Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill

I move, That the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill be now read a third time.

E rere tonu atu ngā mihi kua mihia ki ngā uri o ngā hapū o Ngāti Ranginui. Tēnā koutou. E ngā kāwai rangatira, tēnā tātou katoa.

[I’d like to add to the acknowledgments made to the people of Ngāti Ranginui. Greetings to you, dear esteemed leaders, greetings to you.]

I had the privilege of moving the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill earlier today, and it’s now my honour to see this bill reach its third reading; a significant occasion, as it draws to a close the individual settlement journey for Ngāti Ranginui, which has been a long time coming. In fact, it was all the way back in 2012, when the late iwi leader Colin Bidois said, “We are coming out of a long tunnel, the job had been done and now was the time to pass the baton to the next generation.” It’s an honour to be here to carry that baton to the finish line on behalf of this Parliament and to mark this particular occasion.

I begin by acknowledging Ngāti Ranginui, who have joined us in the House, many who have travelled long distances to witness this occasion. I’d like to welcome those who are tuning in and watching or listening on live stream or on the radio today. I want to thank Stan for giving me this scarf that came from Maharaia Winiata’s visit to Edinburgh, and I’m wearing it with pride today to acknowledge this occasion. I pay tribute to the tūpuna and kaumātua who took the first steps to seek justice for Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui, who had a clear vision of what they wanted to see for their people. I deeply regret that many are no longer with us to witness this momentous occasion, where the vision of achieving redress for the iwi has become reality. I spoke this morning about the long history, and going back, way back, to the 1860s, when appeals were made to rectify things, decade after decade, and today, finally, we have the acknowledgment.

I acknowledge the representatives of the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Settlement Trust, the post-settlement governance entity that will receive the settlement’s assets on behalf of Ngāti Ranginui, and will represent the iwi in its ongoing relationship with the Crown. I thank the settlement trust and the negotiating team for their enduring efforts; I particularly want to acknowledge Te Pio Kawe, Kimiora Rawiri, Rob Irwin, and Huikākahu Brian Kawe, who championed the settlement. When I met with the group, they advised me it had been a long journey, and all the kaumātua who presented the claims at the Waitangi Tribunal had, sadly, passed on. To honour these tūpuna, Kimiora Rawiri made the deliberate decision to be present in Tauranga Moana today, to be with the people who made this day possible.

Ngāti Ranginui acted honourably and reasonably in its negotiations with the Crown, with dedication and hard work into completing this. So I want to acknowledge the two previous Ministers, Christopher Finlayson and Andrew Little, as well as the Government agencies and local authorities that worked hard to make this happen. I want to extend my thanks to Dame Patsy Reddy, who I saw up in the crowd there, who was the chief Crown negotiator for these negotiations, ably supported by officials from the Office of Treaty Settlements and Takutai Moana: Te Tari Whakatau.

As we gather here today for this important day, we also look back on the past and recognise that the Crown severely wronged Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui in the years following. The settlement and the Crown acknowledge its historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi, including that it was ultimately responsible for the outbreak of war in Tauranga in 1864, in which Crown troops killed members of the hapū and wounded others in the battles of Pukehinahina and Te Ranga. The Crown has acknowledged that the raupatu of lands in Tauranga and subsequent Tauranga District Lands Acts 1867 and 1868 were unjust and a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi. In the subsequent bush campaign, the Crown inflicted the scorched earth policy, destroying villages and cultivations, which forced many to flee. The policy had a devastating effect on the welfare and economy of the Ngāti Ranginui hapū.

The Crown has acknowledged the conduct was unreasonable and unnecessary, and was a breach of the Treaty. The raupatu, along with the purchase of the Te Puna-Katikati block soon after, and the operation impacted the native land laws, flaws in the Crown purchasing and the acquisition of Ngāti Ranginui, and, in a number of different ways, left Ngāti Ranginui without sufficient land for their present and future needs. This contributed to the many hapū enduring long periods of social deprivation, and the historical account goes into great detail about that.

The Crown has acknowledged that it failed to deal in a satisfactory way with the grievances raised by successive generations of Ngāti Ranginui, and recognised that those grievances were sound, were real. On 21 June 2012, at the signing of the deed of settlement, the Crown apologised to Ngāti Ranginui for its actions and omissions, and expressed profound regret for its breaches. I regret the time has taken so long for the apology to be enshrined in law, and I’m thankful that it will be rectified by the passing, imminently, of this bill today.

The settlement provides redress that will recognise traditional cultural, spiritual associations of Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui in their rohe, which includes vesting 15 sites with significance, and two sites jointly with other iwi, and a wide range of relationship redress with Crown agencies. That includes financial and commercial redress of $38 million, which will provide Ngāti Ranginui with an economic foundation to build a durable settlement. Of course, no amount of settlement can ever fully compensate for the losses suffered, but it does represent a commitment to establish a partnership that begins to restore the Crown relationship with Ngāti Ranginui, and starts a new journey towards reconciliation and prosperity. I note this journey will include the Tauranga Moana iwi collective redress and natural resources arrangements over Tauranga Moana. Mr Kawe has reminded me that Ngāti Ranginui will not see the completion of their claims without that redress, and it will be provided for in future legislation.

