Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill

I move, That the Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the bill. Earlier in the year I had the pleasure of welcoming many of the community of Hineuru to Parliament to sign their deed of settlement, and I am really pleased to welcome back to the House a number of them this morning as we put legislation into the House that covers their settlement agreement—reached, if I may say so, through determination, pragmatism, and willingness.

I want to say something about the history of Hineuru’s interactions with the Crown. In the mid-19th century the tīpuna of Hineuru lived and cultivated land in the mountainous inland region between Hawke’s Bay and Taupō Moana. They had few interactions with the Crown until 1866. In that year Crown forces attacked a group of Māori who were camped at Ōmarunui near Napier after the expiry of an unreasonable ultimatum calling on the group to surrender. On the same day Crown forces also intercepted, surrounded, and then subsequently attacked another group, led by the Hineuru rangatira Te Rangi Hīroa further north near Pētane. Crown forces killed Te Rangi Hīroa and other Hineuru people during their attacks and then pursued Hineuru and other Māori into the rohe of Hineuru and plundered their kāinga.

By the end of 1866 Hineuru had abandoned nearly all of their kāinga and cultivations due to conflict with the Crown. Thirty-four individuals from the iwi were among 86 prisoners captured by the Crown. The Crown transported most of the prisoners to the Chatham Islands and detained them without trial in harsh conditions for almost 2 years. In 1868 the prisoners escaped and became embroiled in a war with the Crown. During this war Crown forces summarily executed a number of prisoners captured at Ngātapa in January 1869.

In 1867 the Crown proclaimed a large confiscation district in Hawke’s Bay that included many of the lands of Hineuru. In 1870 the Crown concluded an agreement to retain some of the confiscated land in the core of the Hineuru rohe and return the remainder to individual Māori. This arrangement excluded a number of Hineuru from the titles for the Tarawera and the Tataraakina blocks and reduced the Hineuru interests in the Tarawera block to that of a minority. After years of protest, in 1924 the Crown promoted legislation that allowed the Native Land Court to award land in Tarawera and Tataraakina to Hineuru individuals who were descended from those excluded from the 1870 titles. Then in 1952 the Crown promoted further legislation that overturned the titles that were awarded in the 1920s. For Hineuru, these changes resulted in decades of tenurial uncertainty, significant financial burdens, and social dislocation.

Fortunately, the northern part of the Hineuru rohe was not included in the confiscation. However, after 1877 the Crown and private purchasers acquired large areas of Hineuru land, and so today, as we have so often heard in this House in debates on Treaty legislation, Hineuru are virtually landless. In the late 19th century, Hineuru re-established a community at Te Hāroto, where their marae and wharenui, Rongopai, stand today. However, in the 20th century Hineuru faced economic insecurity, which was accompanied by widespread poverty, poor housing, disease, and the subsequent migration of many Hineuru from their traditional rohe. It goes without saying, as I always have to say, that it is not possible to compensate Hineuru fully for the loss and prejudice they have suffered as a result of the Crown’s acts and omissions. It really is a testament to their generosity that in agreeing to this settlement Hineuru have forgone full compensation so as to contribute to New Zealand’s development. As the history suggests, their journey to settlement stretches back many decades indeed.

Although I acknowledge those members of Hineuru here at Parliament today, I also need to mention those who are no longer with us. This includes the tribunal claimants who carried the claims of their tīpuna but who were unable to see their efforts and their aspirations recognised in legislation. Hineuru settlement negotiations began in October 2009 when the Crown recognised the mandate of Ngāti Hineuru Iwi Inc. to negotiate the settlement of all their historical Treaty claims. Settlement negotiations began in 2010, and I asked our former parliamentary colleague Paul Swain to be the Crown negotiator. I acknowledge Mr Swain and the tremendous work that he has done. I regret that certain people in this House have been attacking Treaty negotiators in a very personal way in the last few days, because they do an excellent job, and Paul Swain is one of my closest confidants in this area. On behalf of him I reject everything that has been said about Treaty negotiators, and I notice that no apology has yet been forthcoming.

The Hineuru negotiators then provided me with a set of pou representing Hineuru’s settlement aspirations. These included the restoration and protection of Hineuru’s cultural heritage and their health and well-being; the recognition of Hineuru’s mana and the restoration of their relationships with neighbouring iwi, a very, very important consideration for the iwi; the reassertion of Hineuru presence throughout the rohe; the ability to rebuild an economic base for the iwi; and the revitalisation of Hineuru’s role as kaitiaki of the environment and its resources. These pou have guided Hineuru through their negotiations and have ensured they have obtained a settlement package that achieve these goals, resulting in a stronger and more prosperous future for the iwi.

In August 2012 I signed a letter of agreement, and on 2 October 2012 I signed an agreement in principle. Intensive negotiations followed. These are not superficial negotiations, as one member of this House seems to think. The Crown and Ngāti Hineuru Iwi Inc. initiated the deed of settlement in July 2014, and then, as I said earlier, we were very lucky to have Hineuru present in the precinct a couple of months ago when the deed of settlement was signed.

The redress package recorded in the deed, which will be given effect to by this legislation, includes an agreed historical account, Crown acknowledgments of its breaches of the Treaty and its principles, and a Crown apology to Hineuru. These are not negotiated in 5 minutes; they are complex and carefully crafted documents that deal with important matters of history—I say that for the benefit of some members of this House. Then we have financial and commercial redress, including a quantum of $25 million. Then, thirdly, we have cultural redress, including the vesting of six significant sites, overlay classifications, statutory acknowledgments, deeds of recognition, and place name changes, all of which require careful, thorough negotiation, as Mr Swain would tell us. I am confident that this package fulfils the objectives of the pou presented to me by negotiators in 2010 and provides Hineuru with a strong vehicle for the development of their people in the future. I understand the trustees have already begun their strategic planning and have already made important decisions concerning the future of their iwi. I commend the trustees for their leadership and I acknowledge their decision to purchase both blocks of Woodstock Station at settlement date.

The journey of this fine iwi now moves into the final stages as we look to implement the settlement legislation in the next couple of months. I say to the trustees of the post-settlement governance entity and to this House that this bill should proceed to the Māori Affairs Committee without delay. As we know, that committee does a great job in processing these bills and getting them back to the House as quickly as possible. I commend the bill to the House.

Ā, tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare. “Tīhei uriuri, tihei nakonako, whakatau hā, whakatau ko te rangi i runga nei. Whakatau hā, whakatau ko te papa i raro nei. Whakatau hā, whakatau ki matuku mai i Rarotonga. Ko ia i rukuhia manawa pou roto, ko ia i rukuhia manawa o pou 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!”

I te tīmatanga ko Te Kupu, ko Te Kupu, ko Te Atua, ko Te Atua anō taua Kupu! Anā, korōria ki tōna ingoa tapu i tau mai tōna ringa manaaki, tōna ringa atawhai ki runga i a koutou kua tatū mai nei i raro i te tuanui ō tō tātou Whare. I mauria mai e koutou i te kaupapa whakahirahira o ngā mātua tūpuna, koia nā te take ka korōria, ka wehi tonu tēnei ki tō tātou Kaihanga, kia tiaki tonu e ia ngā manako, ngā wawata ō koutou o Ngāti Hineuru, otirā, mō ngā mokopuna o ngā uri whakatipu, korōria ki tōna ingoa tapu!

Nā, ko ngā maharatanga ki ngā tini aituā, i whakawaha mai te Minita i ētahi ō koutou, otirā, rātou kua ngaro atu ki tua o te ārai, rātou i kawe ai i tēnei kaupapa, rātou i kawe ai i te mamae mō te roanga o te wā, mai i te tūkinotanga o te Kāwanatanga i a koutou, otirā, i a tāua Te Māori, tae noa mai ki tēnei wā. Ka tangi tonu te ngākau mō rātou kua ngaro atu ki Te Pō. Haere mai, haere! Ka tāpiri atu ko ngā aituā maha kei runga i a tātou e hui tahi nei i raro i te tuanui o tō tātou Whare. Kotahi tonu te kōrero: “Te rāngai maomao ka taka ki tua o Nukutaurua, e kore e hoki mai ā muri.” Kāti te wāhanga ki te hunga mate!

Kia whakahokia mai ngā rārangi kōrero ki a tātou. Ko tāku i tēnei wā e tautoko ana i te kōrero o te Minita mō tēnei take, mō te pire e tatūnga i ngā kerēme, i ngā take e pā ana ki te Tiriti o Wāitangi, arā, ki a Ngāti Hineuru i tau mai i te rā nei. Ka tautoko i ngā mihi ki ngā āpiha, ngā āpiha nā rātou wēnei kōrero me te kiko o tēnei pire i whakaritea, ka tae mai ki roto i tēnei Whare mō te pānuitanga tuatahi o te pire, nō reira, e mihi atu ana ki te Minita me ōna āpiha katoa. Ka tautoko tēnei i ngā kōrero ka tukuna atu tēnei pire ki Te Rōpū Whiriwhiri i ngā Take Māori o Te Whare nei, ka tukuna atu ki roto i ngā ringaringa o te heamana ka noho mai ki tērā taha o te Whare me ngā mema kei runga i taua rōpū hei whiriwhiri i ngā take, hei whiriwhiri i te pire kei mua i te aroaro i tēnei wā, tēnei ka mihi.

