ariki. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

One of the great things about settlement legislation is that you can read into the permanent record the story of the iwi whose claims we settle. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura descend from the high chief Korokī, a descendant of Hoturoa, captain of the Tainui canoe. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura descend from the high chieftainess Kahukura, and, joined together through common ancestry and lineage, their descendants are the people whom we greet in the House today. The homeland of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura stretches from Karapiro, along the Pukekura Range, and through Rotorangi in the west; from Maungatautari IV and V Blocks to the top of Lake Arapuni in the south; then follows the Waikato River back to Piarere in the east; and from Piarere to the south of the Maungakawa Reserve, and to Karapiro in the north. It also includes interests within the Waikato raupatu claim area. The raupatu claims of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura within the raupatu boundaries were settled as part of the Waikato-Tainui raupatu settlement in 1995, and their claims in respect of the Waikato River were settled in 2009 through the Waikato-Tainui Waikato River settlement. This bill finally settles all the historical Treaty claims of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura.

As we contemplate why these settlements are important, the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura experience—like that of so many others—should be reflected upon. Early contact between Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and European settlers was characterised by trade. They engaged in a number of economic activities during the 1840s and 1850s, and were a prosperous and flourishing community. They built two flour mills near Maungatautari, and were involved in the flax industry. They transported goods and produce by sea for trade.

From the 1850s, Tīoriori was the recorded leader of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. He developed the relationship with Crown officials, leading to his appointment as an assessor for the Waikato district. When adherence to Kīngitanga became important for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, relations between the iwi and the Crown deteriorated. Despite that deterioration, Tioriori did his best to maintain cordial relationships with the Crown. He went to the aid of the civil commissioner of Waikato after a chief from a neighbouring iwi seized the Government printing press at Te Awamutu. Tioriori took up residence with the commissioner to prevent further attacks. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura helped defend Kīngitanga lands and peoples against the Crown at the battles of Meremere and Rangiriri, when the Crown breached the aukati along the Mangatawhiri River.

Tioriori was captured at the Battle of Rangiriri, having been wounded while assisting a wounded British officer of the colonial forces. He was then incarcerated without trial in squalid conditions on the hulk of the Marion in Auckland. Tioriori’s incarceration without trial left Ngāti Koroki Kahukura leaderless at a time of great upheaval. The incarceration had adverse effects on the standing of Tioriori and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura.

The raupatu that followed the Waikato Wars affected the iwi and caused them severe economic hardship. The confiscation of the Waikato lands isolated Ngāti Koroki Kahukura from their primary transport and trade route. As a result of the confiscation, they became alienated from lands, traditional pā, wāhi tapu, and other significant sites. These events contributed to a weakening of the identity of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura as a people, with effects that continued to be felt for decades.

To add to this, the cumulative effect of the operation and impact of native land laws and Crown purchasing left Ngāti Koroki Kahukura virtually landless, and further undermined their economic, social, and cultural development. From the early 1900s the Crown dammed the upper reaches of the Waikato River to produce hydroelectric power. The flooding caused the direct destruction of burial caves and significant cultural sites of this iwi. Members of the iwi recall having to collect the bones of ancestors as they emerged from graves and floated down the river.

In the early 1800s the introduction of muskets disrupted relationships between iwi and hapū across New Zealand. During this time of conflict a number of iwi and hapū occupied the Maungatautari area. A pivotal battle was fought by Ngāti Koroki Kahukura in 1830. For the iwi a significant consequence of the battle was the cremation of slain warriors on rocks, where the Hauōira Stream joined with the Waikato River. And from that time, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura considered these rocks to be tapu and akin to a headstone. The site was called Karapiro, after the foul odours emanating from the cremations. The creation of Lake Karapiro flooded the sacred site, submerging the rocks. To complete this desecration, the rocks were blasted with dynamite to clear the way for rowing lanes for the 1975 World Rowing Championships.

From this dark period in the relationship between Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and the Crown, we come today to a major turning point of a Treaty settlement that opens the way for reconciliation and a new relationship based on the principles of the Treaty. At the heart of this settlement lie two taonga: Maungatautari and Te Awa o Waikato. To Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Maungatautari and the river are inseparable and indivisible tūpuna and living taonga. Maungatautari was named by a tohunga who arrived on the Tainui waka, and Waikato was named by the tumu ariki and the captain of the Tainui waka. As we all know, Maungatautari is a defining feature of the landscape south of Cambridge. It has been there for at least 1.8 million years. It is also a defining feature of the human landscape, forged generation upon generation by those who call its slopes their home. It is central to the identity and to the mana of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura.

Today, it is supported by a diverse community with varying perspectives, which converge in an affinity for the mountain and a deep sense of pride in the world-renowned ecological island now established on Maungatautari. This broad community of interests presented its own particular challenges when negotiating a settlement. It will for ever be a mark of the standing, the integrity, and the generosity of spirit of this iwi that they were prepared to compromise their aspirations and agree to an inclusive and novel arrangement that through their settlement legislation, will see the wider Maungatautari community become the owner of the Crown properties on the mountain. I have really been very lucky over a number of occasions to visit the Maungatautari ecological island and see the great work that is being done by Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, other iwi, the Waipā District Council, and the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust. Thanks to the generosity of the iwi, all of the community has a stake in the ownership of the maunga and everyone needs to give their full cooperation to the trust to allow the special place to be cared for in a way we all want it to be. Participation by Ngāti Koroki Kahukura through the Waikato Raupatu River Trust, in the Waikato River Authority, and other co-management arrangements for the river reflects and confirms Crown recognition of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura as a river iwi. The provisions of this bill address an unfinished aspect of the river arrangements.

In closing, I acknowledge the principal claimant for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, the late Wally Papa. He and others no longer here have worked in so many ways for so long to get the Crown to acknowledge its wrongs. I know that Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, along with members of this House, have many, many special people in mind at this time. I acknowledge Mere Kara, known as Aunt Olly Kara, who passed away this year. She was here during the first reading of the legislation and she was particularly looking forward to the third reading. The deed of settlement most eloquently says: “We remember well those who led the challenge, those who flew the flag, and those who have carried the burden of responsibility to arrive at this point in time: the orators, the quiet leaders, the strong shoulders and the undying supporters of yesteryear. To you we say, although you are no longer seen, you will never be forgotten.” I acknowledge Linda and Willie Te Aho, Rāhui Papa, Taotao Tauroa, Hinerangi Kara, Karaitiana Tamatea, Poto Davies, Steven Wilson, Johnson Raumati, and so many others.

This is a great day for the Crown and for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. I acknowledge all those who have given me assistance. I particularly want to acknowledge my friend the member for Taupō, who worked so closely with me on the Maungatautari redress. She did a great job and she too has been pivotal in reaching a successful conclusion. I commend the bill to the House.

He hōnore, he korōria, he maungarongo ki te mata o te whenua, he whakaaro pai ki ngā tāngata katoa. Arohaina ngā tēina me ngā tuakana i whakatōpū mai i raro i te tuanui o tēnei Whare hei mātakitaki ki tēnei tūtukitanga ki waenganui i a tātou i tēnei rangi. No reira, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Ngāti Haua, nei te mihi maioha ki a koutou. E te Tumuaki, ko koe te kanohi mō ā tātou nei taonga e pupuru ana i waenganui i a tātou hei whakaoranga mō ngā whakatupuranga, nō reira, tēnā koe, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. Nōku te waimarie i tēnei rangi, te tū ki te tautoko ngā āhuatanga e pā ana ki tēnei tutukitanga, i ēnei tutukitanga kerēme. Tuatahi ki a koutou o Ngāti Koroki Kahukura ka hoki ngā mahara ki tērā o ngā kaumātua a Wally, me ngā kōrero i puta mai i waenganui i a rāua i tōku matua mō ēnei āhuatanga. Me ū ki tēnei whāinga kia tutuki pai ngā āhuatanga kei waenganui i a koutou hei painga, hei oranga mō ngā tamariki, ngā mokopuna. No reira, kua tae ki tēnei wā. E tika ana me mihi atu ki tērā maunga e tautari ana, ki tō tātou nei awa a Waikato, arā, ki ngā marae ki Pōhara rāua ko Maungatautari hei whakaora i ngā hiahia, ngā pupū i te whatumanawa i tēnei rangi. Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Honour, glory, peace on earth, goodwill to all mankind, and loving thoughts to the younger and elder siblings who have assembled here under the roof of this House to witness this settlement amongst us today. Affectionate thoughts therefore to you, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā, and, to you, the leader. You are the face of these possessions that we hold amongst us as a betterment for the generations to come, so greetings to you in particular. Acknowledgments and congratulations to you collectively, and my appreciation to us all.

It is my good fortune today to stand and support the circumstances relating to this settlement and these claims. First of all, to you of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, my thoughts go back to that elder of ours, Wally, and what emerged from the discussions that took place between those two and my father in regard to these situations. Let us hold firm to this aim that we complete the circumstances amongst you well, that will benefit children and grandchildren. So this point in time has arrived, where it is appropriate that I acknowledge that mountain standing upright there, this river of ours, the marae of Pōhara and of Maungatautari to restore aspirations and hopes welling up in the mind today. And so I acknowledge, greet, and commend you all.]