I heard the challenge this morning to inspire the rangatahi. That is the job not just of this Parliament but, of course, of all of us here in the House, and you on the marae, in your schools, in your homes, to inspire the next generation going forward. Our Government, of course, is committed to growing our economy so we can attain high living standards, by restoring law and order so people can feel safe in their communities, and to deliver great public services such as education, ensuring that our kids are going to school, getting a world-class education, and being prepared to succeed in the modern world. This, genuinely, I believe, is a land of opportunity. Sure, it’s not perfect, but show me a country that is. And, yes, we’ll have disagreements going forward—of course we will. But the good thing is that we can talk to each other still, civilly, live in peace, and work through the challenges that we face.

So I firmly believe that the opportunity here is for Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui to enter a golden age in the years ahead. I commend this bill to the House. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Kia ora, Mr Speaker. Ki a koutou Ngāti Ranginui i tae mai nei i tēnei wā, e mihi ana ki a koutou. E tika ana ki te maumahara ngā rangatira kua hinga. Nō reira moe mai moe mai moe mai rā. Ka nui tēnā.

Ki a koutou te hunga tae mai nei, e mihi ana ki a koutou. E mōhio ana tātou katoa ki te mahi tinihanga o te Karauna. Me maumahara tēnā. Engari ko tēnei te wā ki te whakatikatika tērā kaupapa. Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[To you, Ngāti Ranginui, who have arrived here today, greetings to you. It is important to remember our esteemed leaders who have passed. And so, farewell and rest in peace. That’s that.

To you the people who have arrived here, greetings to you. We understand the deceiving act made by the Crown. Lest not forget that. But this is a time to rectify that. And so, greetings to you all.]

It’s good to have everyone here, and you would have heard all the kōrero today supporting the kaupapa—apart from Winston Peters, who went off on another tangent. I’m not sure what kaupapa he was talking about today, but it certainly wasn’t the bill. It was lovely to see him, though. He was a wonderful Tauranga MP, wasn’t he? He was a wonderful Tauranga MP, and I had a bit of a kōrero with him out there, but he certainly wanted to get that kōrero out.

I want to acknowledge Dame Patsy here, for your tautoko for our various kaupapa and for being tremendous through the years, and our rangatira who are here today. It’s really good to see you.

Kiritapu Allan and Mita Ririnui, both former Labour MPs—hopefully, still Labour MPs. It’s good to see them, and they’re here because of a very serious kaupapa, a kaupapa that is repeated time and time again in terms of what has happened to our people. Scorched-earth policy, the denial of the opportunity to advance tino rangatiratanga—it’s all the same. The theme is all the same, and you hear it time and time again.

That’s why it’s good to hear that kōrero coming through, but I really did enjoy that kōrero from—who was our young man this morning? Te Pio, was it? He wasn’t so young, actually, when I looked at him—he looked a bit older than me! But he was asking for inspiration in terms of housing, health, and—you know, “Inspire us: housing, health, education.” I thought it was a good kōrero. Well, have I got the party for you! And guess what! It’s not the Māori Party; it’s the Labour Party.

But I thought it was a great kōrero, to get up after our whaikōrero and challenge us about what the kaupapa are going forward, because there’s only so much you can do. With these pūtea or with a transfer of properties, there’s only so much you can do. You can’t have Governments who say, “Well, there’s the Treaty settlement, Māoris. Now, go away.” I heard that kōrero this morning. It was a challenge we had to deal with when I was a Minister, when Kiritapu Allan was a Minister, and when Mita Ririnui was a Minister—it’s that “Hang on, it can’t be just a Treaty settlement.”

I thought that was a tremendous kōrero this morning, and that’s why I’d put it to the Minister: what are we going to do in terms of housing, what are we going to do in terms of health, what are we going to do in terms of education? That’s what the people were saying—that’s what you’re saying now.

But we all come to these types of hui and we all behave and we don’t put down challenges. Well, I’m not one of those ones who behaves. I’ve got to put down a challenge, too, to this Government over here, because the sad thing is we’ve got a nation of Māori under attack—let’s not forget this. And I know that everybody says, “Oh, kia whakakotahi mō te kaupapa” [unite for the cause], but, hang on, we’ve got a Tribunal under attack, we’ve got Māori health under attack.

Joseph Mooney: Not true.

Hon WILLIE JACKSON: “Not true”—“Not true”! We’ve got a Treaty under attack, and shortly you’ll hear from a party who are under attack—

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): Right, Mr Jackson—the bill.

Hon WILLIE JACKSON: This is the bill.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): The bill.

Hon WILLIE JACKSON: This is the bill. I’m talking about the bill and the ramifications coming from this bill.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): The bill.

Hon WILLIE JACKSON: I’m talking about the bill. I’m talking about what’s happening in terms of our people and what the flow-on is happening in terms of the bill. This was put on the floor this morning by our people. They put this on the floor in terms of: what is the future, where is the investment from the Government, and where are we going? It’s only right—I know what you’re saying, Mr Speaker. You’re talking about a bill, but what is the flow-on in terms of Māori society and what is the future for our people?

