Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill

Members, the House is resumed for the extended sitting. I call on Government order of the day No. 2.

I seek leave to present a legislative statement on Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill.

DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leave has been sought for that course of action. Is there any objection? There is none. That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.

Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: I move, That the Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the bill. At the appropriate time, I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 11 November 2025 and that the committee have authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting, except during oral questions, during any evening on a day in which there has been a sitting of the House, on a Friday in a week in which there’s been a sitting of the House, and outside the Wellington area, despite Standing Orders 193, 195, and 196.

E te paepae manukura o Ngāti Rēhia, tēnā koutou. Me Ngāpuhi hoki, ko tēnei taku mihi atu ki a koutou, tēnā koutou. Tēnā koutou i tēnei rā mana nui.

Kororipo Pā, kia ora. Tihei mauri ora ki a tātou.

[To the leadership council of Ngāti Rēhia, greetings. And Ngāpuhi also, I hereby acknowledge you, greetings. Greetings to you on this auspicious day.

Kororipo Pā, hello. Vitality and wellbeing to us all.]

In August, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust and the Crown signed the Tuhinga Whakaae o te Tuku Tōmua o Kororipo Pā, which is the deed of on-account vesting of Kororipo Pā. The deed provides for the Crown vesting Kororipo Pā in Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust and acknowledges Ngāti Rēhia Trust will hold the site as kaitiaki on behalf of all Ngāpuhi.

To members of Ngāti Rēhia and the wider Ngāpuhi whānau, including many who have travelled from the Far North to witness the first reading of this bill in person, and to those watching online or listening on their crystal sets back home, I extend a warm welcome. I acknowledge those, too, of te whare tapu o Ngāpuhi—the sacred house of Ngāpuhi, to whom Kororipo Pā is also held in great esteem.

For those who aren’t familiar with Kororipo Pā, it’s located on the banks of the Kerikeri River, in what is now the Kerikeri Basin historic precinct, an area rich in the history of Ngāti Rēhia and their Ngāpuhi whānau. At Kororipo Pā, you’re walking in the footsteps of the Chief Hongi Hika, the renowned and feared Ngāpuhi warrior, diplomat, and strategist. As with many pā, the site was chosen for its strategic significance. From Kororipo Pā, you can see and respond to both landward and seaward threats. Because of its location, it was a military stronghold where ngā hapū of Ngāpuhi would assemble before going to war. More than that, though, it was also a place where the rangatira of Ngāpuhi hapū would meet to discuss together the issues of the day, and when Europeans came to these shores, it became a place of learning and of trade between Ngāpuhi and missionaries and settlers.

As early interactions between Māori and Europeans progressed, there were often land transactions conducted between people with very different understandings of land holdings and led to many misunderstandings and disputes. Before the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi—the Treaty of Waitangi—Governor Hobson promised Māori and the Crown would inquire into these preTreaty land transactions and return any lands unjustly held. The British missionary James Kemp claimed he purchased Kororipo Pā as part of a larger land purchase in 1838. The Crown investigated this claim in a commission process that drew criticism and which was challenged both at the time and since. The Crown ultimately granted title to Kororipo Pā to Kemp in 1859. Ngāpuhi consistently challenged that decision, rejecting the sale, and have also challenged successive ownership transfers, including the transfer of the pā to the Crown on 24 May 1957.

In 1994, Ngāpuhi hapū, including rangatira Manga Tau, Mac Taylor, and Honē Mītai, met at Whitiora Marae to discuss Kororipo Pā, and Ngāti Rēhia were confirmed as kaitiaki of the site on behalf of Ngāpuhi. That led to Tuau Ahiroa Kemp lodging Wai 492 in the Waitangi Tribunal in 1995, on behalf of Ngāti Rēhia and Ngāpuhi, seeking the return of the pā. Two other Wai claims were later lodged with the same intent.

Ngāti Rēhia and your wider Ngāpuhi whānau, I acknowledge the efforts of so many people over many years to have the pā returned. The work has been a significant burden to you and your hapū and your iwi. I thank the Ngāti Rēhia team, under the guidance of Kipa Munro and Nora Rameka—kia ora, Kipa and Nora—for their work with me and the Minister of Conservation, my good friend Tama Potaka, on this process. I also want to acknowledge the initial work of Andrew Little and the previous Government, which started off this process.

The bill will vest Kororipo Pā in Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust, the governance entity for Ngāti Rēhia, it will save historic reserve status in public assets, and it will remain on New Zealand’s tentative Unesco World Heritage List, reflecting its international importance. This will be the first redress provided to Ngāpuhi as part of the Treaty settlement process. Providing redress on account of a future comprehensive Treaty settlement is not the usual Crown approach. However, in 2022, the Crown agreed to progress this negotiation on an exceptional basis as a gesture of good faith.

I’m pleased that the Crown has recently recognised the mandate of Te Whakaaetanga Trust, a Bay of Islands hapū grouping, and to see the progress that other Ngāpuhi hapū groupings are making in seeking a mandate to progress the wider settlement. Ngā hapū of Ngāpuhi are organising, and I look forward to the day we’re able to work together to progress a Treaty settlement. As I said in the gathering this morning, Kororipo Pā is the place from where many consequential journeys began in our history, and let’s hope the return of the site, similarly, is the beginning of another very consequential journey for Ngāpuhi—the many hapū of Ngāpuhi—and also for the nation.

The select committee will hear and consider submissions. I look forward to helping to progress this bill through the House. Given the limited scope of the bill, I hope that a third reading can take place before the end of the year, and so that’s the intention there. It’s our hope and aspiration that we will soon be able to gather in the new year to celebrate the return of this important site to Ngāti Rēhia on behalf of the broader Ngāpuhi, and that this will signal the start. It is significant in its own right and a significant gesture and a significant place that is returned, but it is also the start of a broader discussion as well, and, on that basis, I commend this bill to the House. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Tēnā koe, Madam Speaker. I te mea kāre au i whai wāhi ki roto i ngā mihimihi i tau ki runga i ōku whanaunga i te ata nei, ka tāpae ake i wēnei kupu ki runga i a rātou, me te tangi auē ki te hunga mate kua wehe atu ki te pō.