It is a great day when we can stand in this House and support the progression of Treaty settlements, and when the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations is able to retell the story of so many iwi who come into this House and the long-suffering endurance that they have had to get to this point. To the Minister I say thank you so much for your determination to see the resolution of both the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and the Ngāti Hauā claims in such a short time frame. I too was at Maungatautari when the settlement was signed, and I remember that day for two reasons. Firstly, I had just had my daughter, who was 6 days old, and that was her very first outing. I was determined to get to the signing, because other than at my own marae at Waahi, my father’s picture hangs at Maungatautari Marae—that is the only other marae.

I remember, as a child growing up, in some small way observing, as you do, the kaumātua of the time talking about these big take, like raupatu, and what was happening in different parts of the rohe. There was a gentlemen’s accord between Wally Tīoriori Papa and my father about how to progress, in part, the substantial raupatu claim but also, in part, the interests of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura in their particular part of the rohe. It was with that type of heartfelt commitment that I saw real opportunities to try to progress the Ngāti Koroki claim as quickly as possible. It is important really to extend our own relationships as members of this House to the various claims that come through here. But there is so much more happening in the rohe that I would like to comment on before turning to the substance of the claim.

The many whānau in this particular rohe around Karapiro and Arapuni, as Louise Upston would know, were involved in some part, back in the day, in building the dams, seeing the change in the natural landscape within their rohe, and seeing marae settlements move from one place to the other. In fact, before the river claim, when kaumātua were taken up the Waikato River and stories were being retold, when you got to the Karapiro and further up the top of the river, actually you had to use a fish-finder to see how the lie of the land used to look prior to the dams being put in, and you could have a sense of appreciation of the resilience of hapū like Koroki Kahukura who have seen their history change because of things like the dams being built. I recall that fondly because I think it is a part of the story that you, Minister, have told so well.

The people there are very meshed within the way of life. There are a lot of farmers around that community. A former Prime Minister used to have her holidays up with the Hicks whānau around Maungatautari. She remembers Maungatautari mountain very well. But the farming community and the Māori community at times have been intermeshed with each other’s success and prosperity, and often challenges and difficulties.

Karapiro—what we see now is a modern representation of what is possible through Treaty settlements when relationships work. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have shown very well their mana whenua, their tangata whenua relationship, with not only the river but the life of the river and what happens along the river. When you visit the rowing centre, you will see there the impression of that influence in the centre, in major events that take place there in terms of recognising protocol. We have had a major international rowing competition, several waka ama competitions and rowing competitions, and an international waka ama competition, not to mention TriMāori some weeks ago. But the point of all of that is that Ngāti Koroki Kahukura are a group of people who exercise on a daily basis the strength of their influence as mana whenua, as tangata whenua within their own rohe, at Karapiro, with the Waipā District Council, and with the community at large. One can only but think that, as a result of the settlement, that will only be amplified in positive ways—I am absolutely sure.

But it has not come without challenges. There have been several. I can recall a number of challenging discussions about Maungatautari, as the member for the area, Louise Upston, would also recount. Those have caused some of the testiest types of interactions about who owns what, but also about what is in the greatest interest of the community.

Having an ecological island in our part of the rohe—actually in our country—with a pest-proof fence is a first. It does provide real opportunity for tourism, and in the settlement there is an opportunity for that relationship to be further strengthened and I am hopeful that that can continue. There has been a very gracious acknowledgment made by Ngāti Koroki Kahukura to the people of the Waipā District and, in fact, to New Zealand for the future management of the Maungatautari maunga. I want to put on the record that that is huge and significant. It may be reviewed over time as people follow that model and then they see: “Actually, we can give a little bit more, acknowledge a little bit more.”, but let time be the test of that particular intent.

I want to particularly comment on the contribution that kaumātua of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have made to the substantial claims of the raupatu settlement and also the river settlement—kaumātua who are no longer with us, kaumātua who in their time would have been recognised for the wealth of knowledge and understanding and whakapapa connections to weave together outcomes through the Treaty settlement process. Their contribution is significant and I really want to recognise that.

The select committee tried very hard to address some outstanding issues for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura in relation to land-banked lands in Arapuni, in relation to the clean-up fund, in relation to the ongoing management and access issues around the Maungatautari mountain. We are limited in our capacity to be able to do that, but the intent was there. I want to say that everybody who made submissions on this particular settlement did so in a way that gave us great confidence as a select committee that here was a hapū, a group of people, who were absolutely going to exercise their full authority as kaitiaki, as mana whenua, as tangata whenua in the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura rohe.

Last, but not least, I want to thank the Māori Affairs Committee and the advisers and the officials whom we had for the input that they had in trying to get the committee to a point of understanding, especially on the three outstanding issues that I have mentioned. It is important to recognise that the future of the ongoing management of the Waikato River would not be successfully achieved across the whole of the catchment without Koroki Kahukura playing its integral role around the Karapiro-Arapuni area. I would hope going forward—certainly as people listen to the tenor of this debate—that when it comes to the co-management responsibilities that Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have affirmed on them by rights of this settlement, there will be some recognition by both Raukawa and Waikato that there is a distinct relationship in this part of the river. For those co-management responsibilities to be undertaken to their full extent, there needs to be recognition and a bit of give and take around how that can be successfully done so that everybody can breathe life into the river that we all love, which has given joy and happiness to a number of generations and will continue to do so and will provide employment.

Lastly, can I thank the negotiating team. You have approached this with the integrity of the people at heart, the determination of our kaumātua at heart, but also with the koi of the hinengaro, and you have gone toe to toe with Crown officials in a way that I think has held this whole process to full account.

Nō reira i tēnei wā, he paku kōrero, he paku whakaaro hei tuitui ki tēnei kaupapa, i tēnei rangi i mua i a koutou. Tēnei te mihi atu ki a koutou katoa, ki a tātou, tēnā tātou.

[And so a brief statement and viewpoint at this juncture to thread together this matter before you collectively. I acknowledge you and us all, thank you.]

Tēnā koe. Ko te hau mua, ko te hau muri, ko te hau tamawāhine, ko te hau tamatāne e tū mai rā te tokotoko a Tānenuiāraki. E tuturu mai kia whakamaua, ka tina, tina, haumi e, hui e, taiki e! Ā, tēnā rā koutou ngā pou waitaka o tō tātou Matua Tīpuna, ā, kā mea nui ki te mihi atu ki tō tātou Matua Nui i Te Raki, ko ia te tīmataka me te whakamutuka o koutou katoa. Nō reira, ka mihi au ki Te Kaihōmai o kā mea katoa. Ka maumahara mātou ki a rātou kai tua kua wehe ki te ao wairua. Nō reira, koutou rā o ia marae, o ia iwi, o ia waka e haere i ruka ki te ara o te whānui a Tāne ko tua o te ārai, haere, haere, haere. Nō reira, ā tēnā koutou o te iwi o Ngāti Korokī Kahuhura. E nau mai, haere mai ki Te Whare Pāremata, e mihi nei, e tangi nei koutou ngā taoka whakahirahira, koutou e tūmanakohia ake nei, koutou e hāpai iwi nei, nau mai, nau mai, nau mai, haere mai.

[Hail the winds of the north, south, east, and west, and from where the rod of the great heavenly Father is upraised. Stand resolute eternally, gather, join, and unite! So acknowledgments to you, esoteric pillars of our Father in heaven. The main things to thank our great Father in heaven for is that He is the beginning and the ending for you all, and in regard to this, I pay homage to the provider of all things. We remember, too, those who have departed to the spiritual realm, and so to you all, from every marae, tribe and canoe that have traversed the wide path of man to beyond the divide; depart, journey on, farewell! So greetings to you, the tribe of Ngāti Korokī Kahuhura. Welcome, come hither to Parliament House here, acknowledging and grieving you as elements of importance and much yearned for, you that elevate people. Welcome, welcome, welcome, draw near.]

I want to welcome those manuhiri here today from Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. I acknowledge the work done by so many people to bring these negotiations to a conclusion. A Treaty settlement provides an opportunity to look back on our history. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the wrongs that have been committed in the past and to seek to put them right. It is an opportunity to begin a new relationship between the Crown and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura.

The redress provided for these wrongdoings will never be perfect. It is impossible to restore everything that was taken. The Crown cannot take back the desecration of burial sites or the wrongful imprisonment of leaders; it cannot return every hectare of land that was confiscated, or heal the many decades of hurt and hardship caused by this alienation, but the redress this settlement offers Ngāti Koroki Kahukura will be significant for their future. It vests 15 sites of cultural and historical significance in Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura will also receive a package of cultural redress to assist them with securing their economic future and their social well-being. They will receive financial redress, plus interest.