Now, what I’d say today is that you can’t just apologise for the past and forget about what’s happening now, surely—surely, Mr Speaker—and that’s what our people are saying. So if you’d heard the kōrero this morning and the challenges this morning, the speakers in te reo Māori and in English—I’m only translating what I heard. I’m sure the audience here would reiterate that, and they’re saying, “This is all good and well, but what about our input? What about some investment? What about some follow-up? What about what’s happening politically in this Parliament, in terms of certain members?”—that was in the kōrero today. [Assistant Speaker gestures for member to resume seat]

No, I’m not sitting down—I’m not sitting down. I’m not sitting down. You don’t walk over our kaupapa as it suits you, Mr Speaker.

Leave the House, Mr Jackson. [Interruption] Leave the House, Mr Jackson. Leave the House, Mr Jackson.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Point of order.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): No, there will be no point of order. Mr Jackson, in light of the—[Interruption]

Hon Willie Jackson withdrew from the Chamber.

Point of order, Mr Speaker. This kaupapa is about Te Tiriti. That is the only way that this settlement has come into the House. You should not be using this power to stop kōrero e pā ana ki tā tātou Tiriti—Te Tiriti nō te tino rangatiratanga [speaking about our Tiriti—Te Tiriti in regards to tino rangatiratanga]. This is not an expertise that this House has. There is no grounds to be using your power to silence the voices of those who are here to tautoko this kaupapa today. That is out of line.

Thank you.

It’s a very unfortunate occurrence that’s just happened, Mr Speaker, because you can well understand what it feels like for tangata whenua Māori when they come into this House, which is a House built only through the possibility of the agreement between tangata whenua Māori and the Crown in 1840. Every board in this House and no board in this House could stand but for that agreement. And you understand what it must feel like for Māori when one of their people is ejected from the House for speaking the truths that we all know to be true about the need for us to make proper amends for colonisation. And the purpose of this bill—I believe it is utterly relevant to the bill; I agree with Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and I agree with Willie Jackson. We are speaking to the bill when we speak about what the future holds for Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui.

What I wanted to say was that when I talk to people who are not New Zealanders, who have not had the privilege and the blessing of being raised in the bosom of this land and at the generosity of tangata whenua Māori, I try to explain to them what Māori culture is and I say it is a host culture—it is a host culture. If you show up on a marae, despite all the horrors of what has been done to Māori by colonisation, you will still get haere mai, haere mai, haere mai—welcome, welcome, welcome—and they will give you a cup of tea. First of all, they will hongi you. The hongi is an extraordinary greeting because it is where people touch faces—the most intimate greeting. It’s extraordinary as a cultural form; we share the breath of life, tihei mauri ora. They give you a cup of tea, they feed you more than you can eat, they sing you songs, and then they offer you a bed in the belly of their ancestor, in the wharenui.

This is the generosity of tangata whenua Māori that we all, as tangata Tiriti, are the beneficiaries of. This is the generosity of Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui in their coming here today to assist in restoration of the dignity of the Crown. But we must assist in that restoration.

It’s New Zealand Music Month this month, and I think one of the most important songs written in the last 25 years was written 20 years ago by a guy called Dave Dobbyn. It’s a song called “Welcome Home”, and the opening lyric is:

Tonight I am feeling for you

Under the state of a strange land

You have sacrificed much to be here

There for the graces I offer my hand

Welcome home

Later in the song he says, “You’ll find most of us here with our hearts wide open”—you’ll find most of us here with our hearts wide open. And then he also says:

There’s a woman with her hands trembling

Haere mai

And she sings with a mountain’s memory

Haere mai

This is the kaupapa of tangata whenua Māori across this land. My mother, raised in Tauranga, was raised in the bosom of that love and generosity of the Tauranga Moana peoples, and I am eternally thankful for that blessing.

One of the kaumātua today said that—my paucity of understanding of te reo Māori, but I did pick up one thing he said: ngā kaupapa Papatūānuku and te whenua [the subjects about Papatūānuku and the land]. I recall that in 2011, shortly before the struggle against the Petrobras drilling in the Raukūmara Basin, I went down to the beach of Pāpāmoa, where my mother had swum as a child, and we scraped the oil off the beach from the Rena oil spill, with the local iwi.

It is my hope and my dream for our nation that we stand together and we stand for the restoration of Papatūānuku, and that we recognise that together we are stronger. That is the pact and the bond of love, I believe, that was made in 1840 in the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and we must restore the true meaning and sense of that agreement to work together in mutual respect.

In the words of Moana Jackson, that Treaty is a profound and visionary base upon which to build a country, and here, today, this settlement bill is about upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It is about stepping us towards that profound and visionary nationhood. It is only possible in acknowledging the truth and the darkness of our history. It is only possible in us being with our hearts wide open and listening and paying attention and genuinely wanting to hear. Because Te Tiriti is a pathway to the relationship, but the relationship is the living thing. So we must uphold that relationship through listening and through respect. I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora koutou.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It’s a pleasure to rise and take this call for the third reading. You all saw my second reading speech, so I won’t go on too long; I’ll be respectful of the time and make sure we can get on to the planned activities afterwards.