I a au e noho ana ki roto i te pōhiri i te ata nei, i hoki atu ōku mahara ki tō tātou pāpā, ki a Judah Heihei. I te hui mate o Tāmati Parāone me te totohe ka takoto te kaumātua ki hea. Me te kōrero a Judah Heihei ki ōku ake o Ngāti Te Ara, o Ngāti Kōpaki, “E, tōia mai te rangatira ki roto i a au, ki roto i a Ngāti Rēhia, ko reira takoto ai.”

Heoi anō ko te āhuatanga o tērā kōrero hei tohu whakamaumahara ake ki ngā whakapapa ki waenganui i a tātou. Kāre au i te wāwāhi a Ngāti Rēhia a Ngāti Rēhia, a Ngāpuhi a Ngāpuhi, kahore. Ka kī ake ahau ki a tātou katoa, me ngā whanaunga o te kāinga, tēnā koutou. Nau mai, haere mai.

Pikauria mai ngā mate huhua o te wā. Nā kua kōrero atu ahau i te āhuatanga o Judah, ā, me te tini o rātou kua ngaro atu ki te pō. Kotahi tonu te kōrero ki a rātou: haere mai, haere.

Ka whakahokia mai ngā rārangi kōrero ki a tātou. Kia mōhio mai koutou, e ngā whanaunga, kei te tautoko mātou i ngā mahi o tēnei pire, me ngā kōrero a te Minita ināia tata ake nei. Ko te āhuatanga o tēnei pire me te hiahia kia kōkiri ngā mahi a tēnei Whare kia tutuki rā anō tēnei kaupapa, me tō kōrero, e kara, e Kipa, ka tau atu anō tātou katoa ki tōna whakatutukitanga ki runga i tō tātou kāinga, ki Kororipo.

E mōhio ana koe, koutou, ki te āhuatanga o te hunga porotiki, ko tā mātou mahi he kuti i te rīpene, engari e mōhio ana au ko te nuinga o ngā mahi i oti i a koutou, i oti i ō koutou mātua, ō koutou tūpuna i roto i ngā tau. Nō reira e mihi atu ana ahau ki tērā whakaaro nui kia tatū tātou katoa, hei tōna tutukitanga, ki runga i te wā kāinga. Nō reira tēnā koutou.

Kua rongo atu ahau i te kōrero a te Minita, me te tautoko mō te āhuatanga o ngā kerēme whānui ki roto i a tāua, o Ngāpuhi. Me te kī atu ka whakaaro nui ake ahau ki wō tāua whanaunga ki roto o Ōtaua. Ka whai whakaaro nui anō au ki te tini o ngā hapū ki roto o Ngāpuhi e tiro atu ana ki wō rātou wāhi tapu, ki wō ratou pā kāinga, me te hiahia ki te kī atu ki a rātou anei he tohu o tētahi huarahi ka taea e tātou te kōkiri ngātahi. Nā koutou tērā mahi, nā Ngāti Rēhia me ōna kārangarangatanga maha te mahi nui hei tohu ki a Ngāpuhi whānui.

Āe, me anga whakamua tātou. Me kōkiri tahi tātou ki roto i ngā hiahia, kaua o ō tātou mātua tūpuna anake, engari mō ā tātou tamariki mokopuna.

Nō reira, i a au e pānui atu ana i te pire, āe, kua kite atu ahau i ngā kupu me ngā kōrero Māori o te horopaki kei roto i te pire. E tautoko atu ana ahau i tērā āhuatanga, me te tōtō nei i toku ngākau ki roto i ēnei mahi, nā te mea ka whakaaro ake ahau ki te tini o ngā tūpuna kāre i konei i tēnei wā tonu. Ka whakaaro ake ahau ki a Rei Kapa, ki a Te Huranga.

Āe mārika, ka noho tangi ahau, ka noho koreto ahau mō te āhuatanga ki wō tātou mātua tūpuna nā rātou kē tēnei mahi i whakarite mō ngā whakatupuranga ki konei, me ngā whakatupuranga ā taihoa ake nei.

Nō reira ā taihoa ake ka tukuna atu tēnei ki te Komiti Take Māori kia āta rangona ngā kōrero a tēnā, a tēnā e pā ana ki tēnei pire, me te hiahia kia hoki ora mai anō koutou ki roto i te pānuitanga tuarua, tuatoru ki roto i tēnei Whare hei te otinga o te tau.

Ka mutu, e ōku rangatira, i te mea ā te wiki e tū nei ko Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, i te mea anō ā te Rātapu ko taku rā whānau tēnā, ka kite atu anō tātou i a tātou ki te wā kāinga. Ko te inoi kia tae ora atu rā koutou ki raro i ngā manaakitanga o te Kaihanga ki tō tātou wā kāinga, huri huri noa.

E tautoko ana i tēnei pire.

[Because I did not have an opportunity during the formal greetings that were laid upon my relations this morning, I will offer these words to them, as I grieve for those who have passed into the night.

As I sat during the formal welcome this morning, my memories returned to our patriarch, Judah Heihei. At the funeral of Tāmati Parāone, the debate was about where this elder would lie in state. And Judah Heihei said to my people of Ngāti Te Ara and Ngāti Kōpaki, “Hey, convey this chief among my people, among Ngāti Rēhia, to lie in state there.”

However, the intention of that statement was a reminder of the genealogical connections between us. I am not causing division, Ngāti Rēhia is Ngāti Rēhia, Ngāpuhi is Ngāpuhi, not at all. I would say to all of us, and my relations from home, greetings. Welcome, welcome.

Bring with you the many recently deceased. Now, I have spoken a bit about Judah, and the many who have been lost to the night. There is but one thing to say to them: welcome, rest in peace.

Let the lines of discourse now return to us. You should know, my relatives, we support the actions of this bill, and the statements of the Minister immediately prior. The nature of this bill, and also the desire that the actions of this House continue until this initiative reaches its conclusion, and your statement, my friend, Kipa, we will all reach its resolution at our home, at Kororipo.

You, all of you, are aware the nature of politicians, what we do is cut ribbons, but I know that the majority of the work was done by you, it was done by your forebears and your ancestors over the years. Therefore, I acknowledge that important idea that all of us, upon its completion, all go home. And, therefore, I greet you.

