Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Bill

I move, That the Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Bill be now read a third time. E Te Mana Whakawā o Te Whare tēnā koe, e ngā hoa mema, tēnā koutou. Tēnā koutou Kurahaupō waka me ngā uri o Hāmua rāua ko Rangiheuea, e karanga ana tonu te huia i roto i ō koutou ngākau maha, rau rangatira mā, ā, tēnei mihi atu ki a koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Thank you Mr Speaker, and salutations to you collectively fellow members. Acknowledgments to you the canoe of Kurahaupō and the descendants of Hāmua, and of Rangiheuea, the call of the huia continuous to summon within the hearts of your vast number, esteemed ones of a hundredfold. So I pay a tribute to you collectively. Greetings, accolades, and congratulations to all of you.]

Can I begin by extending a very warm welcome to the members of Rangitāne, who have travelled from Wairarapa and Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua and from further afar to witness the third reading of this bill. This is a hugely significant day for Rangitāne and for the Crown, and I am pleased that we do not have to wait any longer to see the third reading of this bill.

Today is actually a very important day because we settle the Treaty grievances of the Wairarapa and Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua, but I am conscious, having been Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations for almost 9 years, that during my period we have also settled the claims of Rangitāne in the Wairau and, of course, over the hill, Rangitāne in the Manawatū. I have to say that over the years and throughout all these negotiations, I have encountered the same drive, determination, and principled approach to negotiations in all Rangitāne groups. Although, I have to say, the sense of humour exhibited by a certain person in Wairau is unique—Richard Bradley’s form of humour is not replicated across other parts of Rangitāne. You are all very, very worthy descendants of Whātonga. Just before I came down here I was having a look at a book by Jock McEwen, the former Secretary of Māori and Island Affairs, who had a very special affection for Rangitāne and wrote that wonderful text in 1986 that tells the story of Rangitāne and its interactions with various iwi over the centuries.

Can I acknowledge those who have suffered the grievances and those who obviously cannot be with us today but began this journey many years ago—obviously, they are in our thoughts, as they are in the thoughts of all of us whenever we have a third reading. To those of you who have worked so hard to make today possible, I offer you my most sincere thanks. Throughout the negotiations, the negotiators for Rangitāne displayed great commitment, dedication, and high standards, and, I have to say, cut to the chase on the big issues very, very quickly. I want to acknowledge the lead negotiator, Jason Kerehi, the trust negotiation team—Mavis Mullins, Richard Jones, Tīpene Chrisp, and chair John Sproat for their very astute oversight of the settlement. I acknowledge all of you for your hard work and your commitment towards a lasting settlement.

I also acknowledge, as I always do, the various Crown agencies and the regional and district councils for their work. I thank the district councils, who have been very helpful during the negotiations, and have actually made some of the redress possible.

The journey to settlement started in the 1980s, when Mānahi Paewai lodged Wai 166, and Jim Rimene and others lodged the Wai 175 claim. Tribunal hearings were held in 2004 and 2005, and the Wairarapa ki Tararua report was released in June 2010. From this point on, Rangitāne adopted a pragmatic approach to negotiations. The mandate was recognised in October 2011, terms of negotiation were signed in August 2012, and an agreement in principle was signed a couple of years later. Throughout the negotiations, the iwi expressed their desire to reach a just and durable settlement swiftly, so that they could start growing their assets for the benefit of their people. We all know that Treaty negotiations take some time, but we are finally here today—almost a year to the day since we signed the deed of settlement on that very wet Saturday morning, not far from Dannevirke.

Can I now set out the key aspects of the past relationship between the Crown and Rangitāne—as, obviously, I want this to be in the permanent record of the House. From the 1840s Rangitāne were among those who welcomed Pākehā to the region and leased land to settlers. The Crown applied pressure on Wairarapa Māori to end the leases and instead sell their land to the Crown. When purchasing land, the Crown led the iwi to expect that substantial benefits would accrue. In the course of time, however, Rangitāne did not experience many of these benefits nor the prosperity that they had reasonably expected from settlement in their region. The Crown also failed to survey or protect from alienation a number of reserves that had been promised. It is such a familiar account, which repeats itself time and time again.

Throughout the 19th century the Crown continued to acquire areas of land. Communities resisted land sales and fought the breakdown of tribal structures through a number of initiatives, including parliaments and, indeed, also an appeal to the Privy Council, but to no avail. By 1910 only 10 percent of the traditional rohe remained in Māori land title, and by 1940 that figure had dropped to an appalling one: 3.5 percent. Throughout this process, Rangitāne lost many of its traditional food resources and taonga. The environment, particularly lakes and rivers, suffered degradation in favour of economic development. Being virtually landless by the 20th century, compounded with pressures of social deprivation, urbanisation, and assimilation—these all had a dramatic impact on Rangitāne, particularly as Rangitāne communities struggled to maintain their homes, customary knowledge, and language.

The loss that has been suffered can never be fully compensated for by the Crown. Much of what was lost simply cannot be returned. However, the people of Rangitāne have graciously accepted the redress contained in the settlement and I acknowledge their generosity in doing so. I think this settlement will contribute to reviving their Rangitānetanga.

A very critical aspect of the settlement is the Crown apology. Through the settlement and apology, the Crown seeks to restore its honour and atone for its wrongs to Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tāmaki-nui-ā-rua, by easing the burden of grievance that has been carried on for generations. This is of huge importance if we want to develop a new, Treaty-based relationship.

Another aspect of the redress is the vesting in Rangitāne of two reserves at Pūkaha and their subsequent gift back to the Crown, or the people of New Zealand, and the overlay classification. This remains one of the last significant stands of native trees, from the great domain of Whātonga, named by your tupuna as he was travelling up the Manawatū River. The redress acknowledges the special relationship that you have with this area, and it symbolises the partnership that exists between the Crown and Rangitāne.

You have stressed the importance of a place to stand that you can call your own, and the settlement includes the vesting of eight sites of huge significance to Rangitāne. The other important point that I wish to stress is the issue of the lake. It is good to see Mr Mark in the House today, because he, as a former negotiator for Ngāti Kahungunu, is acutely aware of the outline of the redress there. The bed of Lake Wairarapa will jointly be held with Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua.

It is very good day for Rangitāne, and I very much look forward, as I am sure Mr Mark does, to that day in the very, very near future—hopefully by the end of the year—when the deed of settlement can be signed with Ngāti Kahungunu, and then it will be a new dawn for both these great iwi in the Wairarapa.

Today is about acknowledging the past and looking forward to the future. Everyone can be, I think, very pleased with what has happened. It has been a long journey but a worthwhile journey. I thank the negotiators, once again. I thank Mr Barker, who has been the chief Crown negotiator—a very good fellow and a very hard worker. I commend the bill to the House.

E Te Māngai o Te Whare, tēnā koe, otirā, e ngā mema o Te Whare nei, tēnā tātou katoa. It is a great day today. It is a great day, not because Labour has gone up 10 percent in the polls or because the leader is now neck and neck with the Prime Minister, but because we are here, honouring the passing of the Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Bill. I am very honoured to lead Labour’s part in supporting this bill.

“Tini whetū ki te rangi, ko Rangitāne ki te whenua”. Ko Kurahaupō te waka, ko ngā uri whakaeke o Whātonga, nō reira, ōku rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, nau mai, hara mai, nau mai, hara mai, nau mai, hara mai.

[“Like the multitude of the stars in the sky, so is Rangitāne on the earth.” The canoe is Kurahaupō, the descendants are of Whātonga, so to my esteemed ones and others of a hundredfold, the elderly women and menfolk, welcome and come hither, welcome and come hither, welcome and come hither.]