At my second reading speech, I talked about my experience and touched on the history a little bit, and the present state of affairs. But what I actually do want to talk about is the future of Tauranga. Tauranga is an amazing part of New Zealand. It’s the export hub. We have the port. We have the beaches. We have the people. We have a growing population of people who are outward-looking, who want to do well, who want New Zealand to be a thriving place and want the beating heart of the—I call it the upper central North Island. Like we, in Tauranga, are where the future will be for New Zealand. But we have to get some things right. We have to get our incredibly expensive housing under control. We have to get our infrastructure sorted. We’ve got a lot of things to fix when it comes to the public services in our area.

Moves like this to recognise past wrongs, make amends, and set up post-settlement entities that are committed to the area to be brought in financially, brought in culturally, brought in spiritually, brought in as a community—that’s how we’re going to grow and create a future for our people, of all stripes and whatever time they arrived. The only way we can do this is by being future-focused and thinking about where we’re going.

The city has got a bright future. We have dark clouds; we have issues come through every now and again, but moves like this set up for the future is what we need to be doing. If you want to stand up and do a speech, as I’m sort of touching on now, you should save it for a general debate speech. But what I’m saying is that Tauranga with Ngāti Ranginui, with what you have come today to hear the Crown apologise for—recognising the past and make settlements and plans for the future, is what we are trying to do. We are trying as a country, as a Parliament, to put New Zealand on the path to where we want to go.

I thank you for coming to this House today to hear our korero, to hear the Crown and every member of this House from every party stand up and talk to it. I thank you for the forgiveness that you’ve shown, the welcome, and what you’ve given to the people of Tauranga, including my family, and I commend this bill to the House.

Hei tīmata ko te reo Māori.

E te iwi koutou kua tau mai ki te aroaro o te Whare Pāremata ki te pae o te Whare Pāremata nau mai haere mai. I roto i ngā mihi i puakina ai i te wā tuatahi o tēnei tohe o tēnei hīkoi o koutou i whakaingoatia ai ko te ingoa o tērā manukura o te wā nō ōku mātua a Maharaia Winiata. Me whakahua e au te ingoa ō tō koutou mārohirohi a Maharaia. Me tana whakatauki “Inā aro pai ngā tāngata ki ngā mea papai ka taea ngā mea papai”. Me whakaū e tātou i a tātou e kōrero ana mō te rā āpōpō, me pēhea rānei te pai me pēhea rānei ngā hua, me pēhea rānei he tauira hou e whakarānea ai mā roto i tēnei whakataunga kua oti i a koutou ka whakaeangia i tēnei wā. Nā reira tēnā koutou Ngāti Ranginui. Tēnā koutou Takitimu waka, tēnā koutou Mātaatua waka, tēnā koutou Arawa waka me te mahara ka wehe atu a Kahungunu i a mātou i roto i te Tai Tokerau ka noho ka awhiawhi ka hapū kō wai rānei, nā ko koutou ngā uri.

[I’ll start my kōrero in the Māori language.

To you people who have arrived here to Parliament, to the debating chamber, welcome. During the first debate pertaining to this bill I spoke about that esteemed leader of yours, Maharaia Winiata. I shall make mention of that bloke of yours, Maharaia. And his saying as well: “If people focus on the good in things they will inherit good benefits”. We need to instil this as we speak about the future and its benefits, its outcomes, and also what are the new possible avenues we can look in to within this settlement as it comes to fruition. And so, greetings to you Ngāti Ranginui, Takitimu waka, Mātaatua waka, Arawa waka and to also remember the eponymous ancestor Kahungunu who once lived in the northern region and slept around with who knows, and hence we have you the descendants.]

I want to join and remind New Zealanders, remind the House, that this has been a very long journey for this particular tribe from Tauranga Moana. Hailing from Tai Tokerau, there are many connections in relation to this part of te ao Māori, but this day belongs to you people. This is a group of Māori leaders, whānau, who made a decision, pragmatically, within the confines of what successive Governments have been prepared to stand up for. We will craft together, we will agree, to an endowment to take us forward.

As we must say at every single reading: this is only one step of the journey. We are a nation of 5 million - odd people—and, by the way, I belong to a party that doesn’t like the notion of a big population—I would remind everyone that these settlements, an act of pragmatism, settled, however, with the best of intentions, integrity, represent a tūāpapa—a platform—to go forward on.

I don’t really want to recite the various elements of the history of Tauranga Moana from a Māori perspective, because that’s been done. I want to talk a little bit about what needs to carry on. I look forward to working with the leaders of Tauranga Moana over a future for Pukehinahina, working with my colleagues, with the blessings, hopefully, of the senior members of the other side of the House, so those iconic sites are portrayed, are promoted, are accepted, as a key feature of what it means to belong to our country and recognise the past of our country in the context of that particular part of the Bay of Plenty.

I also want to remind the House that there are quite a few marae down there that were the recipients of the Provincial Growth Fund. But the hapū up there [Points to the gallery] forgot rule No. 1 in Māoridom. Reciprocity: nāku te pūtea mā koutou te pōti—engari horekau koutou i pōti mōku [we have the money, you have the votes—although you didn’t vote for me].