I have heard the comments of the Minister, and I support the nature of the wide claims among our people, Ngāpuhi. I must say that I think fondly of our relatives in Ōtaua. I also think fondly of the many hapū within Ngāpuhi that look to their sites of significance, to their homelands, and I’d like to say to them here is a symbol of the pathway that we can all advance along together. You accomplished that, it was Ngāti Rehia and all its many affiliations that did the major work as a representation of all of Ngāpuhi.

Yes, we should face the future. We should progress together with the desires, not of our forebears and ancestors alone, but for our children and grandchildren.

Therefore, as I was reading the bill, yes, I have seen the words and Māori statements of the context within the bill. I support that aspect, and I draw my heart with me into this work, because I consider the many ancestors who are not here at this time. I think of Rei Kapa and Te Huranga.

Oh, yes, I continue to grieve, I continue to weep for the circumstances of our forebears and ancestors who actually did all of this to prepare for the current generations, and the generations of the near future.

And so, soon, this will be handed over the Māori Affairs Committee so that everyone’s statements can be clearly heard regarding this bill, and my desire is that you all return in good health for the second and third readings within this House at the end of the year.

Furthermore, noble leaders, because next week is Māori Language Week, and also because Sunday is my birthday, we will see each other again at home. I pray that you all arrive at our home healthy and well under the care of the Creator, everyone.

I commend this bill.]

Kia ora. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Kia ora to Ngāti Rēhia as kaitiaki of ngā hapu o Ngāpuhi.

The Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations said that the hapū wanted to expedite the settlement at Kororipo, and I said, “OK, I’ll go and talk to my other boss—apart from Chlöe—Hūhana Lyndon.” She said, “Well, we’ll see about that.” She got on the phone to the aunties and she said, “There’s complexities, but”—

Hon Member: Āe.

STEVE ABEL: Āe. This is a parcel of land that is of great historic significance to Ngāpuhi. Today marks one part on a very long journey to get the rightful return of that land to its rightful owners. Even reading the history of the efforts to get acknowledgment that it was inconceivable that Hongi Hika would have ever parted with the sacred and tapu pā—over the course of nearly 200 years; reading that history gave me chest pains. In the 1930s, a judge acknowledged that it was not possible that it was ever the intention of the chief to part with the sacred site, and there seemed to be movement towards return and restoration. Then, enmities between judges and officials on the Pākehā side led to further delays and the land was not returned, and more years passed and decades passed.

This sense of a people languishing in intergenerational alienation from what they know is theirs—this is the story of tangata whenua Māori across the rohe and across our country. This story is no more strongly illustrated by the history of Kororipo Pā and the unrelenting efforts of iwi to have the pā returned to them.

If we are to have a nation that is genuinely founded in a principle of fairness and justice, we must address the issue of land alienation from tangata whenua Māori. This, today, is but one step further towards that correction of injustice. These settlements are deemed as full and final, but from the point of view of Te Pāti Kākāriki, if it is not full—and these settlements are always but a fraction of what has been lost—it cannot be final. The relationship with tangata whenua Māori that the Crown must maintain must be based on a principle of mutual respect, and that is an ongoing living relationship as embodied in our founding agreement, Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

We have a couple of specific questions about this settlement yet to ask: we’d like to understand why it is 4.4 acres, not the original 6 acres; why perhaps more land could not have been offered by the Crown. We’d like to understand why there is not guaranteed land access to the pā site. We’d like to understand why there is not the first right of refusal on the part of the iwi, should the Crown choose to dispose of the conservation land. These are things that would make the settlement stronger, in our view.

It has been a huge journey for Ngāti Rēhia and for Ngāpuhi to get this land rightfully returned. At those hearings in the 1930s, witnesses deemed Kororipo Pā to be the biggest and most important pā of the Ngāpuhi tribe. Finally, today, the bill returns the site; it is the beginning of that return to its rightful owners. So, Ngāti Rēhia, as kaitiaki of ngā hapu o Ngāpuhi, we as Te Pāti Kākāriki commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to speak on Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill. This bill gives effect to the deed of on-account vesting of Kororipo Pā signed between the Crown and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust on 1 August 2025. It provides for the vesting of Kororipo Pā Historic Reserve in the trust as part of a much-anticipated comprehensive Treaty settlement with wider Ngāpuhi. This vesting recognises historic and cultural significance of the site and returns it to mana whenua on an on-account basis ahead of that full settlement. It makes Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust the administering body for the purpose of the Reserves Act, and that is appointed to control and manage Kororipo Pā. It’s putting safeguards in place that make sure the land is kept safe from financial things such as mortgages and being held as security.

On the site itself, I acknowledge members from Ngāti Rēhia today and wider Ngāpuhi. Thank you for coming here, travelling to hear us speak on this today. Kororipo Pā holds a longstanding place in New Zealand’s early history. The pā site sits at the head of the Kerikeri River, a beautiful location—I haven’t been there since I was about nine years old, but I do remember it being quite beautiful. It was chosen for its strategic importance, where Ngāpuhi could have a place of defence, decision making, and gathering. The Ngāpuhi rangatira would assemble to discuss important matters of the day, as well as prepare for war. It was the centre of political life in the North and still echoes today.

Kororipo Pā is the ground that was once a powerful centre for and of Ngāpuhi authority. The pā was not only a home but a launching place—the very site where tauā were assembled, provisioned, and sent out under the leadership of rangatira like Hongi Hika. From here, tauā travelled the length of the coast, carrying with them new forces of muskets. Historic accounts tell us that their reach extended deep into Tauranga Moana—where I am, and many other iwi, in my part of the world.

As I’ve sat here, I’ve thought about times I’ve spent with friends in places like Ruātoki and places on the Whakatāne River, hearing stories about some of those incursions. Ngāti Awa friends, Ngāti Rangi friends, who have told me of the way in which those times of upheaval and change shaped relationships between iwi in the area and across the country, and altered the balance of power across Te Moana-a-Toi. Today, I think about that, but I also acknowledge the mana that Kororipo Pā has, and the enduring legacy that these events that launched from this base have had on Northland, on the Bay of Plenty, on Tauranga, and Mauao.