I want to talk a little about the Waikato River, and the Maungatautari—the Waikato—is of great influence to Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. This is recognised in the deed of settlement. The deed recognises that both Koroki and Kahukura are direct descendants of tohuka Rakataura, aboard the great Tainui waka, who gave Maungatautari its name. Koroki and Kahukura are also direct descendants of Hoturoa, the captain of the Tainui waka. As the deed of settlement states, Maungatautari and Waikato are inextricably linked to the identity of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. Maungatautari and Waikato are inseparable and they are indivisible.

It is good to see that the Crown and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have been able to come to an agreement about how best to recognise the huge importance of these two living taoka. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have endorsed the vision and strategy for the Waikato River set out in the Waikato-Tainui raupatu claims settlement. The area covered by joint management agreements between the Waikato Regional Council, the Waipā District Council, and the Waikato Raupatu River Trust has been extended to cover the portion of the Waikato River that is within Ngāti Koroki Kahukura’s area of interest.

In the case of Maungatautari, the tīpuna mauka of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura—the significance of what they have agreed to cannot be overlooked. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura consider themselves to be the tangata whenua of Maungatautari, but they have graciously agreed to ownership of the Maungatautari mountain scenic reserve to be held by the wider community. This community is comprised of other iwi who also have customary interests in Maungatautari and members of the wider community connected with Maungatautari. It is appropriate that the deed of settlement recognises the generosity of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura in agreeing to this unique arrangement.

I want to briefly acknowledge the work of Minister Finlayson in shepherding this settlement through the process and this bill through the House. We are lucky to have a Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations who is so committed to righting the wrongs that have scarred our history. The extraordinary amount of progress he has made on Treaty settlements under this Government speaks for itself. I would also like to acknowledge the Hon Tau Henare and the members of the Māori Affairs Committee who considered this bill in the 50th Parliament, including the new Minister for Māori Development, Te Ururoa Flavell.

But my final acknowledgments are reserved for the people of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, those who have led them through this process, and their negotiators. It has taken you an immense amount of hard work and patience to get to this day. There is, however, more hard work ahead for those of you who will be involved in maximising the economic and social well-being of your people through this settlement. But today is a day to celebrate and take pride in what you have achieved.

Ngā kākā waha nui o rātou mā, ka mihi atu rā. Rātou ki a rātou, tātou ki a tātou, tīhei mauri ora.

[To the great orators of those ancestors who have gone, I doff my hat to you. Let them remain with them, and we remain with us. Behold, therefore, the breath of life!]

Nō reira, can I also wish the people of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te tau hou ki a koutou, e huri noa i Te Whare, ki a koe e Nanaia, ki a koutou ērā mema o Pāremata, ngā mihi, e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.

[Merry Christmas and greetings of the new year to you, Mr Assistant Speaker, Nanaia, and to other members throughout the House. Greetings to you all.]

I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.

Ā, tēnā koe e Te Māngai o Te Whare, ā-Reo Māori. Tihei uriuri, tihei nakonako ka tau hā whakatau ko te rangi i runga nei. Whakatau hā whakatau ko te papa i raro nei, whakatau hā whakatau i mātuku mai i Rarotonga. Koia i rukuhia manawa pou roto, koia i rukuhia manawa waho kia whakatina te more i Hawaiki e pupū ana, e wawau ana kia tārewa tū ki te rangi, eke, eke panuku, eke Tangaroa, hui e, taiki e! Kāti ake rā ka tau mai ngā manaakitanga o Te Kaihanga ki runga i tēnei Whare, otirā, ki runga i a koutou e ngā kiri whingiwhingi, arā koutou e kara mā, e kui mā. Koutou e ngā mokopuna, e ngā mātātahi o Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, arā, koutou ngā taniwha o te awa o Waikato, tēnā koutou. Ko aua manaakitanga katoa ka ūhia ki runga i tō tātou Kīngi, kia piki te ora, kia piki te kaha, kia piki te māramatanga ki runga i a ia, ki roto i ngā taumahatanga me ngā nekenekehanga o tēnei wā, rire, rire hau, paimārire. Kāti ake e koutou mā e tāpae nei koutou i ō koutou tini aitua ki te tāhūhū o tēnei Whare, kia kotahi ai te reo, kia kotahi ai te tangi, kia kotahi ai te mōteatea ki a rātou i kapohia ai e Te Ringa Kaha o Aituā, o Aitūere, o Aitūkikini, o Aitūtāmaki. Nāna i kōwhaki ai i te kauwae o tērā e tangi mai rā, o tērā ake rā, o tātou e tangi atu nei. Nō reira, koutou katoa kua ngaro atu ki te tirohanga kanohi, koutou kua whakawhiti atu rā ki tua o Paerau ka tau ki runga i te pae o mahara, tēnā korikori mai. Hoki wairua mai rā koutou ki roto i ngā whiriwhiringa me ngā kōrero kei mua i Te Whare i tēnei rangi. Tēnā tū kamu a Mahuta, tēnā tū ka korikori, tēnā tū me haere tāua. Me haere tāua ki runga i ngā kōrero kua pae nei ki runga i a koutou e Ngāti Korokī Kahukura ki roto i te roanga ake o tēnei ata.

Nā, i tīmata mai e te Minita, i ngā mahi tūkino a Te Karauna i a koutou, he tohu tēnā o ngā mahi o Te Karauna ki a tātou te iwi Māori ki roto i ngā tau. Nā, kua waha mai te Minita ki roto i tēnei Whare i aua tūkinotanga i pāngia ki runga i a koutou e Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, tēnā koutou. Kāti e tautoko ana ahau i ngā kōrero o tōku tuahine ki a koutou, otirā, ki Te Whare nei. E tautoko ana mātou o Te Rōpū Reipa i tēnei pire ki roto i tana tatūnga ki roto i tēnei Whare, ka tau ki runga i te taumata kōrero, ka kōrero, ka kōrero, ka kōrero. Kāti, e mihi atu ana ahau ki a koe e Te Minita, kua roa rawa mātou ki roto o Ngāpuhi e whakaaro ana i tētahi ingoa ka tapaina ki runga i a koe, nā tō māia, nā tō toa ki te kōkiri i ngā take e pā ana ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tēnei e mihi atu nei. Ka waihongātu mā ngā kaumātua me ngā kūia taua ingoa te tapaina ki runga i a koe, kāti tēnei e mihi atu ana, tēnā koe.

Nā, e mihi atu ana ahau ki tōku tuakana ki a Tau Hēnare. Ko tērā taniwhā ka noho ki runga i Te Rōpū Whāiti i ngā Take Māori. Nā, ka whakaaro ake ahau ki tōku tupuna ki a taurekareka Hēnare me tōna pānga ki a koutou e Waikato. Nā, ka noho a Te Pūea ki roto o Mōtatau ki roto i ngā tau. Ko tana kōrero ki a Ngāti Hine, ka mahi, ka īnoi, ka mahi anō. Hoinō, ko tērā wero ka takotoria ki mua i a koutou, kia kaua e pōhēhē, kia kaua e tatari! Āe, kua kōrero mātou o Te Whare nei i ngā take e pā ana ki tēnei pire. Ēngari, ka kapohia ake e ahau i te kōrero kōrero a Kauiti me anga te titiro ki ngā taumata o te moana, arā, ki ngā maruāpō i wawatahia ai e ō tātou mātua tūpuna, otirā, ō koutou mātua tūpuna mō Ngāti Korokī Kahukura. Nō reira, e mihi atu ana ahau ki tēnā, heke iho mai ki tōku tuakana ki a Tau Hēnare e ārahi nei i tēnei pire ki roto i ngā mahi whiriwhiringa o tēnei Whare, e Te Māngai. Kāti, ka tiro atu ahau ki tēnei pire. Ko ngā wāhanga katoa kai roto ēhara i te mea, ko ngā rare katoa. arā, ko ngā perehana katoa o Hana Kōkō ka tau mai ki runga i a koutou. Ē, kāhore ēngari ko te mea atu ahau ki a koutou i a au e āta wetewete ana i ngā kōrero kai roto, anā, ko te whakahokinga mai o ngā whenua tapu, o ngā wāhi tapu ki a koutou o Ngāti Korokī Kahukura. E mihi atu ana ahau ki a koutou, otirā, koutou katoa o te awa tapu o Waikato. Nā, ko koutou tēnā kai te tauihu o te waka. Kai te tauihu o te waka mō ngā mahi ngātahi me Te Karauna hei tiaki, hai whakahaere i ngā whenua, me ngā taonga e pā ana ki a koutou, e pupuri nei e koutou, anā, ko te mihi atu ki a koutou. Ka whātoro atu te ringa ki Te Karauna kia mahi ngātahi nei koutou ki te tiaki i ō koutou wāhi tapu, tēnā koutou.

Nā, ka titiro atu ahau ki te wāhanga tuarua. Ka whai reo koutou ki roto i ngā mahi o ngā kaunihera. Ka whai reo koutou ki roto i ngā whiriwhiringa o te kāwanatanga mō take e pā ana ki a koutou, ō koutou whenua, ō koutou take, ō koutou whakatupuranga. Nō reira, e mihi atu ana ahau ki a koutou ka noho ngātahi me Te Minita ki te āta wetewete i tērā o ngā nekehanga mō koutou.