It is indeed a privilege—as all Treaty bills in this House are, particularly at the third reading—to stand and honour what has transpired here today. No better do I want to place on the record than the history of Rangitāne. Rangitāne’s story begins with the arrival of the Kurahaupō waka. One of the principal chiefs aboard this waka was Whātonga. His descendants eventually migrated south from Māhia Peninsula, to settle much of the lower North Island and the top of the South Island. The tribes associated with this waka included Rongomaiwahine, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Rangitāne o Manawatu, Ngāti Apa, Muaūpoko, Ngāi Tara, Ngāti Kuia, and Ngāti Tū Mata Kōkiri.

Whātonga moved to what we know as the Hawke’s Bay area and built a pā, which he named Heretaunga. This later became the name adopted for the larger Hawke’s Bay area. Oral tradition speaks of Whātonga embarking on a journey of discovery, after displeasing his wife Hotuwaipara. She had cut her hand on a nohu, a rock cod, that he had caught on a fishing venture. This incident led to their first son being named, in remembrance of the event, Tara-ika, meaning fish spine. Whātonga’s journey brought him to the Wairarapa for the first time. He settled for some time at Rangiwhakaoma, Castlepoint, where he built a pā, called Mātiriē or Mātira, which was situated where the current lighthouse stands.

From here he journeyed down to Whanganui-a-Tara, up past Kāpiti Island, and Horowhenua, before moving inland, up the Manawatū River, and Te Āpiti, Manawatū Gorge. It was at this point that he first laid eyes upon a vast virgin forest that stretched beyond his view, filled with giant native trees. It was of such splendour that he gave it his own name, Te Tāpere Nui ō Whātonga, or the Great Domain of Whatonga. It is from this once great forest that Pūkaha / Mount Bruce, remains as one of the last significant stands of native bush.

Whātonga had two sons to two separate wives and it was the descendants of these two half-brothers that eventually spread to occupy the lower North Island, or Te Upoko o Te Ika a Māui. The first-born son was Tara-ika, known more commonly as Tara. Tara gave rise to the tribe known as Ngāi Tara that lived for many centuries in the Wellington and West Coast areas. Tara gave his name to the Wellington Harbour, which is known as Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Great Bay of Tara. His name is also commemorated in the Tararua mountains that divide the Wellington region, and is taken from the saying “Ngā waewae e rua ā Tara”, or “The spanned legs of Tara”, meaning that his people had a foothold on either side of these ranges.

The second son of Whātonga was Tautoki, born to Reretua. Tautoki gave birth to a son called Tānenuiārangi, otherwise known as Rangitāne. Rangitāne had two wives. His first wife Mahue bore a son called Kōpūparapara, and it is from this ancestor that Hāmua is derived. Four generations after Rangitāne came Hāmua. Hāmua became the eponymous ancestor or originator of the Ngāti Hāmua hapū, which was and remains the paramount hapū of Rangitane-o-Wairarapa. Ngāti Hāmua has survived through to today with other Rangitāne hapū to remain the tangata whenua o Wairarapa.

Of course, Rangitāne is not the only iwi to lay claim to the Wairarapa. Ngāti Kahungunu shares the role of tangata whenua in the Wairarapa. Ngāti Kahungunu hapū trace their lineage back to the Tākitimu waka that also arrived at Te Māhia some time after the Kurahaupō waka. Over time these people moved into the Wairarapa area, from Heretaunga, and integrated with the Rangitāne hapū. Today many of the Māori people living in the Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua area can trace their whakapapa or lineage back to both these tribes.

I have stolen that introduction from the website of Rangitāne ki Wairarapa, so ngā mihi ki a koutou. I read it to inform and share in the House the connection between Rangitāne and Kahungunu. I want to share a story of my grandmother. Some of our people in the audience will know an auntie of mine, Kahu Pene. Many years ago, before my auntie passed, she was going to another one of these many hui that we have back home, between Rangitāne and Kahungunu. So she picked up my grandmother, Ruru Heta Robin, thinking that she had my nan’s votes when it came to voting for Kahungunu. To her dismay, at the hui my auntie told me that when it came to voting, my grandmother voted for Rangitāne. She voted for Rangitāne. That, to me, was a reminder of the kohutanga that we have between Kahungunu and Rangitāne. To my kinsmen and kinspeople and our iwi who are in the audience today, I mihi to you all for being here and witnessing this historic moment.

I will not transcend what the Minister ably talked about, in terms of the package. All I wanted to raise, as I did in the second reading—I notice the Minister did ask me to stand during the Committee stage—was the report that came back from the select committee. That talked about the shared redress and whether that has been taken care of. I leave that there, not to disrupt the day but just to acknowledge that there was a report that came back from the select committee that mentioned that. I did not believe that it needed to be changed within the bill, but it was definitely a question, still left unanswered, about the crossover shared parts between Rangitāne and their neighbouring iwi. Maybe the chairman or members on the opposite side can shed some light on that.

In the closing moment it is important to acknowledge absolutely the hard work, first and foremost, of the iwi—for your perseverance in keeping faith with this process. Being reduced from 100 percent landownership to 3 percent is unbelievable. Time and time again we hear the same stories in this House, that iwi, in good faith, entered into agreements with our early settlers and the promise for return, and at the end of the day we are left landless—we are left landless. Three percent is all that was left.

I want to acknowledge the iwi for their patience—for the original claimants Jim Rimene, Manahi Paewai. I want to acknowledge the negotiators Jason Kerehi, Mavis Mullins, Richard Jones, Tīpene Chrisp, and of course I want to acknowledge the Hon Rick Barker, the Crown negotiator here, the officials, the Minister, and of course the hard work of the Māori Affairs Committee and the many submitters who submitted throughout this process.

It is time for Rangitāne—a period of reconciliation for yourselves between the Crown and iwi, hopefully with iwi to iwi, some reconciliation. It is time to reset and it is definitely a time to regain the mana that we have paid over these years and years as Rangitāne people.

Nō reira, e Te Māngai o Te Whare tēnei te mihi ki a koutou, otirā, ngā iwi, ngā whanaungatanga, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Therefore, Mr Assistant Speaker, I acknowledge you collectively, but, at the same time, accolades and well done to you collectively, and to all of us.]

Ā, tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā, tēnei te mihi ki te waka o Kurahaupō, ki ngā uri o Whātonga, nō reira, mauria mai ō whakaako ki te kaupapa e huihui tākata, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, e mihi atu ana ki a koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. I greet the Kurahaupō canoe and the descendants of Whātonga. Therefore bring forth your learnings to the policy that people come together for. Congratulations and well done. I acknowledge you all.]

I take great honour and pride in being part of the third reading of the Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Bill. It is always a momentous occasion in this House when we can tautoko our Treaty settlement through its final stage and launch an iwi into the next stage of their history and of their development.

But before I talk about the future, I want to reflect on the past. The future is important. We see here today the rangatahi of Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā. Over 200 of you have come here for this momentous occasion. But the future is what the money, the commercial redress, is about. It is important to the people, as I said, especially the rangatahi of Rangitāne, in that there is an economic base provided here for the iwi to deliver better opportunities for its people in the future.

But I think what is more important here—and I remember the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations reflecting on this in his first reading speech. The Minister said: “The thing that is most meaningful to iwi is the acknowledgment of their history through the cultural redress in their settlements.” I know this from my own experiences in Kai Tahu. Kai Tahu have done great things with their financial settlement, and I have been proud to be part of that important work that is happening at home. But when we received our settlement, the first thing on our minds was the acknowledgment, first of all, of our history—the cultural redress that gave us back some of our connection to our lands and our taoka in the heartfelt apology that was delivered by the Crown.