Ka tautoko ahau i ngā mihi ki te ngākaunui, ki te manawa ora, ki te manawanui o Ngāti Hineuru, mai i te takahanga o tēnei kaupapa i ngā tau 1990, i tatū ai wā rātou kerēme me ngā take e pā ana ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi ki Te Taraipiunara o Waitangi. Kia mōhio mai te Whare e te Māngai, ā te Oketopa e tū mai nei, ka whā tekau tau Te Taraipiunara o Waitangi. Nō reira, ka whakaaro ake ki te nui o ngā mahi i oti i a rātou, nā, e pā ana ki ngā iwi puta noa, nā, me Ngāti Hineuru i tae mai i te rā nei, tēnei ka mihi.

Ka whakaaro ake ahau ki ngā kōrero hītori me ngā kōrero whakapapa i kōrero mai, i waha mai e te Minita ki mua i te aroaro o te Whare i te rā nei. Nā, ka kōrero mai te Minita mō te pakanga nui ki runga o Ōmarunui ki roto i ngā tau tini kua pahure ake nei. Kia mōhio mai te Whare, e te Māngai, kia mōhio mai koe, ā te Oketopa ā te tau e tū mai nei, ka 150 tau ka mahara tātau ki taua pakanga te pakanga i Ōmarunui. I taua pakanga rā, ka kōrero mai te Minita mō ētahi o ngā uri o Ngāti Hineuru me iwi kē i whakaherea i roto i ngā whare herehere ki runga o Wharekauri.

I taua tāima, ka whakaaro ake ahau mō tērā tāima. Ka whakaaro ake ahau tā te mea, i taua tāima, i runga o Te Motu o Wharekauri tētahi tupuna rongonui ki roto i Te Ao Māori, kāti, ko Te Kooti tērā! Ka whakaaro ake ahau ki wētahi o ngā kōrero a Te Kootī. Hei tāna: “Ka whakaorangia e ahau te toenga o te tangata i hanga e tōku ringa i te tīmatanga, āke, āke! Ka pei ahau i te hunga kino! Ka whakahau ahau i ngā rohe o Rēneti.” Ko te ngako o taua kōrero e pā ana ki te ao i kitea nei e Te Kooti i a ia e mauherehere ana ki runga o Wharekauri. Nā, ka whakaaro ake ki ōna whanaunga, ki a ngāi tāua te Māori, i tūkinohia ai e te Kāwanatanga ki roto i ngā tau i kōrero nei te Minita i nāianei tata ake nei. Nō reira, ka mihi atu ahau ki a rātou nāna i peia mai i ō rātou tūrangawaewae tae noa atu ki ngā kāinga e mōhio nei tātou i tēnei wā, arā, ko Te Hāroto, arā ko Tarāwera, ko ngā awa rangatira ka tohua nei, ka kōrero nei, ki roto i te pire, tēnei ka mihi, tēnei ka tangi.

Nō reira, kāti, ka huri i te titiro iaianei nā ki te roanga ake o ngā kōrero kei roto i tēnei pire. He nui ngā kōrero! He nui ngā kōrero e pā ana ki ngā mamaetanga i pā ki runga i a Ngāti Hineuru i roto i ngā tau. Nā, ka tukuna atu tētahi kōnae pūtea ki a Ngāti Hineuru kia whakatinana ai rātou i ō rātou moemoeā, i ō rātou wawata ki roto i ngā tau kei mua i a tātau. Nā, ko ētahi atu wāhanga kei roto i te pire, ka whakahokia atu wētahi o ngā wāhi kāinga o Ngāti Hineuru ki a rātou. Nā, ko tētahi atu wāhanga kei roto i te pire, ka āhei a Ngāti Hineuru ki roto i ngā komiti me ngā poari whakahaere o ō rātou rawa. Ā, ko tētahi anā ko Te Awa o Te Rangitaiki, ā, ko tētahi atu ko Te Awa o Te Mōhaka. Kua kite tātau i tēnei Kāwanatanga e whakarite nei i ngā tatūnga kerēme pēnei i tēnei. Ka mea atu, āe, ka whakaae kia uru mai a Ngāti Hineuru ki roto i ngā mahi whakahaere o ō rātou rawa. Kāti! E mihi atu ana ahau ki tērā whakaaro rangatira! Pai ake tērā i te kore! Pai ake tērā i te noho wahangū o Ngāti Hineuru ki roto i ō rātou mahi whakahaere. Nō reira, ka mihi atu ahau ki tērā āhuatanga o te pire.

Tētahi wāhanga kai roto i te pire i kapohia nei i te whakaaro o Peeni e tū mai nei, ko tētahi e mea atu ana, ko ngā taonga tūturu kei roto i te pire nei. I te āta wānangahia te kōrero kai roto i te pire, nā, ka titiro anā, koia rā ēnā ko ngā rawa ka puta mai i te whenua, ka puta mai hei oranga mō te katoa. Kāti, ka whakaaro ake ahau ki tērā kōrero te taonga tūturu! Ko te taonga tūturu o tāua Te Māori, he aha rā tēnei? Ēhara i te mea, nō te whenua anake! Ēhara i te mea nō te rangi anake! Ka pupū ake ko ngā taonga tūturu o ngā mātua tūpuna ki roto i te whatumanawa o te tangata, ki roto i te mauri i kawea ai e te tangata, nā, ko Ngāti Hineuru kua tae mai i te rā nei.

Hei whakapakinga ake, kia mōhio mai koutou e Ngati Hineuru, kua tae mai tēnei pire ki roto i tana pānuitanga tuatahi i mua i te aroaro o tēnei Whare, i roto i te roanga ake o tōna haere ki roto i tēnei Whare. Kei konei mātou katoa e tautoko ana i te pire, e āhua āta titiro ana ki roto i wāna kōrero kei roto hei totohe, hei tutūnga i te puehu kia whakahoki atu te mana motuhake ki a koutou mā roto i ō koutou whainga ā tae hoake nei. Nō reira, kāti! E te Māngai o te Whare, tātou e hui katoa nei, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora tātau katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker of the House. “Behold the descendants, behold the recollections, welcome indeed the sky above me, welcome indeed the reef heron from the north, perform the ritual, place the sacred red stone inwards, conclude the ritual by placing it outwards. Firm up the Hawaiki origins here, secure it. For that which wells up, suspend it from the sky above, secure it. Oh to be triumphant and to overcome Tangaroa; so join and be united; it is done!”

In the beginning the Word was the Word, God was God, who was also that Word! That is it! Glory to his Holy name and that his protective and benevolent hand was upon you who arrived under the roof of our House. You brought the magnificent proposal of the ancestral forefathers, and that is the very reason why I glorify and stand in awe of our Creator, and that he continues to look after your hopes and aspirations of Ngāti Hineuru, but at the same time for the grandchildren of future generations; glory to his Holy name!

And now the thoughts go to the myriads of deaths. The Minister mentioned some of yours indeed, those who have gone beyond the veil, they who bore this proposal and hurt for a very long period, from the time the Government violated you, and us Māori indeed, to now. I continue to grieve within for them who are lost to the void. Welcome, depart! I add the many deaths that are upon us assembled here under the roof of our House to those who are gone. There is only one aphorism: “The shoal of Scorpis violaceus that passes beyond Nukutaurua will never return after that.” Enough about those who have died!

I want the address to come back to us. I am supporting the Minister’s address in regard to this matter about the bill settling the claims concerning the Treaty of Waitangi and Ngāti Hineuru, who arrived here today. I endorse the acknowledgments to the officials. They considered these statements and the substance of this bill and are here in the House for the first reading of the bill, and so I commend the Minister and all of his officials. I support the sentiments that this bill be referred to the Māori Affairs Committee of this House and into the hands of the chairman seated on that side of the Chamber, and into the hands of the members on that committee, for them to consider the bill that is before us right now; I commend this.

I endorse the accolades in regard to the passion, aspiration, and persistence of Ngāti Hineuru since the transgression of this matter in the 1990s, after the settlement of their claims relating to the Treaty of Waitangi claims was referred to the Waitangi Tribunal. It should be noted by the House that this coming October marks the 40th anniversary of the Waitangi Tribunal. And so I reflect on the vast number of settlement referrals that it has dealt with relating to tribes throughout, and to Ngāti Hineuru, who have arrived here today. I really commend them.

I reflect on the historical and genealogical accounts that the Minister related and brought before the House today. Now, the Minister related the major battle upon Ōmarunui many years ago to us. The House and you, Mr Assistant Speaker, should note that this coming October we will commemorate the 150th year of that battle in Ōmarunui. The Minister told us that at that battle some descendants of the Ngāti Hineuru and of other tribes were imprisoned in the prison buildings on the Chatham Islands.

At that time my mind went back to that period because there was another ancestor of note in Māoridom on the Chatham Islands, but enough—that was Te Kooti! I mulled over some of Te Kooti’s proclamations. He said: “I will save the remainder of the people that my hand created in the beginning for ever more! I will banish the wicked! I will protect the borders of Rēneti!” The essence of that proclamation relates to the vision that Te Kooti witnessed when he was in prison on the Chatham Islands. So I thought about his relatives, to us Māori, mistreated by the Government during those years that the Minister alluded to just moments ago. And so I commiserate with those who were banished from their places that they had a right to stand on, including places that we know of today, namely as Te Hāroto, Tarāwera, and the revered rivers that are recognised and referred to in the bill. I commiserate with them and mourn for them.