The ownership was complicated. In 1838, missionary James Kemp claimed to have purchased the pā, the area. The title changed hands under the old claims process, which, as has been acknowledged by previous speakers, was not a centre of clarity and fairness, and carried, over the last couple of hundred years, a lot of grievances that have built up. The title was granted, revoked, reissued. It’s been a long time coming, but what is clear now is that the right decision for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust to be vested with this pā has been reached. I acknowledge the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations for his words, and I commend this bill to the House.

Tihei mauri ora. Ko te tī, ko te tā, ko te weu, ko te aka, ko te aka matua e here nei i a tātou. E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha o Ngāti Rēhia, ka nui te mihi atu nā tēnei uri nō Te Popoto i Utakura. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

E kore e mimiti te mamae i riro whenua atu, otirā ngā wāhi tapu pērā tonu i te Kororipo. Riro whenua atu, hoki whenua mai. Ahakoa he iti, he tīmatanga tēnei. Mā konei ka tū rangatira anō te mana Māori, ka pūāwai te hapū me ngā uri whakatupu.

Heoi anō ko te whenua te waiū mō ngā uri whakatupu. Mā konei ka ora te iwi. Tēnei ka mihi, tēnei ka mihi, tēnei ka mihi ki a tātou katoa.

[Wellbeing and vitality to all. To all directions, the prime fibre, the vine, the principal vine that binds us all. To the authorities, the representatives, the many relatives of Ngāti Rēhia, many greetings of this descendant of Te Popoto i Utakura. Greetings and thanks to you, indeed to all of us.

The pain of land loss will never diminish, indeed the sacred sites like Kororipo. As land was lost, it will be returned. Despite being diminutive, this is a beginning. It is through this that the Māori authority will stand strong again, the hapū and future generations will flourish.

However, the land is what nourishes the future descendants. It is through this that the people will achieve wellbeing. I hereby greet and thank all of us.]

I stand on behalf of New Zealand First in support of Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill, and I bring warmest greetings from the Rt Hon Winston Peters and my colleague the Hon Shane Jones—Matua Shane to all those in the House who have joined us today from Ngāti Rēhia—on this significant day. The vesting bill facilitates the vesting of Kororipo Pā Historic Reserve—although relatively small in size, extremely large in importance, not just for Ngāti Rēhia but for the wider Ngāpuhi people—and it will be invested on account, as a step toward a future comprehensive Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement.

I’d like also to extend particular acknowledgment to Kipa Munro and Nora Rameka. Matua Shane wanted to make sure I sent greetings to you and acknowledged the work you’ve been doing in keeping the area in beautiful condition, mowing the lawns and taking care of it. He particularly wanted to acknowledge you for that, for your kaitiaki of this place.

This vesting bill puts on account for the future, fuller Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement, and that’s an important step to be taken. I’d just like to reflect back to more than 10 years ago now, when I first got involved in and observed Ngāpuhi politics. My whanaunga Rudy Taylor, upon meeting him up at Waitangi one time, for the very first time, embraced me and brought me into the clutches of Te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hapū Ngāpuhi, and from there I ventured around the North, learning about not just who I am but who my people are, as we traversed the Te Paparahi o Te Raki hearings and went to various hui around the North. I know that Rudy would be extremely pleased with this step towards this piece of land being vested.

One of Northland’s most historic sites is Kororipo Pā, and the return of it represents not only the restoration of a sacred space but also that step towards reconciliation. I want to quickly talk about a little bit of oral history that I’ve been told about, in terms of Kororipo meaning the swirling waters. When Hongi Hika got his warriors together, when the taua set out for their various war parties, they would get into their waka, preparing for their journeys, preparing for their voyages, and they would paddle about, getting into the right formation. They would circle around, and as they were circling around, they would be creating this swirling, and that—using the natural forces of taiao—would launch them off into the awa and out off into the sea.

It was also a very strategically placed piece of whenua, where rangatira would come, where they would hui, and it is rightful now that we begin this process of the return, because the pain of loss of land does not fade, especially when it’s land of such sacred importance as Te Kororipo. This is a small step that we are taking today, but it is a beginning. The land is a substance of generations yet to come. I commend this bill to the House.

Tēnā tātou e te Whare. E Nora and Kipa, tēnā tātou katoa—excuse my back.

Heoi anō, he mea anō tēnei. He aha te mea?

[Anyway, this is something else. What is this thing?]

It’s one thing to come to the House and deliver a speech, which is really well written here, which I’m not going to deliver in quite that way. It is because, when I was walking through, making my way to the House, I come through the door and I walk into the arms of every person that is now sitting up here, and it is quite a different thing. Well, it’s not different to me, actually—it’s not different to many Māori, and probably many in general—because when you walk into the arms of your people, you bring a different thing into this House.

When Kipa says in one of his readings that it is a special thing, that there is real mana in returning the sacred site to its people, that statement in itself tells it all, really, because it reminds us that, in fact, it is Ngāti Rēhia, Ngāpuhi nui tonu, that bring mana to this bill, to this discussion, to this first reading, and to this House, and they bring it with such grace. As I say, you walked in, open arms, crying—we’re crying up there, especially me. That’s one of my reputations, and everyone up there knows that, and it’s because, when tears fall, they fall since 1883. This isn’t just this morning, “Oh, boo-hoo”; these are tears and emotion and connection that began then, and to this day they still carry that.

When this House is making such a move—in my view, so it should. It is time. When we talk about a first reading, and then we’ll go to the second reading, and then we’ll go to a select committee, and all of that technicality will occur, but so it must—so it must. We owe this. This House and everyone in it owe that debt, and now it is time to pay that debt and to make right what we did wrong. I want to make those points in my brief five-minute speech.

When I think about Kororipo, I think about Nora, and the swirling waters and all that lovely kōrero, but let me tell you, when you’re addressing Nora, it’s not a swirling nice little cute thingy; it is a progressive tsunami coming your way, and so it should be—so it should be. Waitai Tua, names that I know—that’s what came to mind for me. I knew I was going to be standing in the House this morning. Don’t cry for me—I’m good; this is just me talking to you all—but it is definitely since 1883, and I would say since 1840, and I might even say since 1835, that these tears will fall from many, because so much was taken—was just taken away.