Rangitāne were one of the iwi that actively welcomed Pākehā to their rohe. They adapted quickly to the European style of commerce and benefited from leasing land and trading with the settlers. But, as in so many other areas of the country, the Crown put a stop to this mutually beneficial relationship and insisted that Rangitāne could sell their land only to the Crown. Through the various means of applying pressure and defrauding Rangitāne, the Crown acquired huge swathes of land and broke the promises it had made to Rangitāne to provide them with substantial reserves and social benefits like better health and education. Rangitāne had land the Crown wanted, and trading with the Crown and with settlers should have given them great prosperity. Instead, they were left landless with none of the resources that would have allowed them to build the prosperity for themselves.

This is a very brief summary of Rangitāne’s history with the Crown. There is much more that happened, but, in a nutshell, it is a familiar story of an iwi that wanted to engage positively with the Pākehā settlers, and a Crown that took advantage and gave Rangitāne reason to regret ever welcoming Pākehā to their rohe. That is the history the Crown has now apologised for.

Rangitāne now looks to a future in which they can be full and welcome participants in a society that treated them originally as second-class citizens for so long, a future in which Rangitāne have the economic base to establish themselves as full participants in their local economy and in the wider Māori economy as well, and a future in which their people can expect greater opportunities to get ahead.

I want to acknowledge all of those from Rangitāne who are here today, and I acknowledge those iwi members who will be watching this debate far from this House. As MPs, most of us only really get to be involved in the Treaty settlement process here in Parliament as we carry out the formalities of giving legal effect to the settlements that have been negotiated by others. In saying that, it has often reflected many years of heartache, and I know this particular settlement has—the many years of heartache of fighting for justice and of hard work on the part of many who have passed on into the long night and many who are here today.

I acknowledge Rangitāne’s forebears who have worked to bring it to this point. I acknowledge the negotiators, the ones whom I actually, as the chair of the Māori Affairs Committee, had direct engagement with. Rangatira like Tīpene Chrisp, Mavis Mullins, Jason Kerehi, and Tīpene—if I could say—that after working on behalf of the Government, on behalf the Crown, on so many other Treaty settlements, it must be a proud moment for you to now be seeing this one be passed to the benefit of your own people. Nō reira, e mihi atu ki a koe. I also acknowledge the Hon Rick Barker, who negotiated on behalf the Crown for this settlement. Tēnei te mihi ki a koe.

To Rangitāne I say that today marks the end of one journey but the start of another. You have shown great generosity by accepting a settlement that is symbolic and that provides you with greater opportunities but that cannot and does not compensate you for the losses you suffered due to the past Crown actions. Your leaders now have the huge responsibility of making sure this settlement benefits your people, and they will—and they will.

With that, today here marks the final reading before the Royal assent when this becomes law—and it is at that point that the iwi can then move on and be very much involved in their development for those future people: those rangatahi whom we see here and those future generations. In all of that, it comes back down to one thing, though: again, just to reiterate, it is not about the money; it is actually about the apology. It is actually about the historical account of what happened, and then from there it gives the opportunity to move forward. E Te Mana Whakawā, tēnā koe. Huri noa i Te Whare e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa, and I do indeed commend this bill to the House. Kia ora tātou.

Ā, tēnā koe e Te Māngai o Te ’hare, otirā, e tika ana kia tuku mihi atu ki a koutou katoa, ngā whānau, ngā hapū o Rangitāne o Wairarapa, o Rangitāne whānui anō hoki, o Rangitāne o Tāmaki-nui-ā-Rua, anei ahau e tuku mihi atu ki a koutou katoa, nau mai, haere mai, whakatau mai! Ā, otinoa, e tika ’oki kia tuku mihi atu ki a koe e Te Heamana o Te Komiti Whiriwhiri Take Māori, i tuku atu i Te Reo ’hakamoemiti i tēnei ata, ā, māku e tautoko taua whakamoemiti, otirā, ngā mi’i katoa i roto i Te Whare nei, ā, tēnā tātau katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker, but, at the same time, it is fitting that I greet you all, the families and subtribes that belong to Rangitāne of Wairarapa and broadly as well, and of Dannevirke. Here I am, welcoming you all. Come hither, come forth, pay homage. Accordingly, it is right as well that I acknowledge you, the chairman of the Māori Affairs Committee, who expressed words of praises this morning. I will endorse that expression of thanks but, at the same time, all those expressed in this House. Greetings to us all.]

It is a real privilege to stand and speak to the third and final reading of this settlement bill. It is always great to come to the House and talk on settlement bills, because of what they represent. It has been a long and arduous journey to get to this day, and I want to acknowledge that. I too, as I did in my second reading speech, want to acknowledge all of the kuia, koroua, matua, and the young people, the rangatahi, who are here today to witness this special occasion—and in particular the young people, who inherit not a burden of carrying the breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi today but, from today on, now carry the legacy of the hard work of their tūpuna. I want to acknowledge you all because settling this bill today, and these claims, is all about the future, as other colleagues in the House have said. It is a particularly special day for the young people, and I am sure it is a day that you will all remember.

I want to also mention taku kuia, Te Haerenganoa, “Nanny Noa”, who is amongst you all today—tēnei te mihi atu ki a koe e te kuia. I want to mention her because she was here 82 years ago on a very special day, so she has returned here to see the passage of this bill. She was at the meeting between Michael Joseph Savage and Tahupōtiki Wīremu Rātana. That was a special day as well, and I hope that the legacy she has carried for the last 82 years is exactly the same as what you all carry for the future generations as well, so that the stories you tell your future generations are the same ones that she has told me and my generation. So mihi ana ki a koutou katoa.

This is indeed a very special settlement, as all settlements are, and I want to in particular acknowledge the leaders of Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā to the post-settlement governance entity, who will have the honour and privilege of taking this settlement forward. I want to acknowledge the chair of the settlement entity, Mavis Mullins—tēnei ahau tuku mihi atu ki a koe—and also acknowledge that she is only the second Māori woman to be nominated and placed in the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame. I think that needs to be acknowledged. I also think that with that calibre of people on that entity, the settlement and the settlement assets are in safe hands, and I am certain that that asset will grow so that the legacy that will be carried by the future generations will indeed be a very strong one.

I want to also acknowledge the wide range of cultural reconnection mechanisms within this Treaty settlement. I am bound to talk about the responsibility that the iwi will carry in terms of the rivers that are very important to Rangitāne, and the important part that Rangitāne representatives will play in ensuring that their voice is heard when it comes to matters pertaining to the Manawatū River and other important cultural redress items within this settlement.

One other thing that I want to endorse and to support was the sentiments expressed by the Minister about the apology. I think it is a very important aspect of every settlement that comes through the House. I think it is incumbent upon all future Governments to ensure that the apology is real and that we make certain that Rangitāne have the opportunity not only to be consulted on important things that come through this House but the opportunity for their voice to be heard in this House. I want to lay down my commitment to make sure that we do that and that we do that with rigour.

I guess that is part of the legacy that will be carried forward by future generations—that it will be part of that legacy that they will have to uphold to make certain that this House, that this Parliament, makes certain that that apology is real by never ever breaching the Treaty again because, without that, that apology is diminished.

Nō reira e tino tautoko ana ahau i ngā āhuatanga katoa kei roto i te pire nei.

[Therefore I truly endorse all aspects that are in this.]

I think that all of the aspects of the settlement are important and probably ought to be equally important to all citizens of New Zealand because, as I have said before in this House, I want to thank Rangitāne for their generosity in accepting this settlement, because, as we all know, this settlement—like every other settlement—is redress, not compensation. So that generosity needs to be acknowledged—that Rangitāne have accepted this package of redress mechanisms, to move forward into the future, despite the fact that the actual financial burden that has been carried by the iwi is not really reflected in the amount that has been paid out through this settlement.