Kāti ka titiro atu ahau ki te wāhanga tuatoru ka tau ki runga i te awa o Waikato. Kua kōrero ahau, he pikopiko, he taniwha. Kaua e pōhēhē ka tau taua kōrero ki a koutou anake, e Waikato. Tā te mea ki roto i ngā mahi whiriwhiringa o ngā take e pā ana ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi, he piko, he taniwha, he piko, he taniwha. Nō reira, kua hoe nei e koutou i tō koutou awa tupuna. Kai konei mātou e mihi atu nei, kei konei mātou e tangi atu nei. Ki waho i tēnei Whare ka heke mai ngā roimata. He tohu tēnā mō ngā pōuritanga, mō ngā aituā, ā, he tohu anō tērā ki a tāua Te Māori mō te harikoa. Nō reira, ka hoe atu rā koutou ki runga i tō tātou awa, e hoe, e hoe, tōkihi!

Kāti, ki te wāhanga tuawhā o te pire. Ko tāku atu ki tēnei Whare, ko te pūteā ka tukuna atu, ka tākoha atu ki a Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, hoinō e mea ana te Pākeha, he drop in the bucket. Iti noa iho te pūtea ka whakahokia atu ki a koutou ki tērā, i tangohia e Te Karauna i roto i ngā tau. Ēngari i tēnei wā, e mihi atu ana ahau ki a koutou. Kua whai i tērā pūtea ka taea e koutou te tōkihi atu ki ngā taumata o te moana e kōrero atu ahau i mua tata nei. Nō reira, kia kaha rā koutou.

Ko tēnei wero, ki Te Whare e noho nei. Me kaua tēnei Whare e pōhēhē kua tatū noa ngā take e pā ana ki a tātou Te Iwi Māori ki roto i ngā mahi whiriwhiringa o ngā take e pā ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Korekore ka noho mai a Ngāti Korokī Kahukura ki te aro haehae i ngā kōrero. Ki te totohe i ngā take e pā ana ki a rātou ki rot i te roanga ake o ngā tau kei mua i a tātou, ā, kati e Te Whare.

E Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, ka waiho nātu tēnei kōrero o tōku tupuna ki a koutou hei whakakapi ake i tēnei kōrero, i tēnei tāima. Ka kōrero ahau i ngā kōrero o tōku tupuna a Kāwiti e pā ana ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi, “E te whanau, i te pakanga ahau me ngā atua o te pō, heoi, kīhai ahau i mate. Nō reira, takahia te riri ki raro i ō waewae. Kia ū ki te whakapono, he pōwai Pākehā koutou ā muri ake nei. Waiho kia kakati te namu i te whārangi o te pukaupuka hei konei, ka tahuri atu ai. Kei takahia e koutou ngā papa pounamu a ō koutou tūpuna e takoto nei. Titiro atu ki ngā taumata o te moana. E ngā namu e kakati nei i ngā whārangi o te pukapuka o Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Kāti, e mihi atu nei ki a koutou, tau mai, tau atu, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, e Te Māngai, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will be speaking in Māori. May our descendants live on and our hopes be fulfilled. Welcome to the Sky Father above and to Mother Earth below. Behold the heron from Rarotonga lands. Welcome, we have made landfall. Let the ritual be performed by placing the red stone of Hawaiki on this side and that, toward land and sea. The ritual is now complete. Our origins rise up towards the heavens and hang there suspended. We have surmounted the dangers of the seas and the realm of the maritime god. Let us take up the adze and carve out a new existence. Enough for now! May the kindness of the Creator be upon this House but, at the same time, upon you, the elder men and womenfolk, the grandchildren and young people of Ngāti Korokī Kahukura—in other words, upon you, the chiefs of the Waikato River. May all those acts of kindness be cast over our King Tūheitia, as well, to ensure that his health, strength, and enlightenment is restored. Bring forth the calming winds of goodwill and peace. To those of you who have placed myriad of your deaths beneath the roof of this House so that they who have been snatched up by the strong hand of disappointing, excruciating, and convulsive mishap can be accorded a tribute, a traditional chant and mourned over in unison, enough! It was mishap that wrenched off the jaw of that one and the other one mourning over there, our jaw mourning here. Enough! Enough, I say! So those of you who passed from our sight, who have crossed beyond the Divide to land on the horizon of recollection, stir yourselves! Return spiritually amidst these negotiations and speeches that are before the House today. Rise up and confront Mahuta! Stand up, make a move! Rise up, let us go together! Let us go forth on the contributions delivered before you collectively by Ngāti Korokī Kahukura as this morning unfolds.

It began with the Minister stating that there were adverse acts by the Crown upon you; an indication of Crown actions that impacted adversely on us, Māoridom, over the years. The Minister brought those wrongdoings unto this House; those wrongdoings that impacted upon you, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, into this House, and so I salute you and endorse the contributions by my sister colleague to you collectively, but at the same time, to this House. We, the Labour Party, supported this bill when it arrived in this House, throughout its passage to the ultimate level of speeches, contributions, talks, and addresses. And so I congratulate you, Minister. We of Ngāpuhi have spent a long time considering a name for you, because of your confidence and valour to thrust forward matters that relate to the Treaty of Waitangi settlement. In regard to that, I commend you sincerely. I leave that name for the elder men and womenfolk to figure out and bestow it upon you.

I acknowledge that elder sibling of mine Tau Hēnare now. That powerful creature sat on the Māori Affairs Committee. Now I wonder about my ancestor Taurekareka Hēnare’s links to you, Waikato. Years ago, Te Puea lived in Mōtatau. Her message to Ngāti Hine was “work, pray, and work again!”. Well, that is the challenge that I present to you, to not make assumptions, and to not wait. Accordingly, I place that challenge before you. Do not be deluded and do not wait! Yes, we of this House have discussed the matters relating to this bill, but I pick up on the statement by Kāwiti, focus on the tops of the sea. In other words, focus on the dreams of our grandparents, your grandparents, indeed, of Ngāti Korokī Kahukura yearned for. Therefore, I acknowledge that, right down to my elder cousin Tau Hēnare, who shepherded this bill through the procedures of this House. Enough!

I look at this bill and all parts in it, not because of all the lollies—in other words, all of Santa’s presents—that will land on you. That indeed will not happen, but, rather, I advise that you analyse the statements within the bill carefully, and there you will see the return of sacred places and lands to you of Ngāti Korokī Kahukura. I doff my hat to you collectively but, at the same time, to all of you of the sacred river of Waikato. You are now at the prow of the canoe in terms of working together with the Crown to protect and administer the lands and resources that relate to you, which you hold, and so I congratulate you. The hand is extended to the Crown to work cooperatively with you to safeguard your sacred sites. Well done.

I look now at part two. You will have a say in the operations of the councils. You will have a say in negotiations with the Government in regard to matters of concern to you, your lands, issues, and kin. And so I congratulate you collectively on working carefully together with the Minister to examine those movements for you.

Now I look at part three, which relates to the river of Waikato. I have stated already that at every bend, there is a chief. Do not be deluded by the fact that the statement applies to you alone, the Waikato people, because it applies just as aptly to negotiations of Treaty of Waitangi matters. At each bend is a chief, at each bend is a chief. And so you have now navigated on your ancestral river. We here acknowledge and shed tears for you. Tears are being shed outside of Parliament, it is raining. That is an indication about the despondencies, deaths; an indication to you and me in Māoridom about joys. So as you paddle out collectively on our river, paddle, paddle, go for it! Enough!

And so to the fourth part of the bill, where my interpretation of it to this House is that the fund will be released and gifted to Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, but mainstream would say it is a drop in the bucket. The funding returned to you is miniscule in comparison to that which the Crown took from you over the years. But at this time, I congratulate you. You have received that fund and will be able to go for it, to the tops of the ocean that I alluded to just before. And so, be strong.

The challenge to this House sitting here is not to be deluded by the fact that all matters relating to Māoridom have been resolved, in terms of negotiations about matters of the Treaty of Waitangi. Ngāti Korokī Kahukura will never sit back to critically discern the contributions, to contest the matters concerning them as the years ahead of us go on, and so, enough, the House. To end this address, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, I will leave this saying of my ancestor with you, at this point in time. I will relate what my ancestor Kāwiti said about the Treaty of Waitangi. He said this: “Family, I fought with the gods of the night and survived, however. So put the anger under your feet and tramp all over it. Hold fast to the faith, and you will move with a fan-like motion afterwards, like a European. Leave it until the sandfly nip the pages of the Treaty, and at this point, address them just in case you tramp all over the greenstone boxes of your ancestors lying here. Look at the tops of the ocean and say to the sandfly nipping at the pages of the Treaty of Waitangi, ‘Enough!’ ”. Mr Speaker, I doff my hat here and there to acknowledge and congratulate you and us all collectively. Thank you.]