I’m sure that the members that hail from this part of our motu know that there is an enormous amount of work to be done, but we are focused on upgrading infrastructure. Recently, I had the privilege of going and standing in that area with Waitaha and related people around the broader Tauranga area to ensure that, when Tauranga grows, when this area prospers—because it is in the “golden triangle”—that integrated and central to that journey are tangata whenua. That is why a Treaty settlement does represent leverage.

I don’t want to broaden our discussions beyond that, because, really, we should celebrate the fact that one of our smaller iwi—and I too come from a smaller iwi: Ngāi Takoto and Te Aupōuri—have made a courageous decision to move on from a chequered past which represents an imperfect history of our country. But our greatness lies in front of us, and with settlements of this nature, with willing fellow travellers, don’t underestimate what we can do; and we need to do it together, because we are a small cork bobbing around in a broad, huge world, and unless we work together, unless we commit to share the responsibility of enriching our nation, the rest of the world does not owe us a living.

Ki te hunga taketake koutou kua tatū mai ki roto i te Whare i te rangi nei, ngā mihi ki a koutou. Tāria te wā mātou ka puta ā tinana atu ki waenga tonu i a koutou tū tahi, mahi tahi, kia ea i a tātou tētahi tauira hou e taea te whakawhanake ā-ngākau, ā-tinana, ā-wairua hoki. Kia ora tātou katoa.

[To you who have come to this House today, salutations to you. In due time, we will come to you in person to stand together and work together to implement new solutions so that you develop physically, wholeheartedly, and in spirit as well. Thank you all.]

Point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek leave from the House to plead for another five minutes as I whakapapa to this iwi, and as their Māori representative in Parliament.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): I’ll put the leave. Leave is requested for a five-minute extension for Te Pāti Māori. Is there any objection? Yes, there is. So it’s a five-minute call.

RAWIRI WAITITI: How miserable. Mōrena tātou. Ka tangohia taku pōtae.

[I take my hat off.]

I wear this pōtae in this House as an acknowledgment of my tūpuna that went to World War II—Ngā Kaupoai [the Cowboys]—as I see this place as the trenches of a modern-day war. Today, as our people sit in the gallery, the war comes to a halt as I acknowledge the years of sacrifice by this iwi. I’m not going to call you a small iwi or a big iwi; you are an iwi with mana and you stand in that in your own right, as we do in this House.

I find it difficult today, as this will be the final speech before I also am ejected from this House. They continue to eject us from the House. Te Tiriti was a promise of kāwanatanga over their own people. Article 2 was the assertion of our pre-existing rights to be undisturbed of our full and exclusive rights to our whenua, to our moana, to our kāinga, to our taonga.

You will receive 1 percent of your total due, and be told that this is full and final. This must never be full and final. The other 99 percent—the door must be left open to our mokopuna to continue to fight.

I will never apologise for what I do in this House, but I feel an apology to my people—that you will be silenced for 21 days, when one of the most ruthless legislations will hit this House next week and a Budget that will ignore you. We don’t need promises from any party in this House. We need economic autonomy. We need economic sovereignty. We need to be left alone to do what we need to do, to be undisturbed of our full and exclusive rights.

Tika tonu ngā kōrero a Willie. E kī e kī kua panāia ia ki waho. I hāmenetia ō tātou mātua tīpuna. Kei te hāmene tonu tātou i tēnei rā. Tāhae whenua, tāhae moana, tāhae mokopuna. Me pēhea rā tātou e whakaatu ki te ao te mana kei a tāua te Māori. Ranginui maranga mai, maranga mai.

[What Willie said was correct. What a shame he has been ejected. Our ancestors were punished. And we are still punished today. Confiscating our lands, our waters, and our grandchildren. How are we to show our mana Māori to the world? Ranginui, rise up, rise up.]

This Treaty claim mustn’t be in vain of the many that didn’t see this claim go through. Our mokopuna who are not yet born, we must declare to them that we will never be silent in this House and that haka is an elevation of our voice and the voices of our ancestors that have gone, our voices today, and the voices of our mokopuna that are to come.

Kia kaua tātou e wareware ki tērā. Nō reira e ngā uri o Te Rangihouhiri tēnā koutou tēnā koutou, kia ora tātou katoa.

[Let us not forget that. And so, descendants of Te Rangihouhiri, salutations to you, thank you all.]

E te Māngai o te Whare, tēnā koe. E te whānau whānui o ngā hapū me ngā uri o Ngāti Ranginui tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Ki te whenua, ki te moana, ki ngā māunga ngā awa ngā ngāhere hoki o Tauranga Moana karanga mai, karanga mai, karanga mai. E tū ana nei he uri nō te Tai Tokerau. Nō Ngāpuhi nui tonu ahau.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker. Greetings to you the extended tribe and descendants of Ngāti Ranginui. To the land, the ocean, the mountains, the rivers and the forests of Tauranga Moana, call upon us. I stand, a descendant of the Northland tribes. I am from all of Ngāpuhi.]