What is uplifting, though, can I also say, is that the likes of Alana and others—my cousin baby is sitting up here—Raniera. They’re young, they’re vibrant—maybe Babe not so much, but I love him nevertheless. The point being that there is a number of mokopuna rising, and ain’t that exciting? They are rising; they are fully equipped in their tikanga, in their reo. They are fully equipped in their belonging, so they can see Kororipo. When Peeni Henare, my nephew, referred to Reikapa, you know, gee, ka hoki mahara [the memories come back], and it’s a long time since even I have said that name.

Today is a very important day, because it’s a teaching moment for this House. Each time we go into these spaces to do with our sacred sites, our places of belonging, our Māori places, in this House, there’s another energy that’s brought to it, and we are better off every time it occurs. To all my whanaunga—excuse my back—I love you, I am here for you, and it is a special and important thing, and a privilege that I get to stand and speak in this House with love. Kia ora tātou. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ka tū whakahirahira te rātā, ka hinga katoa te kākano, ka tupu anō, ā, ko ngā reo a mihi ki te hunga kua ngaro mai i a Nuku-te-apiapi ki a Nuku-te-mahara. Katoa rātou kua nunumi atu i tua o Pae Maumahara.

Hoki mai ki a tātou, ngā urupā kanohi o rātou kua ngaro i te tirohanga tangata, tātou e whakakīkī i ngā hū nui, koutou e kawe nei i ngā hū nui o Eru Pou mā, Cynthia Te Iwingaro mā, rātou katoa kua memene atu ki te pō.

Hoki mai ki a tātou, kāpiti rātou, kāpiti tātou e tuitui nei. Koutou o te whare tapu o Ngāpuhi, koutou o Ngāti Rēhia, haramai ki tēnei Whare Pāremata e tū nei. E kīia ana te kōrero, koutou o te puna taniwha, te puna tupua o Kororipo, nau mai ki te ana raiona o Te Upoko o Te Ika, me kī te whiore ki te pane o te motu, ā, ākuanei ka whakatinanahia ngā uaratanga ki roto ki te tuhinga whakaae o te tuku tōmua o Kororipo.

Me ngā tūpuna ki rō wai. Ki a mātou hoki o Te Awa Tupua mai i Pari-te-tai-tonga ki Te Matapihi, ko te kōrero “Kauaka e kōrero mō tō awa, engari kōrero ki tō awa”. Koiraka hoki te kīanga kōrero e whakamataara nei i te hinengaro whakaaro i tēnei wā. Kaua e kōrero mō Kororipo, engari kōrero atu ki Kororipo. Mā tēnā hoki e kitea ai te wānanga, e kitea ai te māramatanga hoki kei mua i te aroaro o te tangata.

Koutou ngā uri whakaheke a Ruatara me ērā o ngā tūpuna ki rō wai, nau mai, nau piki mai, nau kake mai ki tēnei wāhi, te whakarewatanga hoki i ēnei kōrero, i ēnei wānanga, i ēnei mānuka takoto. I tērā tau, ta’i noa te mō’io o te tangata nei, tō koutou taokete nei ki ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te hiahia, ki te wawata, ki te minamina o tēnā, o tēnā kia hoki te taitara o Kororipo ki roto i a koutou o Ngāti Rēhia, me te mea nei ko te matamomoe, ko te matakakā, ko te matauraura, engari ko te matakanohi o ngā tūpuna.

E kīia ana te kōrero kua roa te wā e noho ana a Te Papa Atawhai me tōna ingoa ki runga i te taitara o Kororipo, engari kāore e roa mā taku māhanga o Remuera nei, Pāora Metekōura, mātou katoa o te Whare e whakaae ana ki ēnei momo mahi, ka whakahoki i te taitara me tōna ingoa ki roto i a koutou o Ngāti Rēhia.

Taku matua a Tawa, rongo au ki ō kōrero ki te pōhiri, ki te whakatau i te rā nei, ko koutou hoki te hoiho. Nei ko koutou te hoiho, ko au te hīhō. Ehara koutou i te mātāika engari he matakanohi mō te whakarewatanga o ngā kerēme nui me ngā kerēme maha o Ngāpuhi.

Ko tāku ki a Metekōura, kia manawanui, kia manawaora ki te kawe hoki i tēnei tūāhuatanga hei tauira hoki mō ngā kerēme nui o Ngāpuhi Nui Tonu. Me kauaka e taka, e whara, e haere tōtiti, e haere kōtiti—haere tōtiti he pērā i ngā sausage rolls nei—engari kia kaua e haere kōtiti engari whāia kia tika, whāia kia mau, whāia kia ita, whāia kia ita tēnei tūāhuatanga.

Kua pūrena te kapu me te ngākau i te aroha, i te tautoko hoki i a koe, e Kipa, kourua tahi ko te whaea, Nora. Nā kōrua anō au i whakatau ki te tēneti i mua i te toa kōhatu i te taha o te ahurea me Kororipo.

Nā reira e mihi ana. Nō mātou te whiwhi, nā mātou te mihi kāmehameha ki ā koutou mahi rangatira, whakahirahira i te rā nei.

Me te mea nei te kāhui amokura, ko te kāhui amorangi kua kawe mai i te kāmeta pōhutukawa, koutou o te paepae Te Rau Kahikatea e whakapūoro nei i tō tātou Whare i tēnei wā.

Ko te Whare Pāremata te hāpai ō, ahakoa te pāti, ahakoa te kara, ahakoa te tae o tērā rōpū, o tērā rōpū, katoa mātou e tautoko ana i tēnei kaupapa.

Nā reira kāre au i te whakatōroa i ngā kōrero, kei te heke mai ngā hekena o te meneti nei, engari kāore e roa ko te kaupapa kōrero tuatahi tēnei. Ākuanei ka kawea atu ki te motu, engari kāore e kore, korekore rawa, haramai tēnei āhua. Tēnā tātou katoa.

[The rātā tree stands tall, all the seeds fall, and grow again, and the voices of greetings to those who have passed on from Nuku-te-apiapi to Nuku-te-mahara. All of those who have gone one to the threshold of memory.

Returning to us, the representative memorial of those who have been lost to humanity’s sight, those of us who fill their big shoes, and you who carry the big shoes of Eru Pou, Cynthia Te Iwingaro, and others, all of them who have gathered in the darkness.