Ā, e Te Mana Whakawā, anei mātau e tāpirihia nei ngā mihi ki a koutou kua tae ā-tinana mai ki te whakarongo ki ngā mihi, ki te whakarongo ki ngā kōrero, ā, ki te tautoko i ngā mahi o te rangi nei. Ā, tēnei mātau, e hika, ka tū whakaiti kei mua i a koutou. I ahau e noho nei, e whakaaro ana au, hika, ka noho i te whakamā. He aha taua whakamā? Ka tiro whānui ki Te Whare, kai hea, kai hea ō tātau hoa ki te whakarongo ki ngā kōrero hōhonu, te whakarongo ki ngā kōrero kua takoto nei kei roto i te Whare nei kia mōhio pai rātau ki te kiko o tēnei mea Te Tiriti o Waitangi me ngā hara kua tau ki runga i a tātau Te Iwi Māori, ki runga i a koutou. Nā reira, i ahau e noho whakamā nei, e tiro ki ngā tūru e wātea nei, ka hiki anō te manawa i runga i te kōrero ō tō tātau parata nei, a Peeni, te kōrero a Nanaia me Te Minita, the Hon Chris Finlayson. Ngā kōrero nei e whakanui, e whakamana i a koutou ahakoa he iti, he pounamu te kōrero. Kia kōrerohia tēnei kōrero i roto i Te Whare kua noho ki runga i ngā pukapuka mō āke tonu rā. Nā reira, ka tū whakaiti ki mua i a koutou me te tautoko i ngā kōrero. E Te Mana Whakawā, kai te pīrangi au ki te mihi atu ki a koutou o Tainui, ki a koutou, ā, ngā uri whakaheke o Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, koutou o Te Kīngitanga, me kī. E tika me mihi ki a koutou ōku pou, ōku rahi, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Mr Speaker, here we are adding to the tributes extended to you collectively that have arrived here physically to listen to the tributes, contributions and to support today’s proceedings. Here we are, goodness me, standing before you all in humility. While I was sitting here thinking, heavens above, I am embarrassed. What was that embarrassment? I looked extensively around the House, wondering where, indeed, are our colleagues to listen to the words of depth, the contributions put before this House so that they have a good understanding about the substance in regard to this Treaty of Waitangi thing and the transgressions that have alighted upon Māoridom and you collectively. So while I was sitting here, embarrassed and looking at the empty seats before me, my spirit soared at the contribution by our brother colleague Peeni Hēnare here, sister colleague Nanaia, and the Minister, the Hon Christopher Finlayson. These contributions magnified and empowered you collectively. Even though the talk was diminutive, it was precious. When these statements are delivered in the Chamber, they are captured in the records for ever. So, I stand humbly before you, collectively, to endorse the contributions. I would like to commend you of Tainui, descendants of Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and the King Movement, shall we say, Mr Speaker. It is apt that I acknowledge you my pillars and the many. Thank you all.]

I rise to support the third reading of the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill. I welcome you here today. Almost exactly 2 years ago, on 20 December 2012, the Crown and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura signed a deed of settlement, agreeing to the final settlement of the non-raupatu Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. In that action, the trustees of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura were acting in the best interests of an estimated 4,000 members who whakapapa to that sacred maunga, Maungatautari in the Waikato.

The bill respects and protects the unique tribal structures of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura in providing for the special relationship that the iwi have with that maunga and the Waikato River. Every one of their uri whakaheke deserves to be proud of the tribal history dating back to the 1840s, 1850s, and before, when they were a thriving, healthy people, when they successfully traded with one another and with the European settlers, and when they enjoyed, not just survived, the life that they lived.

However, by the late 1850s there was rising tension over the land alienations. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura actively supported the establishment of the Kīngitanga and, in an effort to safeguard their lands from alienation, placed their lands under the protection of the Māori King. At the same time their rangatira Tīoriori worked to maintain cordial relationships with the Crown. This fact of history is pivotal—pivotal to know. It is a context that helps us to understand where we have come from as a nation and as a whānau, hapū, and iwi into the rising tensions of the 1860s, when war broke out, resulting in the deaths of some of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and the capture of others, including their esteemed rangatira Tīoriori. Despite their preference for peace, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura were labelled rebels, and for that, under the Suppression of Rebellion Act, they had much of their land confiscated, and yet it is viewed as non-raupatu.

This iwi have maintained their interests in their homeland. They preserved—they retained—the essence of who they were even though their whenua was ripped out from under their feet. Maungatautari was, and remains, their tipuna, their ancestral mountain, central to their identity, yet in the 19th century the land in and around the maunga fell victim to Crown-imposed tenure reform. As a result, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura were involved in more than 50—50—Native Land Court hearings before 1901. As a result, swamps and wetlands were drained and the Waikato River polluted. Hydroelectric power schemes depleted their traditional fisheries and flooded their cultural significant sites, as we have heard. By the end of the 20th century Ngāti Koroki Kahukura had become virtually landless.

Today the bill rectifies this in some small way—this and other wrongs imposed by the Crown on Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. The bill records a history of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and the Crown apology to them—the apology for the forced operation of the native land and public works legislation, the apology for the failure of the Crown to protect the traditional tribal structures of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, the apology for the Crown’s failure to recognise and provide for their relationship to Maungatautari and the Waikato River, and the Crown’s apology for policies and legislation that instigated the economic, social, environmental, and cultural degradation of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and their physical and spiritual resources. That last point is particularly important.

In the 1860s and onwards the Crown commenced its campaign to assimilate Māori into European culture. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura elders recall corporal punishment—lashings—being used to discourage them from speaking their reo, leaving behind a legacy in which fewer than 5 percent of their people still retain the ability to speak Te Reo Māori today. Eighty years on, and by 1950 many Ngāti Koroki Kahukura migrated from their traditional rohe in search of better economic prospects. Many disconnected from their communities and local culture. In both of these critical areas—education and employment—Ngāti Koroki Kahukura consider that landlessness and social deprivation have contributed to the Crown not recognising them as an iwi in their own right.

I stand to support this bill because of its role in addressing the wrongs imposed by the Crown on Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. The bill enables us to look forward to a new era in the Crown’s relationship with Ngāti Koroki Kahukura.

Maungatautari is the maunga, Waikato is the awa. Through this settlement the maunga will be a scenic reserve and will be guarded by Te Hapori o Maungatautari. The transfer of ownership recognises the iconic and spiritual importance. The river will be managed together. There will be recognition of the river and its tributaries, and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura will have this as an area of interest, as well as Lake Arapuni and Lake Karapiro. This settlement means that you can co-manage it together. Ko Ngāti Koroki Kahukura te iwi.

The Crown confirms that it is deeply sorry and profoundly apologises to the ancestors and descendants of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura for the hardships they have endured. The way that they have treated and engaged with other iwi and the wider community during negotiations is a good example for the Crown, which in its long history of delay with Ngāti Koroki Kahukura was guilty of shutting them out. The graciousness of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura during these negotiations has been a defining characteristic of this settlement. Had the Crown possessed the same virtues in its dealings with Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, then the anguish and injustices that have brought us here today may well have been avoided.

E Te Mana Whakawā, ka tū ake au ki te tautoko i tēnei pire. Hoi anō rā ki a koutou kua tae ā-tinana mai ki te whakarongo ā-taringa, ki te kite ā-karu, ki te whakarongo ā-wairua hoki, nei rā te mihi atu ki a koutou katoa. Nei rā te mihi whakaiti kai mua i a koutou, te mihi whakanui i a koutou katoa, te whakamana, ā, te whakahōnore i a koutou katoa i roto i tēnei whakapau werawera, whakapau kaha kia tūtuki tēnei pire kei mua i a tātau. Tēnei te mihi ki a koutou katoa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Mr Speaker, I rise to support this bill, and therefore to you collectively, indeed, who came here in person to hear and see first-hand and to listen spiritually, as well. l salute you all. I stand before you in humility to congratulate, empower and honour you for the sweat and energy spent to complete this bill that is before us. So, well done, congratulations, and thank you all.]

Tēnā koe Mr Speaker, tēnā koutou katoa. E ngā mate, haere, haere, hoki atu rā ki te pō. E ngā mana, e ngā reo, rau rangatira mā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker, and greetings to you all. Farewell to you, the dead; journey on, depart, and return to the void. Acknowledgments to the authorities, voices, esteemed leaders of a hundred fold, accolades and congratulations to you all.]

When I stand in this House to speak on the final reading of a Treaty bill, I am always very aware that with the passage of the bill history is being made. Today is the culmination of years and years of work. That work includes the fight for recognition as an iwi so that Ngāti Koroki Kahukura could negotiate with the Crown; the setting-up of various settlement trusts and post-settlement trusts; the engagement with, and the voting of, the iwi members themselves; and then, of course, more recently the renegotiations with the Crown around some of the public unease about the settlement deed itself. That process was pre-dated by decades and decades of pressure from subsequent generations dating back to the first Native Land Court cases in the mid-1860s and the iwi’s attempt to oppose the alienation from their land. I want to acknowledge all that work. I want to acknowledge the incredible persistence that has been needed to continue the fight against the injustices of the past and seek redress for the wrongs done by the Crown when at times it must have felt quite hopeless.