So I want to thank you all your generosity, and I wish you all the best for the future so that that legacy will be carried by the future generation and they can stand tall and strong for their future generations.

Nō reira koinā taku kōrero atu ki Te Whare nei i tēnei rā e pā ana ki tēnei pire, nō reira, tēnā tātau katoa.

[So that indeed is my contribution today to this House, on this day, about this bill. Therefore, greetings to us all.]

Kia ora, Mr Assistant Speaker. E koro mā, e kui mā, e rau rangatira mā, tēnā koutou. E ngā mātua, e ngā mokopuna hoki, ka nui te mihi atu ki a koutou.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. To the elderly men and womenfolk and to esteemed ones and others of a hundredfold, acknowledgments to you collectively. To the parents and grandchildren also, a huge appreciation to you.]

I stand here proud as punch today for my whānau of Wairarapa and Tamaki nui-ā-Rua. I stand here proud as punch because today we finally get to the third reading of the Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Bill. As many of my colleagues in the House have expressed today, it is the beginning of an amazing future for my whānau in Wairarapa and Tamaki nui-ā-Rua.

It is an emotional day, because I have waited for a wee while for this day to come, and to sit there with my mum in the gallery, and her kuia, Hinerau, as well. She is the last kuia for Wairarapa to witness this day, because so many of my aunts and uncles who were part and parcel of getting this bill to where it is today have gone on, passed over, and I am sure their wairua sits in this House and watches the proceedings as we move forward.

I want to acknowledge Jason Kerehi. I am sure that it has not been a very easy task for you, Jason, to be able to hear and listen to the whānau as they all started to contribute to the things that you needed to talk to the Crown about for redress for Rangitāne o Wairarapa. I want to also acknowledge Rick Barker, as the Crown negotiator, and I am sure, Rick, at many times many people tried to talk to you about some of the things that they wanted in the bill. I am sure of that. I got plenty of phone calls myself to have a talk to you about a few things in this bill and so I just want to say well done. Well done to both of you for getting the bill this far.

I want to add my acknowledgments to Mavis and to the rest of the board members and the committee members. I am proud of you, Mavis. You have done our iwi and Māori women proud in every aspect of the work that you do in representing us and the iwi. I want to acknowledge Tīpene Chrisp and John and Richard for the work that they do on the committee. I also want to acknowledge our Mikaere Kāwana who was, I think, very influential in the actual waiata of Tū Mai Rā and the waiata that comes with this bill. Mikaere is a very talented composer of waiata for Wairarapa and I am very proud to have him as part of our family, married to my cousin Ērena.

As I said, I am very proud to stand here. I am humbled, because my whānau in the Wairarapa are the Karaitianas and the Rīmenes and the many others, but it is through the Karaitiana whānau that I come into Wairarapa, through my mum. I want to also acknowledge my long-time friend, who—we have walked through many, many journeys, her and I, and I remember when the first negotiation meeting started: with the iwi, she rang me up and she said: “Are you coming to the meetings to do with our bill?”. And I said to her “Where is it and when is it?” and “I don’t know whether I can.” That woman is sitting in the House. She has been in here for all of the readings and her name is Oriana Paewai and she sits up there in the gallery, and I want to acknowledge you, Oriana. She has been the one who has been keeping me up to date when I was not home to be part and parcel of whānau negotiations.

I want to say to Rangitāne Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua—the generosity of being able to gift Pūkaha / Mount Bruce back to the people of New Zealand. It is a beautiful reserve and I am sure that in times to come many other New Zealanders and tourists will come to understand the beautiful gift that you have given back to this country and to the world.

So my kōrero is not going to go on much longer because I am very emotional about today because it is a special day for everybody in the House, and especially for the mokopuna sitting up there in the gallery. This is your future. This is something that you can have input into how you want your lives to reflect, through this bill and through all of the things that are coming back to Rangitāne. And I hope that you take it and you grab it with both hands and you help to set the future for you and yours because that is what our elders up here have done. They have come so far, and now you, mokopuna—it is now your turn to step up and help to shape the future of Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Tamaki nui-ā-Rua. So without any further ado, I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.

Tēnā koe, Mr Assistant Speaker. Tēnā koutou e Te Whare. He mihi nui ki a Ngāti Rangitāne ki Wairarapa me Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua, tēnā koutou. Nau mai, hara mai, ki Te Whare Pāremata, ngā kuia, ngā koroua, ngā whaea, ngā mātua, ngā rangatahi, me ngā tamariki, tēnā koutou.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker, and to you, collectively, the House. A huge acknowledgment to you, Rangitāne of Wairarapa and of Dannevirke; accolades to you collectively. Welcome, come hither to Parliament, the elderly and menfolk, the mothers, the fathers, the young people and the children. Greetings to you collectively.]

It is very humbling to stand here before you today and speak briefly on your claim, which I had not had the privilege of working on, but we are privileged to support it. Te Rōpū Kākāriki—the Green Party—would like to acknowledge your struggle, your effort, and your achievement in reaching this day. A third reading is always a moment in the history of this country, a moment of power, and a moment of challenge, and we really, really believe that every generation under Te Tiriti o Waitangi has a right to raise issues and a right to work on these issues. We do not believe in “full and final”; we actually believe in the ongoing relationship laid down by that covenant, so that your rangatahi and tamariki can keep upholding the aspirations of your people through Te Tiriti and so that we on the Crown’s side, or taha Pākehā katoa, tauiwi katoa [the totally European, colonists’ side] have a permanent responsibility to listen to you, to whakarongo—always. Not settled; honoured. Honoured; not settled. This is a settlement and it is a valuable thing, but it is our honour that is the most valuable, and we need to honour Te Tiriti and honour your rights to continue to challenge us to make justice a lived reality throughout the entire history of our time and our future.

Returning to this bill, I just want to acknowledge that wealth is a curse. Natural resources—the wonderful natural resources of your tūpuna, in a sense, attracted the worst fate for you, because those beautiful awa in the Wairarapa and those beautiful, magnificent ngahere are only like a story or a dream. The abundance that was yours to feed your people and to live in those relationships—the rivers are still there, but I work on rivers and I know the state of your rivers. I know what is being done and what comes down and what the consequence is of stripping the land of its trees—the domain of Tāne, the domain of wealth, of rongoā, of kai, and of whakapapa. All of those things that have been taken away are interrelated in terms of the land and the water and the people of the land. So, the uri of Whātonga, I commend you for your endurance—for your remarkable endurance.

When it comes to redress—it is an interesting word, “redress”—I acknowledge that the chair of the Māori Affairs Committee said it is not about the money, and I understand exactly what he means. But, you know, it is funny when the Crown says that, because, actually, if you do not have any money, it is about the money, and that is part of it. It is not the whole, and it is not the spirit of the day, but it is part of it because, actually, in the history it was all about making money. It was all about taking for financial profit, for the aspirations of a culture that came to colonise. It was about the money, all right.

So I think it behoves us now to acknowledge that it is always going to be about spiritual and cultural acknowledgment, but also it is about negotiating what is fair. Redress—as Minister Finlayson often, quite rightly, says—is never fair and is never complete, and neither is this. It is a good gesture, but I am always uncomfortable to say that it is not about resources, because truth and reconciliation are about truth and reconciliation based on the return of resources. That is where true justice and peace in this country will come from—when we have actually returned resources. Each settlement does its bit and this one is a triumph for you, but there is still more conversation to be had and more commitment.

The Green Party recently said that we would review Te Tiriti in terms of the settlement process, in terms of looking at issues of “full and final” and looking at acknowledging the issues that come with large natural groupings. So this is not a political speech—this is your day—but because we acknowledge the complexity of what you have had to deal with, and what all the hapū katoa have had to deal with, we acknowledge those things. We acknowledge them as being important and not being easily settled. We need to learn in this country how to honour those things, rather than divide the people and force them into dividing each other.