The first time I visited Pukehinahina and Te Ranga Pā, I was taken there by Matua Tamati Tata, a kaumatua from Ngāi Tamarāwaho of Ngāti Ranginui. On that day, our ope stood silently in the rain, the tears of Ranginui soaking our cheeks as Matua Tamati shared testimony of what the land and its descendants had witnessed. I can recall with perfect clarity the crack of thunder, like the explosion of a cannon, punctuating our contemplation and fracturing time to transport us back a century and a half earlier to the so-called Battle of Gate Pā, as though the atua were demanding that we never forget that place or the people who belong to it or the theft of lands and lives at the hands of the Crown. Nothing can undo that mamae—the pain and loss. No compensation will ever be enough, and for that I am so sorry.

Today, Parliament will pass the Treaty settlement bill for Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui, and of course it is my great honour to stand on behalf of the Greens to express our support for its passage. Professor Joanna Kidman, of Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Raukawa, and Dr Vincent O’Malley wrote that “public and State memory can be fickle in settler nations and is often at odds with tribal memory”. Iwi and hapū histories must be honoured and told, not whitewashed or denied. Tangata whenua, through the ongoing machinations of colonisation, are continuously being gaslit into believing that our stories do not matter, when in fact they have been stolen and warped and sold to us as a lie or myth or shame.

The passing of this bill represents the remembering, reclaiming, and retelling of Ngāti Ranginui histories, by and for not only them, but for those who came before and those who are yet to arrive. It will restore ingoa Māori to places whose original names were erased or written over—Te Whāngai-a-Tamarāwaho, Te Hopuni, Huharua, and Te Wharepoti, to name a few. But the Crown will only return a fraction of the land ripped away through raupatu and the compensation offered could never match the mauri of the whenua which Ngāti Ranginui always were, rightly are, and will always be true descendants and custodians of.

Today does not mark a conclusion but, rather, the reset of a relationship between the Crown and Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui—a commitment which, unless actualised and honoured, is mere lip service. That is why we, as representatives of the Crown, must always uphold our obligations and commitments to this relationship, as for over a century our predecessors have failed to do.

To the descendants of Ngāti Ranginui who have gathered here or are listening from afar: thank you for your patience, your fight, your love, and your incredible grace. You have demonstrated what it means to lead with heart and spirit.

I wish to conclude with the words of Dr Maharaia Winiata, who reminds us to hold on to the aspirations of our ancestors for something better and in doing so knowing everything is possible: “Inā aro atu ana te oranga ki ngā mea pai, ka rere te wairua, ka taea ngā mea katoa.”

[“If life is focused on the good things, the spirit will fly, everything becomes possible.”]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. E te Māngai o te Whare, kia ora koutou katoa. One of the great aspects of Treaty settlements is the lack of partisanship shown in this House. All parties, as far as I know, have voted for and supported all Treaty settlements that have gone through this House—all 102, if I’m not mistaken. I have felt this this bipartisanship most acutely on the Māori Affairs Committee. Today is a day for this House to continue the spirit and tradition of non-partisanship, to pass the Ngāti Hāpu o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill, to acknowledge the wrongs of the Crown, and to begin a process of reconciliation, healing, and renewal, and to realise the promise of the people here today, the people of Ngāti Ranginui, for our nation and for the promise of the Treaty of Waitangi—to uphold and to live up to the articles in the Treaty.

A lot has been said today about the atrocities of the past. Today, it goes on record that this House acknowledges those atrocities. Part of this process is a redress package, which includes $38 million. I acknowledge what other speakers have said: no amount of redress can make up for the mamae and the loss that this iwi have felt over 161 years. But this redress will enable them to move forward, to begin that process to look to the future. What does that future look like? Well, that future certainly, as I understand, is about the revitalisation of te reo, the revitalisation of Māori culture, the social development, and economic development.

We have had speaker after speaker speak about the opportunities in the great area of Tauranga, of the Bay of Plenty, for the people of Ngāti Ranginui. It is our hope, at least, collectively, that they can turn their attention to the future. I’ve heard Ministers in this House say that they look forward to working with the iwi on their shared goals and aspirations.

I wish to acknowledge a number of people in this House. The first are Ministers Finlayson, Little, and Goldsmith. I also wish to acknowledge the local officials and negotiators as part of this process—and Dame Patsy Reddy, it’s nice to see you here today. Local MPs past—Winston Peters—and present. We’ve got a number of local MPs—my colleague Sam Uffindell, Tom Rutherford, Rawiri Waititi, and those past as well—and my colleagues who were on the Māori Affairs Committee to look at this bill and examine it in more detail.

This is a good day. This is a good day where we acknowledge the past and make amends for that so that we can move forward together as one people and as one nation. It is on that basis that I commend this bill to the House. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and kia ora anō. My colleague sitting beside me—Shanan Halbert—mentioned in his second reading speech that one of the jobs that we can do as politicians during these settlement bills is actually talk about some of the people and get their names on the Hansard. Somebody that I want to talk about a little bit here today has had, or had had, a long history of unifying Ngāti Ranginui over time. So I want to talk about a dear friend, a confidant, and leader, Dr Morehu Ngatoko Rahipere, who, along with many leaders of Ngāti Ranginui, was a catalyst for the shepherding of this claim.