It is clear from even a cursory reading of the settlement bill that grave wrongs were perpetuated against this iwi, starting with the land-grabs in the 1850s and leading on to the confiscation after the Waikato Land Wars in 1863 and 1864, even though Ngāti Koroki Kahukura’s rangatira Tīoriori worked with the Crown for peace. The actions of the Crown in the 1860s and onwards into the early 20th century broke the collective ownership of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura’s land into smaller parcels, which enabled the people to be alienated from the land. We all know that divide and conquer is a sure-fire method to break down the strength of the collective.

The acknowledgment of the past in the bill outlines the process of that alienation in detail. At the start of the summary of the historical account in the bill, in clause 8(1), it says: “During the 1840s and 1850s, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura were a prosperous and flourishing people. Among other things, they successfully traded with Europeans. However, by the late 1850s there was rising tension over land alienations.” Later in the same clause, in subclause (4), it says: “The combined impact of confiscation and the alienation of land for which the Native Land Court had awarded titles to individuals resulted in Ngāti Koroki Kahukura becoming virtually landless by the end of the twentieth century.” Then that impact is also outlined further on in the deed of settlement and in clause 8(8) of the bill, where it says: “By 1950, many Ngāti Koroki Kahukura were migrating from their traditional rohe in search of better economic prospects. This disconnected many from their communities and local culture. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura consider that landlessness and social deprivation have contributed to the Crown not recognising them as an iwi in their own right.”

This Treaty settlement bill offers financial and commercial redress of around $3 million and cultural redress amounting to around $3.23 million. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura went from having their own resources and land—having their own economic base—to virtual landlessness. Along the way they suffered the loss of their landscape, their language, and their wāhi tapu. They suffered the flooding of some of their sacred places for hydroelectric dams and, 100 years ago, at the start of World War I, some of their people were arrested for resisting going to fight in that war. Their relationship with their awa, Te Waikato, and with their sacred maunga, Maungatautari, has been damaged, and they have had difficulty accessing those sacred places.

This bill addresses just a tiny fraction of what Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have endured, and yet there are some New Zealanders who have no understanding of the history and who will declare this Treaty settlement, and all Treaty settlements, a gravy train. My response to that is to remind those people that in 2010 this Government bailed out South Canterbury Finance to the tune of $1.7 billion. This settlement is a drop in the bucket—and those people did not lose their land.

Among those who have little understanding about the history of this nation is the Prime Minister. In his statement quite recently he said New Zealand was colonised peacefully and that Māori are grateful for the capital that the settlers brought to New Zealand. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance in these cases compounds the injuries that iwi have suffered over generations. The rosy 1950s myth of New Zealand as a leader in race relations is completely unfounded and needs to be debunked. Having the leader of our country perpetuate that rubbish is insulting in the extreme. There is no way that any iwi—and certainly not this iwi—would affirm that colonisation was a peaceful process. I ask the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations to take his leader in hand and show him a Treaty bill.

I recognise, though, that today is a day for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura to celebrate. Having said that, I am compelled to state for the record the Greens’ position. We will be supporting this bill, but we need to state that we do not believe that these are full and final settlements. We remain deeply uneasy that the Crown picks the winners and losers. It can pit Māori against Māori, iwi against iwi, and hapū against hapū, and we fear that in doing so, it will create more Treaty breaches. The Greens do not believe that it is full compensation, and we must acknowledge the generosity of this iwi, who will accept this settlement. They will work alongside other iwi, the community, and the councils to safeguard and protect their sacred places—Waikato and Maungatautari—and all the people of New Zealand benefit from that generosity.

Nor do we believe that it is a final settlement. These are historical claims. That suggests that the past is done with, but it is not. We cannot know what impact the past actions will have on future generations. We do understand that this settlement gives Ngāti Koroki Kahukura a start—an economic base that you can use to secure better opportunities for your people; a solid place to step forward into the future. I want to acknowledge the Treaty negotiation teams of both the iwi and the Crown for the work that they have done to bring the settlement to the House today.

I want to finish with the last paragraph in the apology that is contained in the deed of settlement and in the bill itself. It says: “Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have a long tradition of seeking a positive relationship with the Crown, and the Crown looks forward to renewing that tradition and building an enduring association of mutual trust and co-operation with Ngāti Koroki Kahukura that is based on respect for Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles.” We too have hope for a New Zealand where the Crown abides by the Treaty of Waitangi. The children and grandchildren of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura depend on that respect, as do all our children. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Ā, tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā. Tēnā tātou o Te Whare, aku tuākana, ngā tuāhine hoki i tū ake i mua i a au ki te ‘hakatau i ēnei o ngā rangatira kua tae mai nei i waenganui i a tātou i te rā nei. Koutou o Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, e Te Tumuaki, koutou ngā kaikōrero, ngā māngai, ngā kaiārahi, koutou hoki kua tae mai nei ki te ‘hakarongo i ngā kōrero i puta mai i tēnei wāhanga, he wāhanga mutunga kia ‘hakamana tā koutou pire. Tua atu i tēnā, e tika ana kia mihi atu ki tēnā o ngā whanaunga karanga maha i ngaro atu ki te tirohanga kanohi i te rā nei. I roto i ngā kōrero o rātou mā, ki a koutou te wikitōria ēngari, nā rātou te hōnore. Nō reira, e tika ana te mihi atu ki tēnā o ngā rangatira a Wally me ērā atu. Me hoki te tuahine i ‘hakahuangia e Te Minita i te ata nei, me ērā atu e kawe atu tēnei kaupapa mō koutou ki Te Whare nei. Nā reira e ngā mate, haere, hoki atu. Nā reira, kua ea te wāhi mā rātou, ka hoki mai ki a tātou te hunga ora, nā reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou. Tēnā hoki koutou mō ō koutou whakaaro ki te whakaaengia i te pire nei, ahakoa e tika ana te kōrero o taku tuakana, ē, te āhua nei kua tae mai a Hana Kōkō kua tukuna atu he rare. Kia aha tia? Kia aha tia? Ēngari ko te āhua o te kaupapa, ko te āhua o te kaupapa. Nā reira, tērā pea ka huri taku reo kia mōhio mai Te Kai’hakawā he aha rā ngā kōrero.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker, and greetings to us all: the House, my elder brethren and sister colleagues, as well, who stood before me to welcome these noble leaders who have arrived here amongst us today. You of Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, the head, speakers, representatives and leaders, as well, who have arrived here to listen to the contributions that have emerged from this part, the final reading to formalise your bill. Further to that, it is appropriate that I pay a tribute to that one of the relatives of many callings, who is gone and no longer seen today. According to the sayings of many ancestors, the victory is yours, but the honour is theirs. So it is apt, indeed, that I acknowledge Wally, that of the esteemed elders and others. I go back to the sister mentioned by the Minister this morning, along with the others who took this policy to the House on your behalf. So, farewell to you, the dead, go back. The part to them is therefore fulfilled, and so I come back to us the living. Greetings, acknowledgments and congratulations to you collectively. Thank you, also, for your thoughts in terms of agreeing to this bill, despite the comment by my elder cousin, it seems like Santa Claus has arrived to hand out lollies, but what will be done to them? What? But that is exactly what the nature of the policy is about. Therefore, I should switch to English so that the Speaker understands what is being stated.]

This bill rectifies the wrongs imposed by the Crown on Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. I do not want to go to great length in repeating the history that has brought this bill to this stage, but I think it is only correct that we should make reference to the bill and its recording of the history of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and the apology proffered by the Crown to this iwi.

Why the apology? It is for the operation of the native land and public works legislation, the failure of the Crown to protect the traditional tribal structures of the iwi, the Crown’s failure to recognise and provide for their relationship to Maungatautari and the Waikato River, and the Crown policies and laws that led to the economic, social, environmental, and cultural degradation of the iwi.

Today this House will pass into legislation the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill, and New Zealand First will certainly be supporting this bill. I am aware that New Zealand First did not participate in either the first or the second stages of this bill, but I am here today to ensure that we do participate in this stage.

Like similar Treaty of Waitangi claims settlement legislation that has preceded this bill, this is a combination of trial and tribulation. It is a trial and tribulation for those people involved in negotiating the terms of settlement and I have some sympathy for them because, irrespective of what they have been able to negotiate with the Crown, the people whom they represent will never be satisfied, and rightly so—rightly so—but that is the challenge that negotiators have to make in this whole process.