So enough! I focus immediately now on the substantial details in this bill—which there are a lot of! There are references to the hurt that has impacted on Ngāti Hineuru over the years. Now, there is a reference to a financial compensation that was granted to Ngāti Hineuru to realise their future aspirations and expectations. In some parts of the bill there are references to some places belonging to Ngāti Hineuru being returned to them. Now, in one part of the bill, Ngāti Hineuru is able to participate in the committees and boards that administer their resources. One such is the river of Rangitaiki, and the other one is the Mōhaka River. We have seen this Government making considerations in settlements similar to this one. I say, yes, I agree that Ngāti Hineuru participate in the administration of their resources. Enough! I commend that noble thought. That is better than nothing at all. It is far better for Ngāti Hineuru to have a part to play in the administration of their resources than to remain silent. So I commend that aspect of the bill.

Another part of the bill that captures the mind of Peeni standing here is the one that refers to the original treasures here in this bill. I examined that statement in the bill thoroughly, and I suddenly realised that they were really resources from within the land that emerge as sustenance for everybody. So I pondered over that statement about anything prized that is original. What is anything prized that is original to us Māori; what in fact is this to us? It is not really something from the land alone, neither is it from the sky! And then it emerged that anything original that is prized by the forefathers is within a person, it is the very essence of life that each of us has; now there are Ngāti Hineuru, who have arrived here today!

In closing, I want you, Ngāti Hineuru, to be cognisant of the fact that this bill has arrived before this House for its first reading and for the entire duration of its journey through it. We are all here supporting the bill and being somewhat analytic of its statements at times, debating and stirring up the dust a bit to ensure that your absolute independence eventually returns to you collectively through your aims. Therefore, enough! Mr Assistant Speaker of the House, I acknowledge and commend you and all of us gathered here; thank you.]

Tēnā koe, Mr Assistant Speaker, kia ora tātau katoa e te Whare. Hei tīmatanga kōrero māku, hei whaiwhai haere i te ia o te kōrero, me pēnei rawa te kī: “Tēnei te ara kei runga ko te ara o tēnei tipua, ko te ara o tēnei ariki, ko te ara o tēnei matua a iwi, ko te ara o Ranginui e tū nei, o Papatūānuku e takoto nei kia rarau iho rā ngā tapuwae o Tāne, tēnei te pō, nau mai haere mai te rā! Koia rā e Rongo whakairia ki runga, tūturu ōwhiti whakamaua kia tina! Tina! Hui e, tāiki e!”

Ko tāku e hoa mā Ngāti Hineuru, tēnā koutou, haere mai. Ko te wāhi ki a au e tautoko i ngā kōrero a te Minita, ka tahi, ā, tēnei o māua a Peeni, ki a koutou kua tatū mai. Ehara i te mea he tawhiti rawa ngā korero ki tērā i kōrerohia nā e Peeni, e tika ana tāna! Anei a Te Ururoa e tautoko ake ana i a ia, anei Te Pāti Māori e tautoko ake ana i ngā kōrero kua puta, anei māua ko Strepsils e raruraru nei, kua pāngia e te maremare, nō reira, e kore au e kōrero mō te wā roa.

E hoa mā, ka mihi rā ki a koutou kua tatū mai! E tika ana tā te Minita, otirā, tā Peeni mō te hunga kua ngaro atu. I a au e tū nei ka hoki ngā mahara ki a Whetū Tipiwai. Ko ia tērā i haere ki te mata o te whenua i raro i te korowai o Ngāti Hineuru te wā i a ia. Ka tangi ki a ia me tērā kāhui kua ngaro atu i te tirohanga kanohi nō reira, waiho rātau ki a rātau. Anei tātau i tēnei rā huri noa i tō tātau Whare me ngā mema katoa, tēnā koutou, kia ora tātau katoa.

Kai aku rangatira, ko au tētahi ka haere i roto i tō koutou rohe ka puta i Rotorua, ka tae atu ki Taupō, kua mōhio tonu ahau ka tae ana ki Taupō, kotahi hāora me te toru hauwhā hāora pea, ā, ka tae atu ki roto o Ahuriri. Ā, ka tae atu ki Tarawera kua mōhio, ā, kua āhua tata atu ki tērā o ngā takiwā ki Ahuriri. Ka tae atu ki Te Hāroto, ā, wā poto, ā, ka tae atu ki Ahuriri. Ka mutu, ka tata atu ki Ahuriri kua mōhio, kei reira tonu te Iron Māori e tatari ana ki te hunga pakari. Nō reira, kua waia kē au ki tērā rori, ki tērā takiwā, ka mutu, e hia kē nei ngā wā kua haere au i tērā huarahi me te mōhio anō hoki, arā anō te rohe pōtae o Ngāti Hineuru.

Kua oti kē i te Minita nei te whakatakoto te hītori. E kore au e whakatōwai i ērā kōrero, ka mutu, he pērā anō hoki a Peeni, kāo, e kore au e hoki ki ērā kōrero. Ko te kaupapa nui ki a au i tēnei rā, ko te kī atu, ehara i te mea he nui ngā rerekētanga o tērā o ngā hītori i pā ki a koutou o Ngāti Hineuru ki ētahi atu iwi o te motu. Arā, kua kite i ētahi atu kanohi o Ngāruahine rā kua waia kē rātau ki te āhuatanga o tēnei mea o te muru me te raupatu. Pēnei i tā Peeni e kōrero nei, nā wai ngā whenua i whānako? Ē, nā te Karauna! Ka puta i roto i ngā kōrero ā kō ake nei. Ka puta nā runga i te aha? Ā, nā runga i te āhuatanga o te whawhai, o te tohe, ka tahi. Ka rua, nā te āhuatanga o ngā mahi tinihanga a te Kōti Māori, tēnei Kōti Nātive e tū tonu i tēnei wā. Nā reira, ka tangi ake! E tika ana te kōrero, i noho kore whenua nei koutou, i raro i te korowai, i raro i te tirohanga o te Kāwanatanga! Ēngari, kua mōhio tonu koutou ki tō koutou ake rohe.

Ā, ka mutu, i rongo anō hoki au i te kōrero mō Te Kooti. Ki tāku mōhio, ē, āhua ōrite a Te Kooti ki ngā poropiti o roto o Taranaki, a Te Whiti o Rongomai rāua ko Tohu Kākahi. He aha tā rātau kaupapa? Te rangimarie me te rongomau! Ā tōna mutunga mai, he aha te kaupapa i puta? Ko whawhai, ko pakanga! Nō reira, ka raruraru i reira! Anā, pēnei i ngā mea o roto o Taranaki, ā, i heria ngā tāne ki Ōtepoti rā anō. Te āhuatanga ki a Te Kooti me āna tāngata kua heria atu ki Wharekauri rā anō. He aha te mahi? Mauherehere nei i roto o Ōtepoti, mauherehere nei ki roto o Wharekauri. Ēngari, ko te mea pai i puta ko te rongopai. Ko tēnā o ngā whakaaro ko te rongopai, ko te whakapono ki Te Atua. Mā Te Atua anō rā ngā mamaetanga, ngā pēhitanga e whakatau. Ēngari, kei konei tonu tātau e kōrero nei mō ēnā uauatanga. Nō reira, ka tangi ake ki te āhuatanga o ngā mamae i rangona nei e te ngākau, e te wairua e te tinana o te tangata, ō koutou Ngāti Hineuru. Ka tangi ake ki te mamaetanga i utaina ai e Te Karauna ki runga i a Ngāti Hineuru, otirā, ngā iwi o te motu. Kei konei tonu tātau e tohe nei mō ērā kōrero!

Hei whakakōpani i taku kōrero kua rata atu au ki te āhuatanga o ngā kōrero mō ngā pou e whā i whakaritea mai ai e koutou. Tuatahi, kia whakaora anō rā i te ara whanaunga ki ētahi o tērā rohe, o tērā takiwā. Ā, ka pai hoki kia pērā rawa te āhua. Tuarua, ko te whakaora i te oranga tonutanga o Ngāti Hineuru, ā-wairua, ā-tāngata, ā-ngākau. Tuatoru, kia whai tūranga a Ngāti Hineuru i roto i ngā take katoa o te takiwā. Me pērā ka tika! Tuawhā, kia noho a Ngāti Hineuru hei kaitiaki i runga i ō rātau ake whenua. Koinei te tikanga, me pērā ka tika! Nō reira, ehara i te mea he nui ngā kōrero i tua atu o tērā.

Ēngari, mēnā he kupu kōrero hei whakakōpani i taku mihi ki a koutou i tēnei rā, mēnā ko te tino rangatiratanga tā koutou e whai nei, ehara i te mea, ka kitea mai ai i roto i tēnei pire, kāo! Ēngari, koinei tētahi paku wāhanga o te huarahi kia eke ki tērā taumata! Nō reira, kua puta te kōrero mai i a Hineuru mō Hineuru. Mēnā koinei te whāinga matua, ka pai hoki! Ko tāku, he tautoko ake i te mahi nui a te Minita, he whakatinana i tēnei o ngā kaupapa ko te pānuitanga tuatahi. Arā anō ētahi mahi nui hei whakaoti ā ngā marama tata kei mua i te aroaro. Ēngari, ko te ngākau o te Whare e tautoko ake i ngā keremē katoa.

E hoa mā, kia kakama ki te whakatutuki i te kaupapa nei! Kua roa mātau e kī ana, kaua e kī atu kua mutu te huarahi i tēnei rā, kāo! Tonoa mai wā koutou tamariki, tonoa mai ā koutou tamariki, ka kore e mutu ēnei āhuatanga ki konei ā ngā marama tata kei mua i te aroaro! Ēngari, ko te mamae e kore e mutu! Kei roto i ngā tamariki, kei roto i a koutou! Nō hea mai? Nō te mahi a te Karauna ki ō koutou tūpuna, ki ō koutou mātua! Nō reira, tēnei te mihi atu ki a koutou, ki a tātau e te Whare huri noa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia kaha, kia toa!