Morehu was a driving force for the unification of Ngāti Ranginui in his time. He was a gentle and wise kaumātua whose guidance to me is something that I will always remember. I remember coming into my job as tumuaki at Merivale. I wondered for a bit what I’d come to. But I remember the first meeting with Morehu, and I remember him giving me the OK—“You’ve got this. You’ve absolutely got this.”—and I will never forget that. I’ll never forget the gentleness and the wiseness, but I’ll also never forget how strong he was as well and how he could make many of our parents quiver in their boots as he would just walk through our carpark. He was an amazing man.

I also remember when he found out that there had not been a pōwhiri or welcome for me at Merivale and he ensured that that was going to be rectified. So he arranged for a pōwhiri to happen at the Huria Marae because that was the first time that I had been there. I think, Graham, that was the first time he saw you and he said, “You’ve brought someone really impressive along with you.” So there’s a lot that I remember very fondly from him.

He was a descendant of Paraone Koikoi, whose son Ihakara was killed at the Battle of Gate Pā. It was Paraone Koikoi who was forcibly taken to Te Papa following the battle, to witness his land’s confiscation. It was cut up and given to soldiers and surrendered Māori. Whilst it was clear that this deeply hurt Morehu, and the scars of this remained throughout his time, he had the fortitude to see the best in people, and his demeanour meant that if you were in his presence, you felt the impact beyond the words he expressed; more so the wairua he exuded.

Morehu is the example of the potential for change, for the understanding and most certainly for tolerance, and I honour his family, his hapū, his marae Huria and Wairoa, and his iwi that are here today as we finally deliver and participate in the second reading and third reading of the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill.

That hurt that happened all those years ago is felt strongly throughout Tauranga Moana today. I saw that hurt. I saw so many young people who had lost touch with their identity and their whakapapa. I saw the result of that. I saw that those young people had lost hope in many ways of their future. But I also saw an iwi that were standing up and wanting to do the best going forward.

I do credit my time at Merivale as the best experience of my life. We knew that we had young people that had, through the hurts that happened so many years ago, lost their way a little bit. But we had a community there who worked alongside iwi to ensure that we could turn that around, and that is still happening within Tauranga Moana today. The settlement that we see here today is another step in the direction.

What we want for our mokopuna, our tamariki, and our rangatahi is a positive, bright future going forward, and I see that. I see that with the young people that we see coming through, and it is wonderful to have them here as part of this celebration—this acknowledgment of the hurt but this celebration of this milestone of heading forward. But as we’ve heard here today, this is not the end of the journey. This is still right near the start of the journey: the acknowledgment by the Crown of the hurt that has been caused, the redress and the work towards really supporting the iwi to become the amazing people that the world will see—that we know they already are—and to have that support of all of us around you.

I still go through Tauranga and I go to events that happen, such as the commemoration of the Battle of Gate Pā on 29 April every year. I always make sure I go to those events, because every single year I hear more about that history and more of that understanding, and I strongly believe that the more that we acknowledge the history, the more that we acknowledge the true history of what has happened, young people will have a different future because they’re acknowledging the wrongs and the hurt that happened in the past and they take that into their brighter future going forward.

I am happy to say that that is one of the things I’m very proud about—the Aotearoa history curriculum. And I will say that the Tauranga Moana iwi coming together and influencing the delivery of that in schools in the Tauranga Moana region is second to none. The work that you have done to facilitate that and support that is a shining example to the rest of Aotearoa.

Ngāti Ranginui, I speak humbly to you. You were written out of the history books for an uncompromising and staunch stance to protect your land, your language, and your culture. Despite generations of legislation passed in this House, and in local government buildings in your whenua, you have survived. You have planted and ignited that fire within your tamariki, your mokopuna, many of whom are here today. The mana and the mauri are there to be defiant, to be Māori, to be proud, and I salute you. You have a vision for your people to actively participate in all aspects of Tauranga Moana as mana whenua, in partnership with many others, including the Government, with a clear view to realising the dreams of your tīpuna, distant and recent, like Morehu.

Let this day, this moment, this legislation provide you with that extra bit of respiration of your story to be etched in your memory for ever. But you don’t need this House to give you that permission; in fact, we already know that you have never wavered.

Morehu, I remember and honour you. I shed a tear today, knowing you are smiling from ear to ear, seeing this day finally arrive. E te ngaro e te ngaro Ranginui, ka kitea ka kitea ka kitea—Ranginui, who was, who is once lost by the hands of others is seen, is heard, and is present. Kia ora.

I call on Dan Bidois—oh, my apologies. I call on Sam Uffindell.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

SPEAKER: Just a slight height difference there!

SAM UFFINDELL: E ngā iwi, e ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha.

[To the authorities, to all the voices and the many involved.]

It’s an honour to be able to rise and speak in favour in the third reading of the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill. I want to, once again, acknowledge everyone up here in the gallery: this is your day. To all of the elders here, this is a very special day. I know that there are a lot of people who won’t be able to be here, they may have passed, they may be back home in Tauranga—and kia ora to everyone there as well. I want to give a mention to the chair of Ngāti Ranginui, Charlie Rahiri, and to all of his whānau and to all of the different hapū that are here for this claims settlement. And also, too, some of our elders that we see around the moana a lot: I won’t call you out by name, but it’s very good to have seen you here in the gallery and to have seen you for breakfast in the mihi whakatau earlier today.

