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

I move, That the Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting 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 on which there has been a sitting of the House, on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House, and outside the Wellington area, despite Standing Orders 193, 195, and 196.

I stand to speak to the motion put forward by the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations in terms of the shortened time frame for reporting back on 11 November. I want to engage with the Minister and understand the process to be undertaken here, as it is very short. May I address my people of the North, of Ngāti Rēhia, of Ngāi Tawake and Whangaroa—the whakapapa that sit here today.

I ask the question around the fast track of this—it is very fast. Within the whakapapa and the obligations that we have to each other, I am mindful of the many voices and the ability for us to kia horo te āta haere—may we move forward swiftly, but with careful hands. As honourable kāwanatanga, I support, absolutely, the return of Kororipo to Ngāti Rēhia as the entity that was organised and collaborated and led the work through the claims process, as well as out whakapapa in Te Kaikohe, Ngāi Tawake, and Whangaroa who brought forward the voices of our tūpuna.

But, Minister, I ask: what does that look like in terms of the shortened process? I welcome the ability for us to cut the ribbon and have a hāngī before Waitangi, but that is very fast. I’m wanting to understand, knowing that we all support this bill in the House, what does that look like? I will participate in the Māori Affairs Committee. It would be great for us to take the House to Kororipo to feel the wairua, to see the land, to meet the people, and experience those things which weigh heavy on our hearts. Can we do that in a truncated time frame like this? Kia ora.

Tēnā koe, Madam Speaker. I rise to support the motion put forward here by the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations. In deliberations and discussions with not just the Minister but officials and, more importantly, the people who are in the gallery, and others, we support the motion for the truncated process, acknowledging, though, that it is up to the Māori Affairs Committee on where and when they choose to hold their select committee hearings. But I think that it is a good suggestion that, obviously, if there’s an opportunity to descend upon Kororipo Pā and the place at which they will be discussing and hearing those submissions, I’d fully support that, but, of course, I acknowledge that that is a decision for the committee to make when that time comes.

When these matters are negotiated, and negotiated carefully, are, and—as was mentioned at the pōwhiri this morning about the length of time it’s taken to get here—that was the reason why, on behalf of the Labour Party, I met with the Minister and looked to support this motion. It was not only because of the desire of the people to get this done but also because we know that for a large part of the bills of this nature, it is often the processes of the House that cause delay and cause other challenges for those who it impacts most.

I appreciate the comments made by my tuahine Hūhana Lyndon of the Green Party, and I do think that there are parts there that the Minister might want to consider. But I continue to stand in support of the discussions that the Minister and I had with regard to this matter, and support the motion.

The Hon Paul Goldsmith—oh, sorry. No, I’m sorry; I’ve just been advised that because there’s a motion on the Table, a member can speak only once. So, at that point, the question is that the motion be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.

Waiata—“Ngā Puawai Ō Ngāpuhi”

Haka—“Te Hari o Ngāpuhi”