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker, and greetings to us all in the House. To begin my address and to follow up the tenor of it, allow me to say: “This path upwards is the path of this deity, this firstborn, this father of the tribe, this Sky Father above, this Mother Earth below, for man to place his feet upon this night, welcome the day, welcome! That is it; Rongo, hang these words up there and fix it firmly! Firmly and permanently! Join, gather, entwine!”

Welcome to you my friends of Hineuru, welcome. Firstly, I endorse the Minister’s statements, and those of the fellow member Peeni Henare, to you who have arrived here. My sentiments are not too far away from those expressed by Peeni, and what he has stated is correct. Te Ururoa is standing here supporting what he said, as is the Māori Party, and so are my Strepsils, as I am troubled somewhat by a cough, and as a consequence will not be speaking too long.

Friends, you have arrived and I really welcome you. In regard to those who have passed away, the tributes by the Minister and Peeni are so appropriate, and as I stand here my thoughts go back to Whetū Tipiwai, who travelled the country under the cloak of Ngāti Hineuru during his lifetime. I mourn him and those who are lost from our sight, and so allow them to rest there in their own company. And here we are today throughout our House with all the members; I acknowledge us all.

I am one who, my esteemed elders, when I leave Rotorua to go to your region, once I get to Taupō I know that I will reach Napier in about an hour and three quarters. So when I get to Tarawera I am cognisant of the fact that I am getting closer to one of those Napier boundaries. When I reach Te Hāroto I know that in a short while I will get to Napier, and also, just before I get there, the place for the Iron Māori event is still there, waiting for the fit ones. Therefore, I am accustomed to that road, that area, and so I have travelled that highway several times, knowing full well that it is Ngāti Hineuru territory.

The Minister has already outlined the history. I will not add anything further, and besides, Peeni did the same. No, I will not go back to those historical accounts. My major platform today is saying to you, Ngāti Hineuru, that there is not a great deal of difference about that history that relates to you as it does to other tribes. I see the face of others like Ngāruahine especially; you are accustomed to this thing about plundering and confiscation, as Peeni said in his address. Who stole the land? Er, the Crown stole it! That will emerge in accounts to follow. Based on what? Based on the circumstances of warfare and disputes is one; two, the deceitful actions of the Māori Land Court, this Native Land Court that continues to exist today. And so I grieve. It is true that you were left landless under the cloak and watchful eye of the Government. But you know your region well—very well.

Furthermore, I also heard about the stories about Te Kooti. In my opinion, Te Kooti is a bit like the Taranaki prophets Te Whiti of Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi. What did they advocate? Calm and peace. What was the outcome? Conflict, warfare! And so it broke down there. In the case of the ones in Taranaki, the men were taken all the way to Dunedin. In Te Kooti and his followers’ situation, they were taken all the way to the Chatham Islands. What did they do there? The ones who were taken to Dunedin were imprisoned there, and the ones taken to the Chatham Islands were imprisoned as well. But peace was the great thing that emerged. In regard to that thought, it was the peace and belief in God that emerged from the imprisonment. Only God can settle the hurt and oppression. But we are still here talking about the circumstances of those hardships that the heart, spirit, and body of those of you of Ngāti Hineuru experienced. I grieve for the hurt that the Crown inflicted upon you, Ngāti Hineuru, and indeed upon the tribes of the nation. And here we are debating those accounts.

In conclusion, I warm to the four milestones that you came up with for us to consider. The first one is to restore familial relationships with others in that region or district. It is wonderful if that is the situation being sought. The second one is to restore the very spiritual health, bodily health, and welfare of Ngāti Hineuru. The third one is for Ngāti Hineuru to have a position in all matters relating to the district. That must occur as of right. And the fourth one is that Ngāti Hineuru remains a guardian over its own lands. This is the custom, and it must be so. Aside from that, I do not have much more to add.

However, if there is a comment to close my welcome to you today, it is this: if self-determination is what you are seeking, you will not find it in this bill—absolutely not. But this is a small step towards attaining that level. And so the story from Hineuru about Hineuru has emerged. If that is the main aim, then that is absolutely wonderful. My role is to support the great work of the Minister in implementing this first reading. There is much more work of importance for us to complete in the near months ahead. The heart of the House is really set on supporting all the claims.

Colleagues, we need to make haste to complete this matter. We have for a long time said that the road has not ended here today; no, it has not at all. Send your children, your youngsters here; these circumstances will not finish here, in the near months ahead of us. And the pain will not end! It is in the children; it is in you. Where is it coming from? From the actions of the Crown, to your ancestors and your parents. And so I acknowledge you and us in the House collectively throughout; well done, congratulations, be strong, be staunch!]

Mr Assistant Speaker, tēnā koe; e ngā mema o te Whare, tēnā tātou katoa. Ngāti Hineuru whenua, Ngāti Hineuru mana, Ngāti Hineuru tangata, tēnei te mihi maioha ki a koutou. Tēnei te mihi maioha i runga i te kaupapa whakahirahira. Āe, kua tae mai te wā kia hōnore Te Kōrōria o Te Atua. Nō reira, e te iwi, nau mai, nau mai, hara mai.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker, and greetings to you all, the members of the House. To you, Ngāti Hineuru land, authority, and people, my affectionate welcome to you in regard to this great proposal. The moment to honour the Glory of God has arrived, and so I bid you, the tribe, welcome, welcome, welcome.]

It is indeed an honour to stand, to acknowledge, and to support unreservedly the passage of this historic bill, the Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill. Like previous speakers in the House, I too want to acknowledge those who are no longer here with us both to witness today the first reading of this important bill but also to see the conclusion of what I understand has been a real struggle in getting to this point. So I mihi, in their honour, to those who are no longer here.

In the short time I have it is important to acknowledge those who have been instrumental in bringing this bill to this House today. I do want to acknowledge the negotiators of Ngāti Hineuru and to commend them for the tenacity they have shown and the commitment and the generosity—using the words of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations—in getting to an acceptable settlement here today. As a former negotiator myself, I understand the commitment that being a negotiator requires—it requires a commitment of character when you have to travel home to your people and you get called all sorts of things; a commitment to make sure that you are doing the absolute best for your people. So I do want to commend and acknowledge the negotiators for getting us here today.

Of course, we would not be here unless we had the support of the Crown. I want to acknowledge the Office of Treaty Settlements officials for their role. I also want to acknowledge the Minister, Chris Finlayson. He has overseen a lot of Treaty settlements and I want to support and acknowledge his support in getting us here. Of course, as this bill goes to the Māori Affairs Committee, I want to acknowledge the chair and the members of a very hard-working select committee that does the best for our people, and I want to acknowledge them in support of the work that they get. Hopefully we will get this bill back in quick time.

I do not want to go through it in detail because there is too much to cover in the short time I have. There are two parts of the historical account that I want to draw to the House’s attention and make note of in my contribution. One is about the 34 Hineuru individuals who were among the 86 prisoners of the Crown captured at Ōmarunui and the conflict near Pētane. Most were transported to the Chatham Islands, which the Minister acknowledged, and detained without trial for 2 years in harsh conditions. In 1868 the prisoners escaped and became embroiled in a war with the Crown. During this war, the Crown forces attacked Ngātapa in January of 1869. After the attack a severed head, reported to belong to Nikora of Hineuru, was brought back to the Crown camp. The Crown forces similarly executed a number of prisoners captured at Ngātapa.

With that record of Ngāti Hineuru’s historical account, I draw the conclusion that it is one that is similar to that shared with my father’s people of Rongowhakaata, who, along with Hineuru, lost many lives at Ngātapa. In fact, women and children were shot and thrown over the hill at Ngātapa. I feel the hurt that Ngāti Hineuru have, particularly for those people who were executed at Ngātapa. Kei te mihi ki a koutou.

The second point that I want to raise in the historical account is what I have also seen in many other Treaty settlements. The Minister referred to the taking of land and the returning of land in 1920 to those descendants—to the individual Māori—and how that was overturned in some other forms of legislation in the 1950s, when Ngāti Hineuru again became landless. There have been many settlements where we have seen the actions of the Crown reward those who either fought or enabled the Crown to take the actions that it did on our people by the gifting of land, and then the taking away of land. I just want to draw attention to that particular point because right in front of this House we are dealing with a bill around Māori land, which is ngā ture whenua. I wanted to draw a comparison between what the current Government is doing and some of these historical Acts that have breached the rights of the people of Ngāti Hineuru. I want to make the point that when we are passing legislation in this House that impacts on the rights of Māori landowners, we have to do that very, very carefully.

That is my message today in celebrating this first reading of this important bill: we cannot bring legislation in here that further alienates Māori from their whenua. When we read the historical account of Ngāti Hineuru, they, like many, many iwi, were left landless. It is upon us, as parliamentarians, as members of this House, that the property rights of iwi katoa need to be protected. I want to acknowledge this in the support of this bill.

With the minutes I have left, my closing comments—and I support the Minister—are around the generosity that Ngāti Hineuru have displayed in getting to this final settlement. They have been subjected to atrocious breaches of their rights as guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi. Therefore it is important and incumbent on all members of this House that we not only acknowledge those breaches but we support what has been negotiated, like the Minister said, under trying times to ensure that we can at least, in a very small part, accord a form of compensation, of remedy, that will ensure that the aspirations of Ngāti Hineuru are strong as we go forward. Therefore, I stand with all members in this House in commending the first reading of this bill, the Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill. Kia ora tātou.