So we would just like to acknowledge the importance of many aspects of this settlement. The apology is very important, because there is no healing without a genuine apology. An apology, when it is accepted, forms a base for a new relationship. If someone apologises without their whole heart and it is not accepted by others, then it is meaningless. If someone apologies wholeheartedly and the people are able to accept it, then that is a new platform for a new beginning. But, like I said, we need the apology, acknowledgment, cultural redress, and resources, because we are beings who need to live in a world where we can live. My beloved colleague Metiria Turei—from Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, in your rohe as well—knows better than anyone that it is all about looking after our people and standing up for our people. It is all about those issues.

So I wish the Wairarapa people, all of you, the very best for this. We need to clean up the water, we need to restore the forests, and we need to restore the people’s right to live not in poverty and struggle but in dignity and rangatiratanga. Article 2 is always before us.

The issue around Pūkaha is great because that is such an amazing resource for this country. I just want to acknowledge your generosity because, like in many settlements, these icons and taonga of our country are returned to you, and then you give them straight back. You know, I do not know whether I would do that. I think it is extreme generosity. I would love to actually see us be given something that we have to give straight back in my culture. Bring it on—let us learn how to give it back. I think that would be a good thing for us spiritually and culturally, as well as in every other way, because, again and again, the people, the tangata whenua are always being asked to do this and they do it out of generosity, as it has always been throughout the entire history of your relationship. The Rangitāne relationship with the Crown has been generosity on one side. So let us all practise real generosity and acknowledge that this is your whenua, your awa, your ngahere, your moana, and that we are lucky to live within your generosity, graciousness, and your knowledge—intimate knowledge—of these resources.

I would just like to acknowledge Lake Wairarapa. At the bottom of the catchment, this beautiful body—this living being—everything flows down from the top to the bottom and ends up there. In that place all of the history of the last hundred or so years—150 years—is manifest, and all the work that needs to be done is symbolised by that. There is no magic place called away. There is no escape either from our colonial history or from our abuse of the land. It is all manifest. The water is talking to us all the time about what we are doing to the land. The people are talking to us about what we have done to them.

It is a great day, but, for the Green Party, it is a day when we say there is still time to listen, more to be said, and more to negotiate. Congratulations. We honour you as we try to honour Te Tiriti. Tēnā koutou katoa.

This is a bit of a privilege. Normally, Pita Paraone speaks on Treaty settlement bills on behalf of New Zealand First, but this one is a bit of an exception for me, because the Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Bill is a bill that I got involved in from the side as a lead negotiator for Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-ā-Rua. I will not take that long with my kōrero, I think, but I do need to say firstly, to my whanaunga from Rangitāne, to all the people up there in the gallery—Mavis and Tīpene, and I know Jason is there, and please forgive me if I do not mention you all. These are the people with whom, sadly, we were on occasion locked in negotiation in accordance with the Crown’s stipulated processes to settle cross-claims and shared-interest claims. I have to say that it is one of those processes that generated conflict between ourselves, which was hard to bear on occasion.

People from the Wairarapa who are Ngāti Kahungunu are, almost without exception, I think, also Rangitāne. People within the Wairarapa who are Rangitāne are also, without exception, I think, Kahungunu. But the reality is that that was not always the case. Without going back through the history, which is clearly stipulated and laid out here in the settlement, over time we became blended, but for one reason or another, some of us take our Kahungunu ancestry forward first, and others take the Rangitāne ancestry forward first.

The Treaty settlement claim process of the Treaty grievances that arose drove a wedge between families, individuals, hapū, and marae, and between our iwi. This is a very difficult process to go through, but the Crown’s processes are stipulated, and if you want to get a settlement, you must follow that process. Some parts of that process are difficult. Shared interests generate controversy, argument, and debate as to who is right and who is wrong in their recounting of historical events and of whakapapa. Just the question over marae—the question over who has ascendancy and who has the greatest claim or mandate or mana on particular marae—was always going to generate some very difficult conversations, and, regretfully, there are times when people in that negotiating process say things that they subsequently regret. But that is the nature of Treaty settlements and the process that we are all put into.

The questions around Pūkaha, Hāmua, and Wairarapa Moana caused us days, weeks, and months of debate as we moved from marae to marae through the Treaty settlement process. I guess one would look at this settlement, which we support and endorse—I hope that we will look, in time, at the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-ā-Rua settlement when we do that third reading, as well, and I would hope that we will by then have put all the pain, all the hurt, and all that raruraru off to one side and will be looking at the future and at opportunities that will then be open to us as a people: Kahungunu o Rangitāne.

I was always impressed by the demeanour of Mavis Mullins and Jason Kerehi, and I recognise and acknowledge the pain and the difficulty that was carried forward by Mānahi and Tīpene through those very difficult and trying negotiations. The fact of the matter is that we arrived at a point. The fact of the matter is that Rangitāne arrived at a point, and actually arrived there ahead of Ngāti Kahungunu, and I congratulate you on that. I congratulate you on your tenacity, on your courage, and on the way in which you remain true to those who lodged these claims and started the whole process going forward and who are no longer here today to see this debate and to see this moment in Rangitāne history and time come to fruition.

There is this third reading and then we await the Governor-General’s signature, and that will be this done. But it will not be done in terms of Rangitāne and how it goes forward. It will not be done in terms of Ngāti Kahungunu in the Wairarapa and how we go forward. It will be the start.

I am pondering—and I know I have had this conversation with some of you recently—and I wonder how we will look at the collective strength of Rangitāne and Kahungunu working together in the Wairarapa. I wonder what that might do for all of our mokopuna.

When we, once again, put all of this behind us and look collectively and strategically at the economic strength, I think that after these two settlements, Ngāti Kahungunu and Rangitāne will probably be, economically, the strongest force in the Wairarapa, next to Trust House. Mind you, Trust House got a nice sweetheart deal, and that was done in a much shorter time than this process. Trust House was given, what, 230-odd houses in a sweetheart deal, at $20,000 a house, by the National Government of the day. Wyatt Creech was the MP for the Wairarapa and the Deputy Prime Minister, and one of the things I will never forget was that in the negotiation process, when Rangitāne was looking at assets that might come back, the one thing that was not on the table for them was the opportunity to take houses, because they had gone—all of them.

I acknowledge the difficulty of Rangitāne in trying to work a way through not just the cultural settlement, which is a minefield—particularly in the shared interest part of the negotiation—but on the commercial side, when you were looking at what the Crown had that could actually be part of this settlement, and it was not a lot, was it? So I look forward to seeing a time when Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu collectively, together, work strategically for the betterment of all of our people in the Wairarapa and for all of our people who no longer reside in the Wairarapa but who are dotted all over the country and all over the world.

I just want to conclude by saying that the work that was started by those who are no longer here and by some who are here, the work that was taken up by the negotiators—those who have subsequently joined the post-settlement governance entity, Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā Trust, and those who are going to be employed working on managing those assets, are all to be congratulated. But might I also suggest that they are going to be in need of your support, your love, and your reinforcement, because now the responsibility that has been placed before them is great. They will need your strength if they are to advance the people of Rangitāne, so that they might achieve those things that our forebears and ancestors aspired to and wished to be achieved on their behalf. Congratulations, whanaunga, this is a great day for you.

Ā, tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā, nei te mihi atu ki a koutou, ki a tātau, ā, koutou o Rangitāne, koutou i tae tawhiti mai, koutou kua tae ā-tinana, ā-kanohi mai, nei te mihi atu ki a koutou katoa, te hunga rangatahi o Te Kura o Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua. Kai te mihi atu ki a koutou kua tae mai ki te āta tiro atu ki tēnei rangi, he rangi whakahirahira tēnei rangi, kai te mihi atu ki a koutou.

[Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. I acknowledge you collectively, us and you of Rangitāne extraction who have come from afar, physically and face to face. I acknowledge you, all the young ones from the Kura of Dannevirke. I commend you, the younger generation who have arrived to look at this day critically. This day is a significant one, and I congratulate you.]

I am not going to take too much time and do a great big long mihi. We all know what we are here for. We are here, finally, after first submitting the claims in the 1980s. And I want to acknowledge some people, and I have a great big list and I am really scared about doing this, because then I am going to miss some people out. But here we go. We will see how well I do and you can tell me off after.

First of all I want to acknowledge Uncle Kuki and Auntie Helen. I will talk more about that soon, when I cast our minds back to 2004 when the tribunal came to Te Ore Ore marae. But I also want to acknowledge Auntie Margaret and Auntie Barbara Kōpua—Auntie Barbie. I want to acknowledge all of my aunties who have passed away while we have waited for this day to come, who were all there in 2004, listening to our Rangitāne whānau stand up and lay their claim in front of the Waitangi Tribunal.

But I also want to acknowledge Uncle Jim, Mike, and your whānau, and Erena. I want to acknowledge Auntie Mere Kerehi, tēnā koe. Auntie Kate, Nanny Hinerau—lovely to see you. [Interruption] I know. I have got to get your name in Hansard and I will try not to use the “you”, because they tell us off for that. But Nanny Hinerau Te Tau is here. Mānahi Paewai, Maisy, Jason, and Mavis—I am going to get told off; I know I have forgotten someone. Richard Tīpene, Piri, kia ora rā. John Sproat, Tina Te Tau, Hēnare Te Kani—where are you, Hēnare? Oh, ka pai. I want to acknowledge Mavis, of course; Jason; Yvette; Warwick Gernhoefer; Edward Pearse; Mahalia Paewai; and Taylor Mihaere.

Now, I have read out a great big list of people and you can tell me off later. But I just wanted to acknowledge how much it takes to come to this point. In 2004, if we remember that day, we had just taken Uncle Kuki on to the marae at Te Ore Ore and then had to turn around and clear the marae for the tribunal to come in. It was a significant day that will for ever be etched in my memory. That year, 2004, was a historic year for us, not because I came home to Wairarapa to take up the role of principal at the kura, but because of the significant acknowledgment of our people, finally. The biggest ever exhibition happened at the Aratoi arts and history museum, where all of our marae got to come in week after week and lay their taonga in front of the people. It had never had an exhibition like it—24,000 people came through that exhibition. That is the whole entire population of Masterton. We took all of our kids there.

I remember the day that year when my brother, Rāwiri, stood in front of our wharekura class—the first wharekura established—and there were four of us, four students. Mike Kāwana—little Mikey—and Frankie and, I think, Ririwai, and who else, Jareth? That was it. We had four of them, and by the end of the year we had seven. Rāwiri stood up and in the very first lesson he connected them to how they were connected by whakapapa to both Rangitāne and Kahungunu, and to each other. I will always remember Uncle Kuki taking me to the marae and into the whare at Te Ore Ore, showing me the photos on the wall and saying: “That’s your tūpuna. That’s why you have a waewae here and a waewae there.” I feel like Tara, over the maunga—but I heard that story in a different way, in that he missed his wife so much that he looked at those twin peaks and was a bit mokemoke—ha! Just saying. Free and frank—ha, ha!

That year was significant for us, because we were getting over 10 years of heartbreak, when we were known in Wairarapa for killing our children. That is what we were known for, and when we took our wharekura kids to Te Wānanga o Raukawa to study and they stood up and introduced themselves as being from Wairarapa, the entire audience went “Aw!”. And they would connect themselves to every other piece of whakapapa that they could find—“I’m not from Wairarapa or from Kahungunu or Rangitāne; I’m from Tūhoe.”, or “I’m from Ngati Porou.”, or “I’m from Ngāpuhi.”

💬 Peeni Henare: Everyone’s from Ngāpuhi.

Ha, ha! All right—that is because you fullas infiltrated everywhere. Ha! But they were ashamed of being from our own town, from our own rohe—our babies. And it was heartbreaking. I remember that Rāwiri came up with a plan. He had found a kōrero in the Māori Land Court records from Tūtawake that said: he whakatō tāne nō Tūtewake, he toa. [a man conceived of Tūtewake, a warrior.] The making of a man is in Tūtawake, the warrior, and not because he was a warrior and not because he was the chief, but because he was known for looking after his whānau.

And he thought about that, as my brother does—you know him—and he came up with a plan. He said: “You know, our kids talk about being ‘the man’ or ‘the woman’.”, and so he started making posters of all our ancestors. His dream was to put them on every lamp post from the block all the way to town so our kids would walk past them every day. He put them up around the classroom walls. “Nireaha was the man, because …” and “Niniwa-i-te-rangi was the woman, because …”. And he started bringing these names of our ancestors back and reminding the kids that they were born of greatness; that they had nothing to be ashamed of; that they could stand in the shadow of their ancestors and be proud. And so I want to remind us of one of those ancestors: Nireaha—Nireaha, who owned a hotel where the coach line had to come through.

Right now, the hall still stands there, but does anybody notice it as they zoom past? You know? I think of that forest Tapere-nui-a-Whātonga, which was chopped down by our Viking cousins. Now we have married them all, so they are all interrelated as well—from Norsewood. They chopped our forest down. It was said to be so heavily shaded by the canopy that you needed a light to travel through it. Nireaha fought for his land and fought to say “No, I’m not going to stop paying my leases. I’m not going to stop charging leases to the settlers.”—because yes, we embraced settlers. They could come.

We were some of the richest landowners in this country, who had our own businesses, who exported to all over the world, who had trade. And we went from that to this because somebody came along and said: “You can’t pay your land leases to the Māori anymore.” Nireaha, at 65, took them to the Privy Council and won—and won. And when he got back, despite winning, they dismissed it and still took his land. We all need to know, because I grew up with one of the most prized educations in this land, in Christchurch. People move into those suburbs to try to get that education, and I knew nothing until I came home to Wairarapa and learnt about our people and our greatness—the greatness that you fight for.

Today, in my last 53 seconds, I just want to acknowledge that we are here and we are born of greatness and we rise and we thrive. This might be a little bit of pūtea—and the greatest gift back to this nation is that we accept such a pittance for the travesty that has happened—but we are still here and we are resilient and we rise. We do it on the backs of your efforts, on the backs of these tamariki on whose behalf we continue to fight; we do it on the backs of our tūpuna, who left this legacy of power for us; and we do it on the backs of aroha, because what we do we do because we love who we love. We carry on and we rise. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora mai tātou katoa.

Well, that is a hard act to follow—I would like to acknowledge Marama Fox’s contribution. Also, I would like to acknowledge Ron Mark’s contribution and Jo Hayes’ contribution, particularly for being very linked and tied to the Rangitāne people, who are in the gallery this morning. Welcome, everybody. Welcome to the House of Parliament—your House. It is an honour to be here speaking in this House in front of you today. It is not often that a sitting MP gets to participate in the third reading of a settlement bill in his or her own electorate. John Hayes before me and Georgina Beyer before him did not get the opportunity to speak on a third reading of a settlement bill. I am looking forward, Mr Mark, to speaking on the third reading of the Kahungunu bill in the near future—

💬 Pita Paraone: So is he.

—so we will see you next term.

💬 Marama Fox: He will have to win your seat.