Returning to us, they have assembled as we do and reaffirm our bonds. Those of you from the sacred hall of Ngāpuhi, those of you from Ngāti Rēhia, welcome to this House of Parliament that stands here. As the saying goes, you of the fountain of powerful and fearsome leadership of Kororipo, welcome to the lion’s den of Wellington, we could say the tail to the head of the nation, and soon the values within the deed of on-account vesting of Kororipo Pā will be implemented.

And also the mystical aquatic ancestors. To those of us from Te Awa Tupua from Pari-te-tai-tonga to Te Matapihi, the saying goes “Do not speak about your river, but instead speak to your river”. That is the saying that the erudite mind observes at this time. Do not speak about Kororipo, but instead speak to Kororipo. That will also enable the observance of the discussion and insights before us.

You, the descendants of Ruatara and other such mystical aquatic ancestors, welcome, welcome, welcome to this place, and also to the launch of these statements, these discussions, and these challenges. Last year, this guy, your brother-in-law, only knew one thing about the narratives relating to the desires, the dreams and aspirations of everyone that the title of Kororipo return to you of Ngāti Rēhia, and so the sleeping giant, the sharp eyes, the luminous eyes, but the eyes that reflect the ancestors.

As the saying goes, the Department of Conservation and its name have been on the title of Kororipo for a long time, but, before long, my twin from Remuera here—Paul Goldsmith—and all of us of the House will endorse these types of actions, to return the title and its name to you of Ngāti Rēhia.

My uncle, Tawa, I heard your comments at the formal welcome ceremony, the reception today, that you are the horse. Now, if you are the horse, I am the donkey. You are not cannon fodder, but instead a representative for the launch of the significant claims and many claims of Ngāpuhi.

What I would say to Goldsmith is to be resolute and strong of heart to continue this function as an example for the significant claims of Ngāpuhi the Great. Do not fall to infirmity nor injury, by sausage or by the wayside—by sausage like these sausage rolls—but instead to not deviate but pursue it with integrity, pursue it so it is firmly established, pursue it so that it lasts, pursue it so this endeavour endures.

My cup and heart overflow with compassion, and also with support for you, Kipa, both yourself and the matriarch, Nora. It was the two of you who received me in the tent in front of the rock shop beside the podium and Kororipo.

And so I thank you. The honour is ours, and the enormous thanks are ours for your noble and significant work today.

And also the company of executive and spiritual leadership who have brought here the pōhutukawa scarf, those of you of the Te Rau Kahikatea panel that brings music to our House at this time.

The House of Parliament are the workers behind the scenes, regardless of party, regardless of the flag, regardless of the colour of each and every party, we are all in support of this work.

And so I will not prolong the speeches, the seconds of this minute are falling, but it won’t be long, this is initial subject of discussion. Soon it will be put before the nation, but without a doubt—none at all—it will be awesome. Greetings to us all.]

Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare. E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou katoa.

Tēnā koutou i runga i te kaupapa whakahirahira o te ata nei, otirā ko te pānuitanga tuatahi o te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā.

Ko Tokerau te tūtei ki te hauraro o te pūaha o Rākaumangamanga ki te rāwhiti e rere atu nei ki Te Kerei Mangōnui, te awa o ngā rangatira. E tū mai rā te pā o Kororipo.

[Thank you, Madam Speaker. To the authorities, the representatives, the many relatives, greetings to you all.

Greetings to you with regards to the significant work of the morning, indeed the first reading of the Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill.

Tokerau is the sentry to the north wind from the mouth of Rākaumangamanga in the east, Te Kerei Mangōnui is the river of the nobility. There stands Kororipo Pā.]

Kororipo Pā is not just a place; it is a taonga that has been handed down, rich with the past, the present, and the future of Ngāti Rēhia o Ngāpuhi. It is filled with mana and woven deeply into the identity with those who descend from this land. Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill is the product of decades of work, dialogue between Ngāti Rēhia and the Crown. It is not just symbolic; it is about taking some tangible steps to recognise the long-lasting and enduring relationship Ngāti Rēhia have with this whenua and righting a longstanding historical injustice.

The story of Kororipo Pā reflects the much broader story of Māori-Crown relations over the years, one that is difficult and filled with pain. Māori have been contesting the Crown’s title for this piece of land for more than decades. Despite numerous attempts to raise these concerns, rights have been consistently diminished through under-investment, exclusion from decision making, and a Crown process that has repeatedly failed to uphold a genuine partnership.

The Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill represents a significant milestone in the Crown’s movement to begin addressing these historical injustices. It gives legal effect to specific provisions contained in the deed of settlement on account of vesting Kororipo Pā as agreed to by the Crown and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust. Most notably, the bill vests the title of Kororipo Pā in Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust and formally recognises that role as kaitiaki in law.

I want to be clear that this bill does not grant kaitiakitanga or mana whenua, for those have never been lost. What it does affirm in legislation is a responsibility that has always existed. For Ngāti Rēhia, this recognition is not only deserved; it is very much long overdue.

I rise today firmly believing that the passing of this bill is good and a necessary step for redress for Ngāpuhi. While I do not wish to draw attention away from Ngāti Rēhia or the broader aspirations of their hapū and iwi who have worked tirelessly over the years to bring us to this point in time, it is important that we state that this bill arrives amid an ongoing, strategic attack on Te Tiriti o Waitangi at the hands of this Government, one that has deeply damaged the relationship between the Crown and iwi across Aotearoa.

I’m sorry but I cannot speak today and ignore the fact that Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, has been disestablished by this Government; the removal of section 7AA, the only Treaty-related cause, from the Oranga Tamariki Act; the introduction of the Treaty principles bill; and, most recently, changes to pay equity legislation, which we know will disproportionately affect Māori women. This Government cannot claim progress with one hand while stripping away hard-won gains with the other.

This bill is a good thing. It must not be misconstrued as evidence of a Government committing to advancing relationships to Māori. If anything, this bill stands as a testament to Ngāpuhi and the resilience, patience, and unwavering commitment of Ngāti Rēhia, who have pursued injustice through the decades of negotiation. Genuine partnership requires more than symbolic gestures. It demands listening, accountability, and real action, and to achieve this, far more work lies ahead.

Nō reira he mihi mahana ki a koutou. Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, huihui mai tātou katoa.