Tēnā koe e te Mana Whakawā. Ka mea nui ki te mihi atu ki tō tātou Matua Nui i Te Raki me te tīmataka me te tautoko o Te Ao katoa. Nō reira, ka mihi atu hei hōmai ngā mea katoa. E ngā manuhiri a tuāraki, ka mihi ki a Ngāti Hineuru, Te Kura Mouka, Te Mōhaka Awa, Rangi Hīroa te tangata, ka mihi. Ngāti Hineuru e mihi nei, e tangi nei, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. The most important thing is to acknowledge our Almighty Father in Heaven and the beginning and the support of the whole world, and so I give thanks to all things given. I welcome you, the visitors from afar, Ngāti Hineuru, the mountain Kura, the river Mōhaka, and the man Rangi Hīroa. I mourn and bid you welcome, Ngāti Hineuru; greetings, and salutations to you all.]

I want first to acknowledge the representatives of Ngāti Hineuru who are here today, and, through you, I want to acknowledge all of Ngāti Hineuru and the pain and loss that have been caused to you by the actions of the New Zealand Government over many years. I also want to acknowledge the many years of hard work that successive generations of Ngāti Hineuru people have put into seeking redress for multiple breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. The iwi have sought fulfilment of six pou whenua, or milestones, within this agreement that reflect the nature and the scale of the losses that Ngāti Hineuru have sustained. These include, tuatahi, restoration and protection of their cultural heritage and history for the future generations. This reflects the severe impact on Ngāti Hineuru’s culture and traditions of the loss of land and identity they suffered.

Past New Zealand Governments had labelled the iwi as rebels to justify a tax on them and the confiscation of their land. The Waitangi Tribunal concluded that Hineuru were not in rebellion, but the labelling of the iwi as rebels persists in some historical accounts. This treatment of Ngāti Hineuru as rebels also led to much of their land being given to other iwi who were allies of the Crown.

Tuarua is the restoration of the health and well-being of their people. Unsurprisingly, the confiscation of such large amounts of land had a detrimental effect on Hineuru’s living conditions, particularly housing. The poor health and state of poverty that resulted still affect Hineuru to this day.

Tuatoru is the recognition of the mana of Hineuru and the restoration of the relativity Hineuru had with other iwi. Over the years the Crown had systematically undermined the mana of Hineuru and failed to acknowledge it as an iwi in its own right. The classification of Hineuru as a hapū of other iwi in the region has held back its ability to develop a partnership relationship with the Crown and to maintain its relativity with other iwi in the area.

Tuawhā is the reassertion of the presence of Hineuru, through their rohe. Before the intervention of the Crown, Hineuru were a key iwi in a strategic position in the Hawke’s Bay. Following the mass confiscation of their lands Hineuru were left in the position of being considered a minor iwi, to the point where they have often been left off lists of iwi in the region. This has included also not being listed as an iwi in census material.

Tuarima is rebuilding an economy base for Hineuru. As well as the devastating effect on their culture, health, and mana, massive land confiscations have prevented Hineuru from building any sort of an economic base.

As with any Treaty settlements, this one will not try to compensate Ngāti Hineuru fully for the land and the subsequent economic opportunities that have been lost. But we must acknowledge that every iwi that reaches this point of the settlement process has shown a great generosity of spirit in accepting that full compensation for past wrongs is not possible, accepting instead an apology for past wrongs and a small investment in their future.

Tuaono, revitalisation and restoration of Hineuru’s role as kaitiaki of their resources and their environment. Hineuru will be given a greater role to play in the management of resources within their rohe. This may be recorded in the deed of settlement as a form of redress, and, indeed, Hineuru’s exclusion from the management of these resources is wrong and is indeed in need of correction. But it is also very easy to see this as another form of generosity on the part of Hineuru. Since the Crown took responsibility for the management of these natural resources, they have been degraded. The iwi are now once again becoming involved in the management of these resources, which have been degraded on the Crown’s watch.

At the risk of becoming repetitive, I want to reiterate what I have said in this House many times before: involving iwi in the management of the environment is a win-win. New Zealanders, whether Māori or non-Māori, are people who value our natural environment and who derive all sorts of benefits from it, be it our enjoyment of our beautiful national parks, our mahinga kai, our enjoyment of outdoor recreation, or the economic benefits of tourism. Māori have a unique perspective and a valuable contribution to make to the management of our natural environment. We already know that the Hawke’s Bay will benefit from this settlement through the increased economic development that will come out of the financial redress, but it will also benefit from Hineuru’s involvement in the economic management of their region.

I want to reiterate to the people of Hineuru—I say this: your many years of struggling to right the wrongs of the past are nearly over. You have signed your deed of settlement and soon this bill will give legal effect to that agreement that has come to fruition with the Crown. When that day comes and this bill is passed, it will be up to you to turn this small settlement into a brighter future for your people. The struggles are behind you, but a different type of challenge lies ahead for you. I know that your rangatira will already be preparing for that challenge. As chair of the Māori Affairs Committee, I look forward to considering this bill and welcoming the people of Ngāti Hineuru and any others who come to our committee hearings to make submissions on this bill.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the members of the Māori Affairs Committee. We work in congeniality as a collective, and we work for our people. This is a true reflection of the work that still needs to be done. I have no hesitation in commending this bill to the House. Kia ora.

Tēnā koe, Mr Assistant Speaker, tēnā koutou te Whare Pāremata. He mihi nui ki a Ngāti Hineuru me Te Kōpere trustees o te Iwi o Hineuru Trust i nā ahikāroa o ō rātou whenua, he mihi nui.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. Greetings to you collectively, the House of Parliament; a huge one to you Ngāti Hineuru; and a great gesture by the trustees of the Te Kōpere o te iwi o Hineuru Trust, who are promoting the continuous occupation of their lands.]

The Green Party is very pleased to stand in support of the first reading of this settlement bill. I think we feel very deeply that what has been “invisible-ised” must be brought into the light through this process. This iwi has been through more than most people in this country could possibly imagine—more marginalisation, more violence, and more land loss—with the added hurt of being “invisible-ised” right up to relatively recent times. Saying their name, acknowledging their mana, recognising their place, and recognising their work and their tenacity to get to this point is a very important part of it, as is recognising their tūpuna and those who have gone before, and those who have gone before in the negotiation process to get to this point.

The story of the historical account is, indeed, a profound experience to read. It is a heavy story, much like many others that we have heard in this House, but with the added pain of so much of it being unknown to many others and so much of it being marginalised. So many other names are known, but the story of Ngāti Hineuru has to come to light so that this nation can move forward.

Like my colleagues, I want to acknowledge that there is too much to cover in the first reading, but it is a beginning, and I want to acknowledge, as Meka Whaitiri said, that there is so much in the historical account to acknowledge and so much that needs to be talked about. I just want to touch on, perhaps, my whakapapa as a Pākehā, requiring me to acknowledge the role, which needs to be examined, of people like Donald MacLean and Whitmore—

💬 Meka Whaitiri: Hard.

Yeah—General Whitmore. Streets are named after these men all over the country, particularly on the East Coast. Streets are named after these men, and they are regarded as the founding fathers. But where is the street that is named after Te Rangi Hīroa? Where is the street that is named after the tūpuna of Ngāti Hineuru? So I think that it is very important that we actually examine the behaviour of all of our tūpuna, including those of the Pākehā culture.

We look at the historical account and we can see that Donald MacLean decided without a really clear explanation that the people were a threat. The Crown, under Donald MacLean, decided that the party at Ōmarunui was a threat to the security of the regions surrounding Napier. It could be argued that in the context of the wars that were taking place that Donald MacLean was acting in the interests of the Pākehā community, but what he was doing was acting in the interests of colonisation. So too was General Whitmore acting in the interests of my culture to take over the whenua of many peoples—particularly this people, Ngāti Hineuru. So this is, indeed, a dishonourable story, which is really important to acknowledge, and we need to acknowledge the death that took place.

After all of the negotiations and the mana of people like Te Rangi Hīroa and after all of their attempts to negotiate in fairness and justice with the Crown, what happened at Ōmarunui and Pētane in those days tells another story: a story of dishonour on behalf of my people, my culture, and the Crown. That needs to be acknowledged in order for us all to move forward. There needs to be acknowledgment of those things because it is tragic to read that halfway through the 1860s the men were either dead, had retreated to other parts of the motu, or had been transported to Wharekauri. And so the women at Tarawera lamented their losses every morning and evening with customary mourning practices, scoring themselves with pipi shells “with the effect of making them weep most naturally.” There is much to weep about when all of your men have been taken, when your land has been taken, and when your people are on an island offshore with Te Kooti without trial and without justice.

And so the story continues to be intertwined with the story of Te Kooti, Pai Mārire, and the Hauhau movement, and the story of the people returning to Whareongaonga, a place I have been to, where Te Kooti and people from Ngāti Hineuru, the whakarau, landed in order to return to Aotearoa. But that was just another round of tragedy and another round of marginalisation. I think that it is really important to acknowledge that the whakarau should never be forgotten; that story should be taught in every school in this country. People need to understand what it is to be imprisoned without trial, to escape peacefully, basically, and to come back to your home country, and then to be hounded by the Crown throughout the motu. I think that we have already touched on what happened at Ngātapa—an appalling story of Crown culpability.