Ha, ha! That is right. I am not going to go through the history; Minister Finlayson has described that very well, and Marama has given some very local history and understanding of the story of Rangitāne. But I would like to discuss or to mention the cross-claims, and acknowledge the Rangitāne and Kahungunu arguments. Ron Mark described the arguments as being tough work—hard work. You know, sometimes these disputes can be fractious, aggressive, or unpleasant, even, but I would like to acknowledge your settlement and your understanding, because to get here you must have listened—listened and understood—and that is the benefit of a dispute. That is the silver lining, if you like, of understanding the other party to the dispute, whether it is Kahungunu or the Crown, in this case. So I acknowledge your generosity of spirit in wanting to negotiate and to agree and to listen and to understand. That is very important.

I would also like to acknowledge, of course, those who are here, but also those who are not here. I acknowledge those who are listening out there across the country, and I also acknowledge those who have passed, because, of course, they have set the foundation for what is the third reading of the settlement today.

But most of my contribution is about the future, because that is what is important. That is what we are here for, that is why we do the work in this House: for the people of New Zealand and for their future. It is so gratifying and so pleasing to see rangatahi here today listening to the third reading. To those people—those young people up there—you will have heard stories from your parents and your uncles and your aunties and your grandparents. If you are like my kids, you do not necessarily listen to your parents. You do not necessarily listen to your family elders, or the members of your family, even, so I am going to take the opportunity to speak directly on their behalf to you. I want to emphasise the importance of the role that young people—you—play going forward, because it is now your responsibility, collectively and individually, to take the mantle and to go forward.

It is your responsibility to decide who will be your leaders and who will be your followers, because you cannot have leaders without followers, and there is no such thing as followers without leaders. It is a collaborative process. I encourage you to work together, and there has been discussion around working with Kahungunu, working together amongst yourselves to build on the foundation that has been set by those who have come before you. It is a fantastic opportunity that you have in front of you, and I encourage you to take that opportunity to participate, and to look to the people before you as fantastic role models—Jason and Mavis particularly; the best people, the best of the best people—for you to model yourselves on. But it is up to you. It is up to the young people. I cannot do it for you; none of the people in this House can do it for you. It is for you to decide how to act and react to the situation and the opportunities that are laid out before you, going from today forward. With that, I commend this bill to the House.

E te Māngai o te Whare, ka noho tonu ahau ki roto i Te Reo Māori. Tuatahi māku ki tō tātau kaiwhakarite i te ata nei, ki a Tutehounuku Korako i whakaritea ai i tō tātau huihuinga kia pai ai te nohoanga o tēnei Whare mai i tōna tīmatanga tae noa atu ki te poupoutanga o te rā. Kāti ngā mihi nui ki a ia. Tuarua ki ngā mate huhua o te wā, ngā mate i pīkauria mai e koutou e Rangitāne, ki runga i te tāhūhū o tō tātau Whare. Kia tāpae atu ko ngā aituā maha kei runga i a mātau, kia kotahi ai te tangi atu ki a rātau, haere mai haere e ngā mate.

Kāti, e huri tū atu ahau ki a koe e te Minita. Ā, aini ki roto i ngā waiata Māori, ki roto i ngā tau e tū nei, ka kōrerohia mātau i ngā kōrero e pā ana ki a koe me ngā mahi nui i oti i a koe ki roto i ngā tau kua pahure ake nei e pā ana ki ngā take tiriti o te wā. Nō reira e mihi atu ana au ki a koe me te heamana o Te Komiti Whiriwhiri i Ngā Take Māori a Tutehounuku Korako. Ka rere tonu ngā mihi ki a ia otirā ki ngā mema o taua rōpū i whakarongo ki ngā kōrero a tēnā, a tēnā, a tēnā o Rangitāne kua tau mai i te rā nei. Kāti ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

Ka kōrero a Marama Fox mō tēnei mea ko ngā whakapapa a tēnā, a tēnā. E tika ana taku kōrero ki tō tātau Whare e mea atu ana, anā ko Rangitāne, anā ko mātau o Te Tai Tokerau, he iwi kotahi. Me kaua e tukuna mā te ture tātau e wehewehe ai, nā runga i te mōhio i tau mai te waka o Kurahaupō ki roto i a mātau o Te Tai Tokerau. Me kī pēnei te kōrero, ko Kurahaupō te waka, ko Te Pōhurihanga ki runga, ka puta mai ko Muriwhenua, ka puta mai ko Tamatea, ka puta mai ko Te Kauri, ka puta mai ko Mārama-Ariari, ka puta mai ko Reikōkopu, ka puta mai ko Hinekehu, anā, ka puta mai ko Tūwhakatere. Ko mātau o Te Tai Tokerau, he tupuna rongonui a Tūwhakatere ki waenganui i a mātau. Kāti e ngā whanaunga o Rangitāne, ngā uri o Kurahaupō waka, haere mai, haere mai, haere mai.

He mīharo ki a mātau o Te Tai Tokerau, tā te mea he pōhara mātau. Ka kite atu mātau i ngā hia miriona tāra i tukuna atu ki tēnā iwi, ki tēnā iwi. Ko te mea pai o te whakapapa, ka whai karahipi waku tamariki ki roto i a koutou. Kore e taea e te ture te karo i tēnei mea te whakapapa. Mehemea ka kī atu ko Rangitāne nō Kurahaupō waka, ka kī atu ahau ko waku tamariki nō Kurahaupō waka, tēnā, haere mai, haere mai, haere mai. E aku rangatira, ka whakaaro ake ahau mō ngā kōrero kei roto i te Paipera Tapu, ko ngā karaipiture. E mea ana, Ecclesiastes, nē? Ko te ūpoko tuatoru, anā ko ngā rārangi tuatahi ki te rārangi tuawaru. He wā anō mō ngā mea katoa. Ka huri tū atu ki te rārangi tuawhitu e kī pēnei ana. He wā mō te tīhaehae, he wā mō te hanganga. He wā mō te wahangū, he wā mō te kōrero. He wā mō te aroha, he wā mō te tūkino. He wā mō te pakanga, he wā mō te rangimārie. Āta whakaarohia i tērā karaipiture. Nē? Āta whakaarohia. He wā mō te pakanga, i pakanga koutou i te pakanga. Iāianei nā, he wā mō te aroha. He wā anō mō te aroha. Ko ēnei kōrero katoa e hāngai pū ana ki ngā take tiriti katoa ka uru mai ki roto i tēnei Whare. Nō reira āe, he wā mō te matenga, he wā anō mō te ora. Nō reira, rātau ki a rātau, nā ka tahuri mai ki a tātau e te Whare.

Ka kapohia ake ahau i te kōrero a Alastair Scott i tērā taha o te Whare. Me anga atu te titiro ki ngā tau kei mua i a tātau. Ahakoa ki hea, i kōrero mai ngā mātua tūpuna mō te ao o wā rātau mokopuna. Kua tutuki koutou i tētahi mahi nunui rawa atu, kia tatū ai te kerēme o Rangitāne ki roto i ngā ture a te Karauna, a tēnei Whare hoki. Iāianei nā, ko ngā whakaaro kei ngā tamariki, kei ngā mokopuna e tupu haere nei, e tupu haere nei, e tupu haere nei. Ko te hiahia, ki roto i ngā mahi kapahaka e tū nei, ngā whakataetae ā-rohe, ngā whakataetae a Te Matatini, ka rangona whānuitia te motu whānui i ngā kōrero e pā ana ki a Rangitāne, me ngā nekehanga o tēnei kaupapa, anā ko ngā take tiriti e pā ana ki a koutou.