Not only have they had to contend with reaching an agreement with those representing the Crown, but they have had the daunting task of getting the support of their iwi. We have heard today some of the reasons why there has been a reluctance on the part of iwi members not to be too overjoyed about accepting this settlement. But having said that, I think it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations. The Minister has had to face those negotiators, knowing full well that his purse will never be big enough, but, again, we see in this bill an example of an iwi making a contribution to this country, making a contribution of the resources they have had and cherished for centuries. I make reference to Maungatautari and the sharing of the management of that sacred mountain with the rest of the community. Also, we see the sharing of the responsibility for the care of the Waikato River.

The Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Act of 2010 and the Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi Waikato River Act of 2010 provide very important mechanisms for the care and well-being of the Waikato River, and therein lies the blueprint for both the iwi and the community, through the district council or local body, to be able to work together to make our environment a better place to live in.

So I say to Ngāti Koroki Kahukura today that I acknowledge the time and effort you have put into seeing this bill to fruition, and, more important, the sacrifices you have made along the way. I say to you that if you thought this journey has been difficult, the one you take from this day forth will be fraught with as many challenges as you have had to face so far. As my tūpuna, our tūpuna, have always said to us, in Ngāti Hine: “You’ve come too far not to keep going. You’ve done too much not to do more.”

I say to the leadership, and I quote my father on this, which he said when I was elected to be chairman of that great rūnunga Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hine—

💬 Ron Mark: You had to get it in, eh?

—yes—“Always look behind you, because you have to ask yourself: if there is no one there, then who are you leading?”.

Koi nā te wero! Koi nā te wero mō koutou ngā kai’hakahaere kia anga mua tēnei kaupapa hei painga mō koutou. Nā reira, e kore e tōroa ēnei tū ēngari, tū ake tēnei ki te tautoko ngā kōrero i kōrerohia i mua i a au. E tika ana hoki kia tukuna atu ngā mihi, ngā manaakitanga o Te Runga Rawa ki runga i a koutou. Ngā mihi, ngā āwhero nui mō te tau hou. Nā reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora mai anō tātou.

[That is the challenge. That is the challenge for you administrators, to ensure this settlement goes forward to benefit you collectively. And so, I will not prolong these sentiments by standing any longer, but I rose to endorse the contributions by those before me. It is appropriate as well to acknowledge the Almighty above for His kindness upon us. Best wishes and aspirations for the new year. So, greetings, congratulations to you and all of us, thank you.]

Tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā. Te Kīngi Tūheitia, tēnā koe e te rangatira. Ngā whānau, ngā hapū, rau rangatira mā, ngā kui, ngā koro o te iwi Ngāti Korokī Kahukura. Ka nunui te mihi atu ki a koutou, ā , nau mai, haere mai. Ngā mema o Te Whare Pāremata, tēnā koutou.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker. Greetings to you, King Tūheitia esteemed leader, families, sub tribes, many leaders and the elderly women and men of the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura tribe, a huge welcome to you, and so welcome, welcome, greetings to you, the members of Parliament House.]

I stand to take a brief call on this bill, this very important bill. I want to say that I was very disappointed in the kōrero of our Green member because today, whānau, is a day of celebration for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. Today is your day and we are here to celebrate with you, not to dredge up and talk very unsavoury kōrero to you. I also want to say to you that in listening to our previous speaker, the member Pita Paraone, he is right. The pockets of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations are only so big and I know that we all want it to be much bigger than it is, but that is where it is. I think that the Minister and the iwi negotiators need to be congratulated because this has been a tough process for everybody—for absolutely everybody—but we have managed to get to this point, the point of celebration.

People start to talk in this House about drops in buckets, but I can tell you that from a drop comes the rain, and from the rain comes the moana and the awa. That is how I look at the claims settlement process. We started with a drop in 2012, with the first signing of this deed, and we end today with the beautiful rain that spreads over all of you. That is the rain of your future. That will be the future of the mokopuna. It is what you do with it from here on out that makes the difference. I must say that I do support the Minister and the hard work that he has done for all the iwi of this country. He will continue to do that until every single Treaty settlement is settled in this House. That is the commitment of this Government and the commitment to everybody. So I say forget about the detractors. Close our ears. Let us look forward. Let us grow our iwi. Let us grow all iwi. We are the future. You are the future. When I look at the pēpi and I look at the hapū women who walk around our streets and our country, that is our future. That is what we need to talk about. So I am very humbled to stand here today to support the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill.

I understand the next call is a split call. Meka Whaitiri—5 minutes.

Tēnā koe, Mr Assistant Speaker. Ā, tēnā tātou katoa ngā mema o te Whare nei. Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, e te iwi, e ngā pākeke, e ngā rangatahi, nau mai, nau mai, hara mai. Nau mai, hara mai ki tō tātau Whare, Te Whare Mīere o Aotearoa. He mihi maioha, he mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa nō reira, tēnā tātau.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. Greetings to us all, members of this House, and to you, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, to the tribe, elders, and young people, welcome, welcome, welcome. Welcome, draw near to our House of Representatives of New Zealand. A sincere and warm welcome to you, and all of us. Thank you.]

I bring warm greetings from Te Tai Rāwhiti, from Ngāti Kahungunu, from Rangitāne, and from Te Ātiawa—the iwi who make up the electorate that I proudly represent, Ikaroa Rāwhiti. I stand here proudly to acknowledge the mahi and the passage of this very important bill, the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill, in its third and final reading.

Can I please acknowledge those who have travelled long distances to join in this great day of celebration, to acknowledge the work that many of your people have done who are no longer amongst us. I acknowledge the tipuna who have passed on and may they sleep well. I want to also acknowledge, particularly, the rangatahi, the mokopuna, whose mahi we are here for, so that when they come into their own it is a better place than when we inherited it. So I want to acknowledge the rangatahi, the tauira I see in the gallery, to be witness to the passing of this important piece of legislation.

Forty years ago, in 1974, the Labour Prime Minister at the time, Norman Kirk, spoke at Waitangi with a special message for all New Zealanders when he said: “… we are a distinctive nation, unlike any other in the world. And this is so, largely because Maoritanga—the history, the culture, the life-style of the Maori—is woven as rich gleaming threads in the fabric of our society.” Those words were true in 1974, they remain as true today, and Labour stands for a strong, enduring relationship between the Crown and Māori.

I want to spend the short time I have in acknowledging the day today by talking about a particular place that is dear to these people, and that is Lake Karapiro, and to share my affinity with that particular lake, since the early 1990s, from mid-January, I have always made a hīkoi to Lake Karapiro. I was a member of the Māori Affairs Committee in the 50th Parliament and we went to Karapiro to hear the submissions on this particular bill. It was the first time I have ever been back to Lake Karapiro when I did not actually have a paddle. So I stand here to acknowledge the contribution that that place plays in the fabric of the waka ama nation across Aotearoa.

I have to say that many, many years ago, when I first went, Te Tai Rāwhiti groups from Horouta Marae used to clean up all the races, but in recent years I have to acknowledge that the Waikato clubs have now come into their own and we are lucky even to get a medal. So I want to acknowledge the special place that Lake Karapiro has particularly in my heart and I acknowledge the good people of Koroki Kahukura who manaaki us when we come there—who look after us. I know that my sister Nanaia talked about the rowing capital being Lake Karapiro, but I also want to acknowledge the significant way that the people of Koroki Kahukura look after the waka ama whānau when we arrive at your lake. Can I acknowledge you and can I also say perhaps Rowing New Zealand could take a leaf out of the book of waka ama about how we manaaki our visitors to your beautiful lake.

With that small contribution can I say thank you to the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations for getting us to this point, and to all the negotiators, including my whanaunga Willie and his lovely wife, Linda. We can say things like that when you are whanaunga; you cannot change whom you are related to. To all the negotiators, to the Office of Treaty Settlements, and to all officials I say nō reira e te iwi. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

Kia ora e Te Māngai o Te Whare. E ngā mana, e ngā reo, rau rangatira mā, ngā whānau o Ngāti Korokī Kahukura me Ngāti Haua, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātau katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker, and welcome to the authorities, dialects, many leaders, and families of Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā. Welcome, welcome. I congratulate us all.]

Today is always a day of mixed emotion. It is an emotional day because it is a day that Ngāti Koroki Kahukura looks back at how they have arrived at this point in time. It interesting to note that we are over 155 years since our Native Land Acts and our Māori Land Wars. We are nearly 40 years since the Waitangi Tribunal was established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act. In fact, it was 20 years ago, in 1994, that Wally Papa and others put their Wai claims before the Crown. They were Wai 1294 and Wai 1494. So today is the beginning; it is not an end. Today is a day where, as a whānau, I think that all those memories come flooding back. Adrian Rurawhe and I were just sitting here admiring the strength and the resilience of your iwi, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, because the challenges that were faced over the years to get to this point in time have been ones where I think we ourselves have had to go through processes that the Crown has established to get your mandate, to get your negotiating team, to negotiate with the Crown. What I always appreciate about this process is the strength and resilience of our iwi.