So it is really important that we acknowledge that the end of the war meant that Hineuru could maybe return finally to their rohe, but, of course, that was not the end of the instruments of colonisation. So then comes another hundred years—another hundred years—of rip-offs, manipulations, individualisations, and destruction through the wonderful instruments that the Crown had created in order to continue the colonisation process. So we might debate how much is being spent on Te Tiriti settlements, but we need to remember that we have got more than 170 years of the rip-off and that we need to invest in the healing. We need to do that properly, and we need to invest in that healing. So it is really important that we actually understand what happened.

I support the fact that the historical account is very, very clear that the 1951 royal commission report raised more issues and acknowledged that the Crown should not have interfered with the titles that were provided in 1870, but still it goes on. Still there was more marginalisation and loss. So today we are beginning a more positive moment, as my colleague Nuk Korako showed when he took us through the settlement aspirations and the response. Still the people have held on and they have very clear aspirations. They have the six pou, and those six pou are very, very strong.

I was in Tai Rāwhiti this week with another iwi who have had their settlement, and one of the things they said to me was: “Yes, it’s very awesome to be focusing on the rebuild, and we must, but one of the tragedies is so many people have left. How do we bring our people home?”. So I am sure that that will be part of the plan, but it is not an easy plan because to bring the people home, you have to have work for the people. You have to have mahi, and to create mahi, it takes more than a one-off settlement. So I honour the pou because I can see the vision, but I think that it also behoves the rest of the motu and the Crown to actually facilitate not just a settlement but also a genuine opportunity for regional development that will allow those settlements to be what they can be, and not just to leave it to the iwi involved to find a way, because there is so much to rebuild—there is so much to rebuild. It is not only the reconnection to the whenua and the whakapapa but also the reconnection to the taonga and the reconnection to the relationship with awa and with maunga—all of those things—and then to be able to survive in their own rohe, on the terms that the people have defined in their settlement aspirations.

So there is much work to be done, and in the first reading all that we can do is say “Fantastic work.” to the negotiators and honour what they have created here as a first step—as a platform—but also recognise how much more there is to be done. The Green Party does need to say, as we always do, that settlements are not full and final; they are the first step. There is always more negotiating to take place, and there is a need for more investment by the Crown because so much was destroyed and taken. The miracle is that the vision of the people—the kaupapa that we face here today—was not destroyed and taken. That is something that we need to honour here today. That is something to be proud of. But, again, I say to my own people, to Pākehā tātou, as well as to the Crown, that we need to learn the history. When we drive down Whitmore Street and we look down MacLean whatever, we need to recognise that, actually, those men did things in our name from which we have benefited at the expense of an iwi such as Ngāti Hineuru.

So in order to move forward together as a nation—kotahitanga, unity, mana motuhake—we as Pākehā have to face those things and say that there are other names. There are other people who stood strong and whom we should honour. Whether it is Te Kooti or Te Rangi Hīroa, we need to stand up and honour those people. We need to know why we own all the whenua and why we control the resources today, so that redress can be understood by Pākehā and so that there will be a generosity of spirit on our side of the culture, as well as a generosity by the Crown, and instead of expecting all of the generosity that has been given today by Ngāti Hineuru in a settlement that does go some way to restoring the people but that will still take a lot more work. So I guess we are very happy to support this settlement. We are very happy that the “invisiblisation” of Ngāti Hineuru is over and that this iwi will not only be seen but also be able to begin to be strong again. Kia kaha. Kia ora tātou katoa.

Ā, tēnā koe, Mr Assistant Speaker, tēnā anō hoki tātou. E tū wāhi tēnei ki te tautoko ngā mihi i mihingia e aku tuākana me te tuahine hoki ki a koutou a Hineuru, kua tae mai nei kei waenganui i a tātou ki te ‘hakarongo te ‘hakatakototanga o tā koutou pire. Aroha ana au ki a koutou. He aha ai? Ko te moata o tēnei take i haere mai ki mua i te Whare nei. Taku kitenga mēnā he take Māori, ā, tukuna atu i tēnei waha. Ēngari mēnā he take Pākehā, ā, waihotia ki te ahiahi kia mōhio mai te motu whānui e aha ngā take, e aha ngā kōrero ēngari mō ngā take Māori, waihotia ki te ata, he iti noa iho ngā tāngata e mātakitaki pouaka whakaata, ‘hakarongo ki ngā reo Irirangi, nā reira, aroha ana i a koutou kia moata, kia haere mai ai koutou ki te whakarongo ki ngā kōrero. Kia ahatia? Ēngari, ka nui taku mihi ki a koutou.

Tua atu i tēnā, kei te kaha taku pūhaehae ki a koutou hoki! He aha ai? Nā te mea, e’hakaae ana te Karauna ki a koutou, he iwi! Ki ahau nei, horekau he raru ki tēnā! Ēngari, ki a mātou o te hau kāinga, tōku whānau anahe, tata kē ki te rima mano, ēngari, i kite atu i ngā kōrero i roto i te pire nei, e tahi mano, rima rau i a koutou, nā reira, ka nui taku mihi. Ka nui hoki taku pūhaehae i a koutou nā te mea e ‘hakaae ana te Karauna ki a koutou he iwi. Kia ahatia? Ēngari, korekau e mimiti te kōrero ki a koutou me pēnā o ngā hunga korekau i waenganui i a tātou i te rā nei ēngari, nā rātou i tīmata mai te kawetanga o tēnei kaupapa, tae noa ki tēnei wā, tae noa ki tēnei. Nā reira, tēnā koutou.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker, and greetings to us all once again. I stand to endorse the tributes that were accorded by my elder male colleagues and my female colleague to you, Hineuru, who have arrived here amongst us to listen to the reading of your bill. I sympathise with you all. Why? Because of the early hour this matter has come before this House. When I saw that it was a Māori matter, I said allow it in this instance. But if it is a non-Māori matter, leave it for the afternoon so that the public can become aware of the issues and what was said. But as far as Māori issues are concerned, leave it for the morning, as only a small number watch television or listen to the radio, and so I feel sorry for those of you who came early to listen to the addresses. What can be done about that? But I admire you greatly.

Further to that, I am also envious of you all! Why? Because the Crown recognised you as a tribe! I personally do not have an issue with that. But for us back in our home area, just our family alone, we are close to 15,000, but according to the detail in this bill I see that there are nearly 1,500 of you. I applaud you greatly. I envy you greatly too because the Crown accepts you as a tribe. So what? But like those who are no longer amongst you today, we cannot say enough for the part they played at the start, when they took up this proposal to where it is this moment, at this stage; so congratulations to you collectively.]

As I have just said in my introductory comments, I support the words of welcome extended by colleagues in the House. But I also want to have it said in English that although I cannot congratulate Hineuru enough, it is with great envy that I acknowledge them. In the bill, it talks about the iwi numbering approximately 1,500 people, which, compared with the settlement that has been granted them, as individual recipients, makes this one of the most generous settlements that we can see in terms of per person. Be that as it may, having said that, my envy is really about the fact that my own family is almost 5,000 and, yet, my iwi is still considered a hapū. However, having said that, it does not detract from the rationale that this bill has given to this settlement.

I just want to say that the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations alluded to and acknowledged the generosity of iwi, and particularly of Hineuru, given that, as we well know, any settlement will not be a complete settlement. Again, we have here today an iwi that is prepared to go into settlement, accept the negotiations, and know within themselves that this will not completely compensate them for the things that the Crown has done to them. But I have no doubt that during the Māori Affairs Committee process we will certainly learn more about it, and we will also learn from those who are not satisfied with this settlement. That is one of the beauties about the select committee process; it gives everybody the opportunity to express a view.

I do not need to reiterate the history that has led to this settlement bill, other than to say that it is to the Crown’s credit that it has acknowledged that, and this is part of the process.

I also want to say that although this is a time of joy, particularly for Hineuru, I just want to make a comment that is really about politics. The Minister made reference to an apology being required—not an apology to Hineuru but an apology from a political party that produced the facts. If any apology should be given, it should be given by the Minister to those whom he appointed as Crown negotiators, because we did not name any Crown negotiator, and then when he started doing that—

💬 Hon Louise Upston: Don’t spoil it.

—then, in our mind, he has to take responsibility for issuing that apology. And do not tell me about not spoiling things. If the Minister had not said anything—

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Order! [Interruption] Order! The member will resume his seat. I just want to say that the Minister did make some comments that were not strictly within the ambit of this bill. The member has replied, and the member will now come back to the bill.

Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker—the point is taken.

The financial redress is $25 million, and includes interest and, of course, the return of culturally significant properties, particularly the Tarawera hot springs scenic reserve, and quite clearly that meets the needs of Hineuru. There probably were other properties that Hineuru would have liked included. Hopefully, they will let us know during the Māori Affairs Committee process and we will bring it back to the House—rest assured of that.

Of course, there is the erection of a pou whenua, and I think that is one way of ensuring that the claim of Hineuru is well known not only to this generation but also to generations to come. So the total compensation is roughly $50 million, and, as I alluded to earlier, divide $50 million by 1,500 people—but hei aha? That will never ever fully meet those transgressions that the Crown did against Hineuru.

I am particularly interested in the cultural redress. It officially recognises Ngāti Hineuru as an iwi. They were regarded as a hapū of Tūwharetoa, and I would be very interested to learn from them how they were able to do that, so that Ngāti Hine might have the same recognition as an iwi too. Mr Deputy Speaker, I see that you are giving me the signal—other than to say that we will support this bill and look forward to hearing from the claimants during the Māori Affairs Committee hearings. Kia ora.

Tēnā koe e te Mana Whakawā. Ka huri au ki te Whānau o Ngāti Hineuru, nau mai, haere mai, ki a koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I turn to the family of Ngāti Hineuru and welcome you all, welcome.]