[Therefore, I offer warm regards to you. And so greetings and thanks to you, indeed all of us gathered here.]

Thank you, Madam Speaker. E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e rau rangatira mā, tēnei te mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa.

I whānau mai au ki Kaipara. Ko Maungatūroto tōku wāhi kāinga. Ko Ngā Puke te pāmu e noho ana ahau. Ko Grant McCallum ahau. Tino hūmārie ko ahau te mema Pāremata mō Te Taitokerau.

Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[To the authorities, the representatives, the many leaders, I hereby warmly greet you all.

I was born in Kaipara. Maungatūroto is my home. Ngā Puke is the farm where I live. I am Grant McCallum. I have very humbled to be the member of Parliament for Northland].

On 3 February this year, I attended, as the Northland MP, the initialling of the deed of on-account vesting in Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust and the Crown of Kororipo Pā. It was one of those balmy Northland February days—no wind, sunny, and warm. Initialling on behalf of Ngāti Rēhia were Nora Rameka and Kipa Munro. The Hon Paul Goldsmith and the Hon Tama Potaka represented the Crown.

The significance of that occasion did not escape anyone. It was the latest important step in the vesting of Kororipo Pā in Ngāti Rēhia as its kaitiaki on behalf of Ngāpuhi. This was a journey that formally began on 13 February 1993 at the hui of Ngāpuhi that was called at Whitiroa Marae to discuss Kororipo Pā. At that hui, Ngāpuhi rangatira confirmed Ngāti Rēhia to be the hapū kaitiaki of the Kerikeri area and, therefore, of Kororipo Pā.

In preparation for this significant occasion, I met with Kipa and Nora in Kerikeri last Friday to ask them about Kororipo Pā and why it was so important to Ngāpuhi. The kōrero flowed. We discussed the pā, which is located strategically to command the junction of the Wairoa and Kerikeri rivers. It controlled the major route to the sea from inland Waimate, a heartland of Ngāpuhi. The pā, though small, had an impressive defensive position sited to capitalise on a peninsula shape of land, steep embankments, and turbulent waters, hence the name Kororipo, which means swirling waters.

Kororipo was the meeting place for all Ngāpuhi rangatira. They would meet to discuss important political issues and would assemble before going to war. Some of the greatest Ngāpuhi chiefs have used Kororipo Pā as their stronghold. Hongi Hika launched devastating raids against other tribes in the North Island after returning from Britain with muskets. Then there was Rewa, who was one of the most powerful rangatira, who succeeded Hongi Hika, and there were tales of Tāreha, a powerful rangatira of Ngāti Rēhia, large in both mana and size, often referred to as “Tāreha the Giant”—he was almost 7 foot tall.

It is a place where ocean meets the fresh water; where Māori meet Pākehā. Symbols of their meetings still exist today, with the Kororipo Pā overlooking the oldest house in New Zealand, Kemp House, and the oldest stone building in New Zealand, the Stone Store. In many ways, this significant day is more than just the vesting of Kororipo Pā in its kaitiaki, Ngāti Rēhia; it is also a reminder of the meeting of two peoples who have built so much together—two peoples who will continue to work together, because that is what Te Tai Tokerau and New Zealand need us all to do.

When I was discussing this significant day with Kipa, he said, “Grant, if I tug my ear, then you’re entering into challenging waters and you would be advised to desist.” I don’t think I’ve observed any ear tugging, Kipa. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare, otirā tēnā koutou e ōku whanaunga o Ngāti Rēhia, o ngā hapū o Ngāpuhi kei roto i te Whare Pāremata, tō tātou Whare, i tēnei rā. He rawe te kite i a koutou, he rawe kua tae mai tēnei rā. E mōhio ana ahau, kua roa, kua tino roa ngā hapū o Ngāpuhi, te hapū o Ngāti Rēhia, e whawhai ana mō te pā o Kororipo me ētahi atu o ngā take Tiriti.

Nō reira he rā nui tēnei. Ehara nō Ngāti Rēhia anake, engari mō ngā hapū o Ngāpuhi katoa. Nō reira he tino hōnore mōku te tū i tēnei rā i roto i tēnei Whare ki te tautoko i tēnei pire i runga anō i tō koutou whawhai, tō koutou mahi kaha kia tae ki tēnei rā.

Ka hoki aku mahara ki te tau 2019. Ko tētahi o ngā kaupapa i runga i Kororipo Pā i taua rā ko te whakanui i te kaupapa o Tūhono. Ko tērā kaupapa ko te tū hono a ngā iwi e rua, ngā iwi maha i roto i te Kerikeri kia tū kotahi, e honohono ana ngā iwi o tērā wāhi.

He kaupapa rangatira tērā. I hoatu tērā ingoa, o Tūhono, ki te kaupapa, nā Ngāti Rēhia i hoatu tērā ingoa.

Nō reira e te whaea, Whaea Nora, e te matua, Matua Kipa, i hoki ahau ki ngā pikitia o taua rā me te harikoa anō hoki. I taua rā i tū ahau ki te kōrero ohorere, and i kōrero ahau e pā ana ki tētahi kaupapa nui i runga i Kororipo Pā i ngā wā o mua. Kia mōhio tēnei Whare, kia mōhio hoki a Aotearoa whānui i tēnei kōrero: I te tau 1831 i hainatia tētahi reta ki te kīngi, ki a Kīngi Hōri. Nā, i huihui ngā rangatira o Ngāpuhi, i tuhi rātou i tētahi reta, i tonoa atu ki te kīngi. He aha te take? He aha ngā kaupapa i roto i taua reta? Well ko te ture kino, ko te tūkino a ngā Pākehā.

Nō reira i tuhi rātou ki te kīngi kia whakatikatika ōna ake tāngata i roto i te Kerikeri. Tērā pea ko tētahi atu take ko ngā tāngata Wīwī i hiahia ki te haere mai ki te whawhai ki a Aotearoa, ki a Ngāpuhi anō hoki. Nō reira i inoi atu rātou ki te kīngi māna e manaaki, e tiaki kia noho i runga i te rongo, me kī. Koirā te hiahia o ngā rangatira i taua wā.

Nō reira he reta tino nui tērā, and i hainatia i te pā o Kororipo i mua i te hainatanga o te Whakaputanga, i mua i te hainatanga o te Tiriti o Waitangi. Nō reira kia ako, kia mōhio a Aotearoa whānui ki tēnei hītori e pā ana ki tērā o ngā pā.