We come and go. I am in my second term here. In the 50th Parliament I was a proud member of the Māori Affairs Committee. In this term I am not a member of the Māori Affairs Committee, but I am a proud Māori member of this House of Parliament and I am a proud member of Labour’s Māori caucus. What you need to know is that this Treaty settlement space is actually one where we do have consensus across the House and that all of us in this House want to work with iwi as fast as we can to give, I guess, formal recognition to your status. When I look at these bills, for me it is always the statutory acknowledgments that take my eye. Those statutory acknowledgments are actually about the Crown recognising the mana of the tangata whenua, and it is upon that relationship that I think we have clarity going forward because we see you as an equal partner under the statutory acknowledgment space. We see that our mana whenua actually do have rights and responsibilities in consenting and resource management issues, so for me that is the platform in terms of the relationship that provides the most clarity about our status as the mana whenua, the tangata whenua—the indigenous people—of Aotearoa New Zealand.

I always stand here with, I guess, the humbleness that comes from being in this House of Parliament and I am privileged to be part of this Treaty settlement process. I want to acknowledge and thank the strength and the mana of our iwi for getting us, as a country, to this point in time because without your generosity we would not be in a place where, actually, we are in a truth and reconciliation process. We can move forward and look forward with tremendous pride about, and appreciation for, the contribution that I know you have made, and that you will make, as an iwi to the development of our nation.

To all our kaumātua and our kuia, thank you for being the pōu and for being there to lead the way for the rangatahi. I do want to acknowledge, as my colleague Meka Whaitiri did, our mokopuna and our tamariki who are here because I think the legacy that we are creating actually holds us in good stead for the future. I am going to be really excited about how Ngāti Koroki Kahukura uses this settlement process to achieve the dreams and aspirations that I know you have been planning since 2010. I have looked on the website and I want to congratulate you on the engagement that you have had with your people to take them on this journey. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

It is indeed a privilege to stand and take this short call in the third reading of this bill. Allow me to acknowledge Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. With settlements such as these, it is important and appropriate that they recognise the wrongs in the past of our country and that they seek to make right those wrongs. In doing so, they also help to strengthen the partnership between the Crown and Māori. Settlements help iwi across the country unlock economic potential and boost regional and provincial productivity. It is important in addressing the wrongs that we provide that capability to iwi, and it is completely in keeping with this Government’s priority to build a more competitive and productive economy. It is our wish and our hope that through this settlement, and through the other settlements we have made, Māori will be able to fully participate in that growing and more productive economy.

I would also like to acknowledge the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, the Hon Christopher Finlayson, along with all the iwi across New Zealand who have been willing and able to enter into settlement negotiations. It is his drive and his determination that has seen 48 deeds of settlement signed since November 2008, and an outlook that by 2017 all willing and able iwi should have deeds of settlement completed. It is indeed an honour to be a participant, no matter how small, in these proceedings. I think that by looking back, acknowledging the wrongs of the past, and seeking to put them right, we actually clear the way to a better future for all New Zealand. I commend this bill to the House.

Ā, tēnā koe e Te Māngai o Te W’are, otirā, e pīrangi ana au kia tuku mihi atu ki a rātou anō ’oki e Te Māngai o Te W’are. Nō reira, ki a koutou Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, anei a ’au te tuku mi’i atu ki a koutou katoa kua tae mai ki Te W’are nei i tēnei rā. Kei te mi’i atu a au ki a koutou mō ō koutou ka’a, ō koutou māia, o koutou pono anō ’oki, kia w’akatau’ia tēnei kerēme. Nō reira, tēnei te mi’i. Kei te mi’i ‘oki au ki a koe e Te Tumuaki, tēnā koe, otirā, ki te mauri o Te Motu ki a Kīngi Tūheitia. Tēnei te mi’i ake ki a ia. Nō reira, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Thank you to the Speaker of the House, but, at the same time, I would like to acknowledge them, as well. And so to you, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, here I am acknowledging you all who have arrived in this House today. I salute you for your strength, resilience, and faith as well also to settle this claim and so my congratulations. I acknowledge you the head, greetings but at the same time how vital the essence of the country is to King Tūheitia. I salute him and therefore us all.]

I join with my colleagues in acknowledging all of the people who have arrived here today to hear the third reading of the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill. I want to acknowledge all of the contributions from members today. It is indeed one of the occasions when the House speaks with one voice, usually, on the passing of settlement bills. Today I want to acknowledge in particular the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Christopher Finlayson, for the work that he has done, and also the negotiators of this settlement. From experience I know that this is not an easy task, and it does take a long time. As my colleague Louisa Wall has said, the original claim was made 20 years ago, so a lot of people have worked very hard to get to this stage.

I want to also acknowledge those who have passed on. In 20 years it is without a doubt that people who have made huge commitments to this legislation will have passed on. In particular, I want to acknowledge Wally Papa and others as well for the work that they have done on this settlement.

I have read a number of historical accounts in deeds of settlement, and what never ceases to amaze me is the resilience of our people. It never ceases to amaze me as well that in each and every one of them—or at least in most of them—there are words to the effect that this iwi has become virtually landless. This is an issue that certainly drives most iwi in wanting to settle their historical claims. It is usually all about the land. In this particular bill, I want to particularly acknowledge Maungatautari. This has huge interest for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. I want to acknowledge the innovative mechanism that has been produced and agreed by both the Crown and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura to see that this taonga, this special place, is indeed looked after not only for the iwi but also the wider community. I have to say that that is a huge gift from Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, an act of generosity towards both the community and also Aotearoa.

The Native Land Court awarded that particular land to individuals, and, of course, individuals had the right to sell that land, which they eventually did. Of course, those kinds of acts, the omissions of the Crown, and the legislation that was in place at that time all contributed to the ongoing land loss. As it states in the deed of settlement, by the end of the 20th century Ngāti Koroki Kahukura were deemed to be virtually landless. This piece of legislation begins to heal that issue. It does not in itself resolve the whole issue. There are many, many years to come, I think, before Ngāti Koroki Kahukura progress to a point where they can stand up proudly and say that things have been resolved. This is a beginning, not an end.

I want to acknowledge the contribution from Denise Roche. I want to say it in this way, though: at a particular time, I think every iwi that has settled will re-examine their settlement. I think it is incumbent upon future generations—and I mihi to the rangatahi who are in attendance here today—that they do revisit these Treaty settlements. There are issues like relativity, which will be difficult to really achieve until every single iwi has settled their claims. I would put it this way: it would be difficult to express relativity between a settlement made 20 years ago and one made today. There are mechanisms within each of those settlements—for example, the purchase of Crown properties. I would certainly want to be paying land prices of 20 years ago rather than land prices today. That contributes to the relativity of each individual claim. I think it will be one that will be raised in the future. I will not go so far as to say that this claim is not full and final. That is for the lawyers to decide in the future. But I would suggest to each and every rangatahi in the gallery today that they should take note of these proceedings. They should take note and remember this day as a special day, but one that also provides them with an opportunity to relook at where they are, in the future.

I want to also mention the cultural redress items within this settlement. The statutory acknowledgments mentioned by my colleague Louisa Wall are very good instruments, I believe. However, I think they could be extended further into the future than they are. Also, the deeds of recognition provide a multitude of management mechanisms over certain land as well. The letters of introduction are a very important part of developing relationships, moving into the future. We have already heard from the Hon Nanaia Mahuta about the strong relationship-building capability of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. These letters are important, but they provide an opportunity that can be fully utilised only from the point of view of the receiver of the letter. What I am saying in that is that I encourage those ministries, those departments, to actually put real effort into making good relationships with Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. From my experience, that is not always the case. Nō reira, ka mutu taku kōrero i konei, otirā, kai te mi’i atu anō ki a koutou Ngāti Korokī Kahukura mō ō koutou kaha kia ’ara mai mō tēnei rā whakahirahira, tēnei te mi’i atu ki a koutou katoa, oti noa puta noa i Te W’are nei, tēnā tātau.

Nō reira, ka mutu taku kōrero i konei, otirā, kai te mi’i atu anō ki a koutou Ngāti Korokī Kahukura mō ō koutou kaha kia ’ara mai mō tēnei rā whakahirahira, tēnei te mi’i atu ki a koutou katoa, oti noa puta noa i Te W’are nei, tēnā tātau.

[So I conclude my contribution here but, at the same time, acknowledge you once again, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, for your efforts to come here for this important day. I congratulate you and thank us all, as well, throughout this House.]

As a Pākehā New Zealander it gives me enormous pleasure and pride to be the last speaker in this momentous, historic debate. I wish to greet those who have come from so far to be here today to witness what is a momentous step forward, not just for the iwi but for all New Zealanders, and part of an ongoing programme of Treaty settlements. I wish to acknowledge the remarkable hard work and spirit of energy that the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, the Hon Chris Finlayson, brings to these settlement negotiations.

I wish to briefly acknowledge those who have contributed so much in terms of negotiating this settlement, which is of such significance. It is a way forward, and it is a way forward that acknowledges those who have gone before. And so, as we come to the conclusion of this formal debate and the passing of this special piece of legislation, it is my absolute pleasure to commend the bill to the House and to the country.

Bill read a third time.

Waiata