I am humbled. I am very humbled to be standing here today to take a call on the first reading of the Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill. I am humbled because your journey has been a long one, and as I have read about your history and heard about your history I am saddened within my heart that all of those things have happened to you. So when I stand here today to take this call on the first reading, I stand here and I look at a people who have lost their land, who have been attacked, who have been imprisoned—enough hara that will send a people away for good. But through the strength of your tīpuna and of the people who have kept on fighting for Ngāti Hineuru—I just want to say that I am humbled. I am very humbled to be standing in front of you today.

As a member of the Māori Affairs Committee I am looking forward to the whole process of this bill coming back to the select committee. We on the select committee do a lot of work around the claims process, listening to the submissions etc. In respect of this particular one I am most interested, because up until today it was the first time that I had heard of your iwi. I can tell you that now, and I feel a lot of whakamā about that. So, therefore, I will be looking with much interest at the process from here on in, and through to the fruition of your claims process.

I know that the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations has said that the amount that you are being given within the redress may not be as much as what everybody thinks it should be, but it is a start. It is a start towards your economic future, the economic future of your mokopuna—the mokopuna who will lead you all into the future. Ngā tāngata, the people of today, have done all the work, along with educating your mokopuna in the process that has happened, and your mokopuna will lead where you are going to go into the future. I believe that through this process you have a very bright future. It is not how much you get; it is what you do with it that counts. It is like Ngāi Tahu and what they got back then. People would have said “Oh, that wasn’t a lot.”, but they took that little bit and they turned it into a multibillion-dollar business. I can see that happening for you as your iwi grows past this point. So without any further ado, I want to say thank you. Thank you for taking on the Crown process, thank you for accepting the work of our Minister, the Hon Chris Finlayson. He would be and will go down in history of this Government and of future Governments and Governments of the past as one of the best Treaty negotiation Ministers to ever walk the halls of our Parliament. Kia ora.

Kia ora e te Māngai o te Whare. E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e rau rangatira mā, ngā whanaunga o Ngāti Hineuru, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. I stand here filled with much emotion. I found my Uncle Nick’s submission. It was delivered during the hearing period of 27 to 31 January 1997.

What I want to do is acknowledge Peter Kahukiwa and others who, on 27 July 1992, lodged their claim, which is Wai 299. Part of that lodging and part of the resolution of that particular Treaty claim also has relevance to other Wai claims, and I want to acknowledge the people who lodged those claims. The Wai 299 claim was consolidated, and it included Wai 119, which is Ariel Whai Aranui and others; Wai 168, which is Anikānara Te Haipō Hadfield and others; Wai 191, Tamihana Matekino Nuku and others; Wai 216, Moari Karaitiana and others; Wai 400, Hoani Hōhepa; Wai 436, Wī Te Tau Huata and others; Wai 488, Terry O’Sullivan; Wai 491, it says “Niger”—I will not say the other pronunciation—Baker and others; Wai 598, David Kinita and others; Wai 599, Tuhiao Kahukiwa and others; Wai 600, Te Rina Sullivan and others; Wai 601, Winifred Kupa and others; Wai 602, Willie Bush; Wai 608, Lyndhurst O’Donnell; Wai 627, Albert Eden; Wai 692, Hana Loyla Cotter and others; Wai 731, Kevin Te Taka Kupa and another; and Wai 732, Albert Edward Eden. I have read the names of the people who started this process 23 years ago.

I also want to acknowledge the board of Ngāti Hineuru Iwi Inc. That board is chaired by Tūhuiao Kahukiwa. The deputy chair is Karauna Brown, who is also the lead negotiator. Other members are Ivy Kahukiwa-Smith, Toi Tāwhai, Tirohia Bridger, Rēnata Bush, and Te Reo Spooner. Today is a great day for the iwi of Ngāti Hineuru. I must admit that growing up—and actually, in my Uncle Nick’s submission he said that Ngāti Hineuru was a hapū of Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Actually, what I want to do is acknowledge that many years ago when I was contacted about Ngāti Hineuru being an iwi, and while going through our claims settlement, I said: “No; I was always told that I am Ngāti Tutemohuta and Ngāti Hineuru, and that we are part of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.” But what I do want to acknowledge, obviously, is our whanaungatanga—our close relationship—and I want to acknowledge Ngāti Hineuru in their own right. Obviously, I have to sort out my pepeha now and claim not only Tūwharetoa, Hineuru—

💬 Meka Whaitiri: You can register.

I think my Uncle Robbo has already registered in part of the process. It is really interesting reading my Uncle Nick’s submission. He made this, as I said, in 1997. He went to Te Hāroto School, and my nanny, Wāriti Te Pohe, and, obviously, my great-grandfather Ngāhiri Te Pohe. When I look at my Uncle Nick—and I will have to save Uncle Nick’s submission for the second reading—and his children, so Ngāhere Te Pohe my cousin, and my other cousin Ngātoru Mahupuka, they obviously got the names from Ngāti Hineuru. My Uncle Nick, who went Te Hāroto School—in 1946 my dad was only a baby. Growing up we went to Te Hāroto when I was a kid, a lot. So I want to acknowledge all the whānau. I have not had as close a relationship as I should have had over the years but I am very proud to represent our iwi here in the House. I am very proud of the settlement that our iwi have managed to negotiate, and I wish you all the best for the future. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

This is a 5-minute call.

Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare. Otirā, e kī ana te kōrero Apa-hāpai-taketake nāna a tāpiki te takiritanga o Te Ata, ā, tihei mauri ora! Nō reira, anei a’au tētehi uri o Apa-hāpai-taketake kei te mihi atu ki a koutou o Hineuru. E mi’i ana ‘oki au ki Te Maunga Titiokura, Te Awa Mōhaka, ki ngā Whare Rongopai me Piriwiritua ki Hāroto Marae me kī, ki a koutou katoa ngā uri o Hineuru, tēnei te mihi ake ki a koutou, nau mai, haere mai ki te Whare nei.

[Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker of the House, but at the same time the saying goes that Apa-hāpai-taketake rises before the break of dawn, and so behold the breath of life! So here I am, a descendant of Apa-hāpai-taketake, welcoming you, Hineuru, paying a tribute as well to Titiokura mountain, the Mōhaka River, and the meeting house Te Rongopai and dining hall Piriwiritua at the marae of Te Hāroto. Let us say to all of you, the descendants of Hineuru, welcome, come hither to this House.]

It is a great pleasure for me to speak at the first reading of the Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill. Hineuru is a descendant of Apa-Hāpai-Take-Take, as I am also. I mihi to the people of Hineuru. I have read very carefully, like I do, all historical accounts. This historical account is a story that needed to be told. In this historical account I would summarise the actions of the people of Hineuru as being full of perseverance. We have a saying in Ngāti Apa—it is taken from the bible—īnoia, rapuhia [request it, seek it out]. I think that I could easily apply this saying to the people of Hineuru for their perseverance in getting to this stage, the first reading, in the House today. I acknowledge all of the people involved in getting to this stage. It is not an easy thing to negotiate any settlement, and I acknowledge those Hineuru people—the negotiators—for bringing, from my point of view, a settlement that will deliver a vastly better future for the coming generations of Hineuru. So I acknowledge them.

The cultural redress aspects of this bill and the settlement deserve some discussion in this House. The very first item within the bill is te kawenata, a partnership agreement between the Crown and Hineuru. I have read through that carefully, and I do not think that I have read or seen in any other settlement a partnership agreement quite like this one. The Crown will have responsibility for and will be held to account in this agreement, and I think that that has taken settlements to another level through this particular bill.

Within this bill, there are also a number of statutory acknowledgments and deeds of recognition. I wanted to speak briefly on the deeds of recognition. They are an instrument that is used when a statutory acknowledgment has been given to a certain piece of land, and then a deed of recognition overlays the statutory acknowledgment in order to give the iwi some responsibility and rights in terms of the management of that land. So it lifts to another level their connection to those particular pieces of land. I like to think of it as: in the absence of being owners of that land, they have rights that are tantamount to being owners but without the responsibility of paying for it, which I think is a good thing. That responsibility should be on the Crown.

I also want to mention the commercial redress. As has been pointed out by other speakers, this settlement is, per capita, the largest settlement that has come to this House so far. That needs to be acknowledged purely and simply because it provides a pathway forward for the iwi of Hineuru to address those wrongs of the past and to give opportunities for the future generations, who will be the true beneficiaries of this settlement.

I acknowledge the iwi once more for their tenacity and for their perseverance, and I congratulate each and every one of them. I look forward to this bill progressing through the House to its third reading. It is not an end, the third reading; it is a beginning. Nō reira, ki a koutou ngā uri o Hineuru, tēnei te mihi ake anō ki a koutou, ā, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Therefore, to all the descendants of Hineuru, I once again salute you and all of us.]

It is a great honour to take a short call on this Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill. Before I begin, I would like to apologise just in case my pronunciation is terrible. I am reminded of my maiden speech, when I actually talked about how I arrived in this land in 1988, in a waka. The waka was slightly different from the one that the ancestors arrived in. This waka that I arrived in had wings, and it was slightly faster. I would like to say: ka mihi atu ki a Ngāti Hineuru. I hope that means that I acknowledge the Hineuru tribe—iwi, sorry.

💬 Hon Te Ururoa Flavell: Tribal nation.