Anā, me te hiahia kia rangona whānuitia e mātau, he aha nei nā ō koutou wawata mō ngā uri whakatupu e haere mai ana. Koinā te wero nui kei mua i a koutou, otirā kei mua i a tātau. Koinā tāku e pānui ana i ngā karaipiture, he wā anō mō tēnei mea, he wā anō mō tēnei mea. Kua tutuki i a koutou te mahi nui. Kua tutuki. Iāianei nā, ko te aronga kei ngā tau kei mua i a tātau. Nō reira koinā te take e harikoa ana, kia kite atu i wā tātau tamariki mokopuna ki roto i tēnei Whare. Tā te mea, ki roto i ngā tau e tū mai nei, kei runga i ngā pokowhiwhi a ngā tamariki, a ngā mokopuna, ngā moemoeā o Rangitāne, otirā tātau te iwi Māori. Nō reira e mihi atu ana au ki a koutou. Tā te mea ko au te kaikōrero whakamutunga mō tēnei pire i te ata nei, ka kapi ahau i ngā kōrero.

Kua wahaina mai e te Minita i ngā kiko o te pire nei. Ka kōrero mai tēnā, tēnā, tēnā o mātau o te Whare i ngā kōrero e pā ana ki tēnei pire, i ngā kōrero ko wā rātau pānga ki roto i a koutou me te pire kei mua i te aroaro o te Whare nei. Ka riro māku nei ngā kōrero hei whakakapi ake. Nō reira e mihi atu ana ahau ki a koutou otirā ki a tātau. Kia mōhio mai koutou, whai muri i tēnei pire ko te pire e pā ana ki a Ngāti Pūkenga, ka aro atu te titiro ki roto o Tauranga Moana. Ko ngā āhuatanga kei runga i a koutou mō ngā he aha nei nā te kōrero? Ka mea mai ētahi o te ao Pākehā, anā ko ngā conflicting interests, ko cross interests aha atu raini. E mea ana mātau te iwi Māori, anā ko te whakapapa tēnā.

Ā, ko tērā take he take nui kei mua i te aroaro o tēnei Whare otirā te iwi Māori ki roto i ngā tau kei mua i a tātau. Ka whai whakaaro mātau ngā mema kei roto i te Whare nei mō ngā āhuatanga e pā ana ki a Ngāpuhi. Kāre e kore, ka tū mai tētahi hapū, ka tū mai tētahi hapū, ka tū mai tētahi whānau, ka tū mai tētahi whānau, ki te kōrero ki wā rātau ake mana motuhake. Nō reira ko te pai o tēnei ata, kua kite atu koutou, kua noho ngātahi, kua kōrero ngātahi, kua whakaritea nei e koutou i te mahere kia tutuki ai tēnei mahi nui. Anā ko te aronga iāianei kei ngā tau kei mua i a tātau. Kāti ake i konei. Ko te hiahia, kia tau iho mai ngā manaakitanga o te Kaihanga ki runga i a Rangitāne, e hoki haere atu ana ki wā rātau pā kāinga puta noa. Mā te Atua koutou, otirā mātau, tātau katoa e tiaki. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, e te Māngai o te Whare tēnā tātau katoa.

[I will remain speaking in the Māori language. First of all, I acknowledge our prayer-giver this morning, Tutehounuku Korako. He delivered it on behalf of our gathering so that the sitting of this House goes well from its commencement until noon. Many, many, thanks to him. Secondly, to the myriads of deaths of the moment, those you brought with you, Rangitāne, and placed upon the ridge pole of this House, and stacked upon the myriads of our deaths so that we can grieve them as one; come forth the dead and farewell.

I turn now to you, Minister. Already within Māori songs and in years to come, we will talk about you and the great work you accomplished in the past years about matters of the moment relating to the Treaty. Therefore I acknowledge you and the chairman of the Māori Affairs Committee, Tutehounuku Korako. Tributes to him continue to flow, but at the same time to members of that committee who listened to contributions by each individual from Rangitāne who has arrived here today. Many thanks to you all.

Marama Fox has spoken about this thing, the genealogy of that individual and that individual. What I said in my address to our House is absolutely correct, that Rangitāne and us of Northland, we are one tribe. Don’t let legislation divide us upon the understanding that the Kurahaupō canoe landed amongst us of North Auckland. This is how the aphorism goes: on the Kurahaupō canoe was Te Pōhurihanga who begat Muriwhenua, who begat Tamatea, who begat Te Kauri, who begat Mārama-Ariari, who begat Reikōkopu, who begat Hinekehu, who subsequently begat Tūwhakatere. To us of Northland, Tūwhakatere is a famous ancestor amongst us well then Rangitāne, the descendants of the Kurahaupō canoe, welcome, come forth, come hither.

This is amazing to us of Northland, because we are impoverished. We see the millions of dollars released to that tribe and that one. The great thing about genealogy is that my children will get a scholarship through you! Legislation is not able to dodge this thing called genealogy. If Rangitāne is able to say it is from the Kurahaupō canoe, I can say my children are from the canoe of Kurahaupō; right, then, welcome, come hither, come forth.

My esteemed ones, I think about the accounts in the Holy Bible, the scriptures referring to Ecclesiastes. OK, it is the third chapter, from the first to the eighth section—there is a time for everything. Turning to the seventh section, it says that there is a time for ripping it up and a time to create, a time for silence and a time to talk, a time for love and a time to be bad, a time for war and a time for peace. Really reflect on that scripture, OK; consider it. There is time for war—you fought it. Right now there is time for empathy, and time, as well, for sympathy. All these comments focus on Treaty settlements that come unto this House. And so, yes, there is time for death and there is time for life. And so they the dead to themselves; let us the House turn back to ourselves.

I take up Alastair Scott’s contribution on that side of the House in that the gaze should be directed upon the years ahead of us. Regardless of where, the ancestral forefathers talked about the world of their grandchildren. You have completed one of the most crucial tasks of all and that is to settle the Rangitāne claim within the acts of the Crown and of this House as well. Right now thoughts are with children and grandchildren that continue to emerge, grow, and develop. The desire is that within future performing arts, both regional competitions and the national Te Matatini competition, the whole country will hear stories about Rangitāne and the movements of this settlement, namely about Treaty matters that impact on you collectively.

Furthermore, the hope is that we hear widely what, indeed, are your aspirations for future generations. That indeed is the big challenge for you collectively, but at the same time before us. That’s what I read in the scriptures. There is a time for this so-and-so and a time for this thing. The important task has been done; you have fulfilled it. The focus right now is on the years ahead of us. So that indeed is the reason why it is pleasing to see our children and grandchildren here in this House, because in years to come the aspirations of Rangitāne, but at the same time of ours, will be on their shoulders. Therefore, I commend you collectively because I am the last speaker for this bill this morning and will cover off the contributions.

The Minister brought the contents of the bill here, and each of us of the House commented on their connection within you and the bill before this House. It is left for me to cover off the contributions and so I commend you collectively, but, at the same time, us. You should note that following this bill the focus will be on the bill relating to Ngāti Pūkenga, and in particular, the circumstances upon you about the—what’s the comment? Some people in mainstream refer to these things called, conflicting interests, cross interests or whatever. Now then, we of Māoridom assert genealogy is that. And it is an important matter before this House and Māoridom in the future for us.

We the members in this House are mindful of the circumstances relating to Ngāpuhi. Without a doubt, each and every subtribe will stand up and talk about its own self-determination. So the good thing about this morning is that you have seen, got together, talked together, and arranged the plan together that will fulfil this important task. The direction now for us is to the years ahead. This ends here. The hope is that the Creator’s generosities settle upon Rangitāne returning to their homes and settlements throughout. God will protect you, but at the same time us, all of us. Acknowledgments and accolades to you collectively, and to us all.]

Bill read a third time.

Waiata