Nō reira, taku mihi whakamutunga anō ki te hapū o Ngāti Rēhia, me te tautoko a ngā hapū o Ngāpuhi, kia tae mai tēnei pire ki roto i te Whare i tēnei rā. E tautoko ana mātou, te rōpu Reipa, i tēnei pire. E mōhio ana ahau ka tonoa atu Komiti Whiriwhiri Take Māori, mā rātou e noho ki te whakarongo ki ngā tono e pā ana ki tēnei pire, and ko te hiahia ā tērā tau, pea, ka kite kua tutuki.

Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora tātou katoa.

[Thank you, Madam Speaker, indeed greetings to all of my relatives of Ngāti Rēhia, of the hapū of Ngāpuhi within Parliament House, our House, today. It is great to see you; it is great that you have come here today. I am aware that the hapū of Ngāpuhi, the hapū of Ngāti Rēhia, have been fighting for a long time now for the fortress of Kororipo and various other Treaty issues.

And so this is a significant day. Not only for Ngāti Rēhia but also for the hapū of all of Ngāpuhi. It is a real honour for me to stand today in this House to support this bill in light of your struggle, and your powerful work to make it to this day.

My thoughts return to the year 2019. One of the events at Kororipo Pā that day was the celebration of the Tūhono initiative. That initiative was about two iwi, many iwi within Kerikeri standing together as one, the iwi of that place all connecting. That is a noble endeavour. That name, Tūhono, was given to the project, it was Ngāti Rēhia that gave that name.

And so, madam, Whaea Nora, and sir, Matua Kipa, I went back to the images of that day and I was very pleased. That day, I was surprised to stand and speak, and I spoke about one of the important events that happened at Kororipo Pā in former times. Let this House be aware, let wider Aotearoa be aware of this narrative: in 1831, a letter to the king, to King George was signed. Now, leaders of Ngāpuhi assembled and composed a letter which was sent to the king. For what purpose? What were the topics discussed in that letter. Well, it was abysmal legislation, and the abuse of the Pākehā.

And so they wrote to the king so that he may straighten out his own people in Kerikeri. Perhaps another topic was the French people who wished to come and fight against Aotearoa, against Ngāpuhi also. They requested that the King offer care and protection so that they may live in peace, I should say. That was the desire of the leadership of the time.

And so, my final acknowledgment is to the hapū of Ngāti Rēhia, with the support of the hapū of Ngāpuhi, that this bill came into the House today. We, the Labour Party, support this bill. We are aware that it will be sent to the Māori Affairs Committee, who will sit and hear the submissions regarding this bill, and the desire is that next year, perhaps, we will see it come to fruition.

And so greetings and thanks to us all.]

Ki ngā tāngata o Ngāpuhi, Ngāpuhi whānau nui, me Ngāti Rēhia, nau mai, haramai ki tō tātou Whare. Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[To the people of Ngāpuhi, the great whānau of Ngāpuhi, and Ngāti Rēhia, welcome, welcome to our House. And so greetings and thanks to you, to all of us.]

I take this last call this morning in support of the Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill, a bill that marks a step forward in our journey towards honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and restoring mana to the people of Ngāti Rēhia and the wider Ngāpuhi iwi. Kororipo Pā is not just a place; it is a taonga. It’s a site of immense cultural, historical, and spiritual significance. It was once a strategic stronghold, a centre of leadership, and a place where Ngāpuhi rangatira gathered to deliberate and define their future. It is woven into the whakapapa of the North.

This bill gives legal effect to the deed of on-account vesting signed between the Crown and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust. It transfers the fee simple estate of Kororipo Pā to the trust and, in doing so, it affirms the right of Ngāti Rēhia to be the kaitiaki of their whenua, and to guide their future in accordance with tikanga Māori.

To be clear, this is not the end of the journey; it is an on-account redress and perhaps the first step towards a comprehensive Treaty settlement with Ngāpuhi. But it is a meaningful step, one that acknowledges past wrongs and begins to restore the relationship between the Crown and tangata whenua. Importantly, the bill ensures that Kororipo Pā will continue to be protected. It will be a place where its shared history can be learnt, honoured, and reflected upon—and an interesting history it has, indeed.

Back in the day, it was closely associated with conflict, particularly in the early 19th century, but before that, Kororipo Pā was originally occupied by other hapū. In the 1770s, these hapū were displaced by Ngāpuhi, and particularly Ngai Tawake and Ngāti Rēhia, as part of the shifting tribal alliances and expansion. It became a strategic military base for Hongi Hika, as we’ve heard, particularly after his return from England in 1821, where he had acquired hundreds of muskets on his return journey via Sydney. Hongi Hika launched tauā, or war parties, that devastated tribes across the North Island, including in Hauraki, Waikato, Rotorua, Tauranga, East Cape, and Kaipara.

These campaigns were part of the Musket Wars, a period of intense intertribal warfare, fuelled by the introduction of firearms. Kororipo Pā was fortified with palisades, trenches, and natural defences like steep embankments and waterways. It served as a meeting place for Ngāpuhi rangatira, a site of strategic planning, and a launching point for military expeditions. Kororipo Pā was not only a site of military conflict and strategic planning but also a symbol of Ngāpuhi power and their unity during a transformative period of Māori history.

The ownership dispute over the whenua in question began back in 1838, when missionary James Kemp is said to have purchased it and its surrounding land. This transaction was later ratified by the Crown. However, by the 1930s, local Māori began to question the legitimacy of Kemp’s title. Concerns were raised about whether the land had indeed been properly acquired and whether Māori had truly consented to its alienation. Together, through a combination of historical land transfers, public giftings, and the designation as a historic reserve, Kororipo Pā is currently administered by the Department of Conservation.

This bill is about recognition, it is about restoration, it is about respect, it is about giving effect to the promises made under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and it is about ensuring that the stories of Kororipo Pā—its people, its battles, and its legacy—are told not just in history books but by those who carry its whakapapa. I’m very happy to commend this bill to the House.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

The question is, That the Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill be considered by the Māori Affairs Committee.

Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.

Instruction to the Māori Affairs Committee