That is right. It is a great honour even to take just a short call. I am just so touched that I am actually involved in this debate. I have heard Opposition members and Government members talk about this settlement and what a fantastic opportunity it is, not just because of the great amount of money that we are bestowing upon the Hineuru iwi but also because it is an acknowledgment of the wrong that has actually been done. For a Korean girl who was raised in a country that has a 5,000-year history, which was annexed for 36 years by another country—I will not name which one it was—and has never received an apology, this is a fantastic country that we live in, New Zealand. We actually acknowledge the wrongs of the past.

I am also a recipient of the bestowment of the Māori Battalion, or K-force—the Māori people who served in Korea. They taught the Korean people a song, and I grew up thinking that it was a Korean song. I insisted, stupidly, that it was a Korean song, because I was raised believing that it was a Korean song. Imagine the strange feeling that I got when I arrived in this land in 1988 and listened to people singing “Pokare Kare Ana”. I was thinking: “Oh my goodness! These people in New Zealand have learnt a Korean song.” In Korea, we call it “Yeon ga”, which means love song. Imagine that!

You know how Korean people have learnt that Korea was devastated in 1950 by the Korean War. It was utterly flattened. For 3 years they fought, and it is still in a state of war. But the Korean people are a resilient people. Since 1950 we have—everybody probably has—Samsung telephones or drive a Hyundai or Kia car. We have even funked up the “Pokare Kare Ana” song. You know how it goes, really beautifully, “Pokare Kare Ana”; well, the Korean one is “Yeon ga”, and it is really, really fast: “Bi Baram I Chinun Bada…”

As the recipient of the—

💬 Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! It is very entertaining, but we would rather you spoke to the bill.

I shall wrap it up. It is an honour for me to actually say that I commend this bill. It is an absolute pleasure.

Tēnā koe, Mr Deputy Speaker. E tāpiritia atu ana āku mihi ki ērā i waihotia ki mua i tō koutou aroaro. Nō reira Hineuru, tēnei te tino mihi rawa atu ki a koutou. Kua riro ki tēnei te whakatōpūtanga o ngā kōrero o tō mātau nei tīma, e pā ana ki tēnei kaupapa mō te pānuitanga tuatahi. Ka whakaaro ake, māku pea hei whakamārama ērā o ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te whakapāhā, ā, e tika ana kia kuhua ki roto i ngā rārangi kōrero o ngā pukapuka o tēnei Whare Pāremata.

“(a) Tēnei te Karauna te tuku whakapāha atu nei ki a Hineuru, ki ō koutou tīpuna, ō koutou whānau, mokopuna anō hoki.

(b) Kua roa rawa te wā kīhai te Karauna i aronui atu ki te mana me te rangatiratanga o Hineuru, kīhai hoki i tutuki āna here i raro i Te Tiriti o Waitangi me ōna kaupapa matua.

(c) E kore e taea te whakapuaki i te pouri nui o Te Karauna mōna i tuku ope tauā ki runga o Ōmarunui, i te takiwā hoki o Pētane, i hinga ai tō koutou rangatira a Te Rangihīroa me ētahi atu, me te tūkinotanga, te aitua nui hoki i pā ki a Hineuru nā runga i te mate o te tangata me te peinga i te whenua tupu. I raru nui anō koutou i te kōkiritanga a Te Karauna ki tō koutou kāinga, te mauheretanga o ō koutou tīpuna kāore he whakawā, kāore he aha, me te patu i ngā mauhere kia mate, he mahi weriweri ka titiro mai a te ao, i a Ngātapa. Mō ana mahi, me ngā pouritanga nui kua utaina mai e te Karauna ki runga i a koutou ko ō koutou tīpuna, tēnei te Karauna te tuku whakapāha atu nei.

(d) E pouri ana te Karauna mō ngā wharanga nui, wharanga mauroa i ara ake i ana raupatutanga i te wāhi nui o ō koutou whenua tuku iho. Mō tēnei mahi raupatu, mō ngā ngahuru tau o te raruraru me te pōkaikaha, ngā tau i ngaro ngā painga mō te iwi o Hineuru i runga i ngā mahi hē a te Karauna e pā ana ki Tarawera me Tataraakina, e whakapāha ana anō hoki te Karauna.

(e) Mai o te wā o te raupatu, i hē kē atu te kino mō Hineuru i ngā mahi hokohoko atu a te Karauna i ngā whenua i toe mai ki a koutou. Tēnei te whakapāha noa atu a te Karauna mō ana kaupapa matua, mō ana mahi, me ana hapanga i noho whenua kore tonu a Hineuru, i ngahoro ai ngā pou o tō koutou noho hei iwi, o ō koutou pūmanawa ki te whai i te oranga, ki te tupu hei iwi, ki te kimi oranga ā-kikokiko, ā-ngākau, ā-wairua anō hoki mō koutou.

(f) E mihi ana te Karauna ki te pakari me te mana o Hineuru, me tō koutou whāinga roa i te tika i roto i ngā whakatipuranga maha.

(g) Rā roto i tēnei whakatau e mahi nui ana te Karauna ki te utu mō ana hara o tau kē, me te tahuri ki te hāpai i a Hineuru kia hīkina ai ngā taumatanga o te whakamauāhara, kia whakawhiwhia anō te iwi ki te toiora, tae atu ki ngā taonga tuku iho o te iwi. E titiro whakamua ana te Karauna ki tōna whanaungatanga hou ki a Hineuru, i runga i te whakapono, tētahi ki tētahi, te mahi tahi, me te whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi me ōna kaupapa nui.”

E tika ana kia kuhua ai ēnei kōrero ki roto i ngā rārangi kōrero mō ngā whakatupuranga mā roto i ō koutou tamariki, mokopuna kia rata atu ai rātau ki te takenga mai o tēnei kaupapa i waenganui i a tātau, ā, e tika ana kia whakaotia. Nō reira, i roto i tērā paku whakaaro mō tēnei pānuitanga tuatahi, ka waihotia ki reira. Nā, mō ō koutou tutukitanga, ō koutou whakaaro ki te Karauna ka waihotia ērā ki reira mō ake, ake tonu atu. Tēnā koutou, kia ora mai tātau.

[Greetings, Mr Deputy Speaker. I add my acknowledgments to those that were expressed and left before you collectively, and so I really acknowledge you, Hineuru. I have been given the task of consolidating our team’s contributions in terms of the first reading. I thought that perhaps I might explain those sentiments about the apology so that they are recorded as of right in the official record of this House of Parliament.

“(a) The Crown makes this apology to the iwi of Hineuru, to the tipuna, whānau, and descendants.

(b) For too long, the Crown has failed to respect the mana and rangatiratanga of Hineuru, and to fulfil its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.

(c) The Crown profoundly regrets its unjust attacks at Ōmarunui and near Pētane that took the lives of your rangatira Te Rangihīroa and others, and the devastation and grief Hineuru suffered through loss of life and exile. You suffered further prejudice when the Crown plundered your kāinga, detained your ancestors without trial, and carried out dishonourable summary executions at Ngātapa. For its actions, and the immense hurt the Crown has caused you and your tipuna, the Crown apologises.

(d) The Crown deeply regrets the enduring prejudice it caused by confiscating so much of your ancestral whenua. For the confiscation, and for the decades of title disruption, dislocation, and lost opportunities Hineuru have experienced as a result of the Crown’s actions in relation to Tarawera and Tataraakina, the Crown also apologises.

(e) Since the confiscation, the Crown compounded the prejudice to Hineuru by purchasing significant parts of your remaining lands. The Crown unreservedly apologises for its policies, acts, and omissions that have left Hineuru virtually landless, and undermined your tribal structures, your capacity for economic and social development, and your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

(f) The Crown pays tribute to the resilience and the mana of Hineuru, and your long pursuit of justice over many generations.

(g) Through this settlement, the Crown seeks to atone for its past wrongs, and to assist Hineuru in lifting the burden of grievance and restoring the well-being of your people and cultural heritage. The Crown looks forward to building a new relationship with Hineuru based on mutual trust, co-operation, and respect for the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.”

It is appropriate that these sentiments be included in the records for our children and grandchildren so that they are satisfied with the origin of this proposal that is amongst us, and it is fitting for it to be completed. And so in regard to that diminutive thought about this first reading, I will leave it there. As far as your achievements and thoughts through the Crown are concerned, I will leave it there, as it will go on forever. My appreciation to you and to us all collectively; thank you.]

Kia ora e te Mana Whakawā. Tēnā koe e te Whare—and in particular very warm greetings to those from Hineuru who are here this morning for the first reading of the Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill.

Because of the large amount of business that the House needs to conduct on these occasions of extended sittings it is necessary for those who speak at the latter end of the debate to speak for a very short period of time, but I do want to assure all who are listening that that does not in any way signify a lack of respect or appreciation for the very important work that we are doing today.

I, in particular, want to endorse the comments of all my colleagues from across the House who have spoken today in a way that I think has been both enlightening and, as my colleague Jo Hayes said, very, very humbling. We—or at least many of us—have today been taught things we never knew before. They are things that should trouble all of us and should certainly not only weigh heavily on our heart but stiffen our resolve to ensure that we take whatever steps we can to put them right. I am very proud to be part of the modern generation of parliamentarians who have the privilege and the opportunity to do just that, and it is on occasions such as this that I feel particularly proud to be a member of Parliament and accept that responsibility.

So could I simply say to the iwi thank you for your generosity of spirit and for the good faith with which you have entered into the negotiations. I want to acknowledge the outstanding work of the Crown negotiators and to say this is very important work that this Parliament acknowledges and I am delighted to see that we will all be united in supporting it. May I wish you all the very best in the future as you at long last see significant grievances at least redressed, no matter how inadequately. Tēnā koutou katoa.

Bill read a first time.

Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.