As I mentioned earlier, this is long overdue. I remember last year, with the Hon Jan Tinetti, we were there at St George’s church, where they had the 160th commemoration of the Battle of Gate Pā (Pukehinahina). It’s quite incredible to think that everything that happened back there—the confiscation of land, the loss of mana, the loss of the ability to make a living on the land—it has taken 160 years to get us to be here in this House where the Crown is apologising and making redress for what has happened. While that is likely not to fulfil the damage or the hurt that did occur, it is, hopefully—as was called out at the breakfast this morning—an opportunity to start to repair and also to move forward and to take the opportunity that is, hopefully, there through this settlement.

As part of the settlement, it does call for cultural redress, reserve management. There is a financial compensation of $38 million, a return of 15 sites of cultural significance, and also a redress of the relationship with Crown agencies. And as was called for, there is a desire that it doesn’t just end here but there is a desire and a commitment to improve the relationship between the Crown and the Government and the hapū and iwi here today. As I mentioned in the second reading, I give you my pledge that I will do more than what I have already done to help to build those relationships and to be closer to you, to learn more about what has happened, and to bring your voice back here into Government, as the member for Tauranga.

There are some significant economic opportunities. When a member rose to speak at the breakfast, they said that your iwi want several things, but there was a quest for better education, a quest for better housing, and a quest for economic development opportunities. Those are three things that we all want. We need our young people to be educated so that they can have the best chance that they can have in life. We need more housing. We know in Tauranga how unaffordable housing is. It is the most expensive major city in New Zealand. And we need to make sure that we do a lot more, that that housing is provided and accessible for you and your families and your children so that they can have a proper shot at living a life of dignity and fulfilment.

And then there are the economic opportunities. I note that we have significant opportunities in the Bay of Plenty around kiwifruit. I was talking earlier today with Whetu Rolleston—one of many Rollestons, no doubt, here in the gallery—around the opportunities with kiwifruit, and Māori have a very vested interest in making sure that those can be realised. I do acknowledge that there have been some real challenges in Māori raising equity to upgrade or purchase orchards, because it constrains how Māori land is viewed, and that there is an existing inequity there that does need to be addressed. But there are big opportunities there.

There are big opportunities in the seafood space around Tauranga Moana. I heard the former member from Tauranga—the Rt Hon Winston Peters—talk about the Port of Tauranga and the considerable opportunities. I would echo his wish that divestment by Bay of Plenty Regional Council is picked up and kept in local hands as much as possible. I’m glad to see some nodding heads in the audience on that.

Look, I want to acknowledge everyone who has helped make today happen. Dame Patsy Reddy has also been mentioned a number of times already. The previous Ministers Finlay and Little, and today the Hon Paul Goldsmith, and all of the rangatira here today that have fed into this process to make it a reality. This is your day. This is an historic day for Tauranga Moana; for Ngāti Ranginui, for your hapū, and for your iwi; and, as I see the pictures up there being held in the gallery, your tūpuna—I’m sure that they would have wanted to be here and I’m sure they are here in spirit to see this settlement occur.

Look, it is an honour to be able to speak in favour of this bill. I commend this bill to the House.

Kia ora e te Māngai o te Whare.

Ka tangi te titi ka tangi te kākā ka tangi hoki ahau, tihei mauri ora.

Ko tēnei te mihi ki a koutou ngā hapū o Ngāti Ranginui, he mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker.

The titi cries, the kākā cries, and so do I, ’tis the breath of life.

This is the acknowledgment to the people of Ngāti Ranginui. A warm greeting to you all.]

As we come together today in this third and final reading of your bill, it is good that we discuss, as well, the claims that you bring within this bill, what that represents in the Treaty relationship going forward, and, as this House continues to grapple with what that Treaty relationship looks like, in the way our tikanga plays out in the Whare and how we bring this House into being also a marae of ways—that’s how I consider it.

When this House is considering Treaty settlement bills, we take on a different āhua, we take on a different way, and we accommodate, as much as we possibly can, in the constraints of what we are, to provide a forum where two peoples can come together to understand and connect. We’re still evolving as we grapple with that, but I think it is important to note that that is part of what the ongoing Treaty relationship is. It is understanding and working together as much as we possibly can, and it is having that door open to ongoing conversation which I believe is the ongoing Treaty relationship, which will always continue to be a struggle but it is having that door open, it is having that dialogue available, and being able to openly talk to each other, which embodies the Treaty relationship and how it will go forward.

As part of that, I think it is important that we are able to discuss not only the historical claims that are a part of this bill but how they impact on the future, in those contemporary claims, such as what housing will be provided for your iwi, what the job opportunities are, and what are the hauora services that are going to continue to work within your communities. Those are just as relevant today as the historical claims that are in this bill.

I would like to acknowledge that, yes, this bill is important for the redress it carries—the financial redress of $38 million, the cultural redress of those name changes, those wāhi tapu, those important elements, and also the apology from the Crown. But what is that apology if it does not have a genuine commitment to an ongoing Treaty relationship—that is how we conduct ourselves in this House, on this day, and how we take ourselves forward into the next steps. Because it is on our shoulders right now in terms of how we create a future for the future generations of Māori and Pākehā and everybody else in New Zealand. It’s on our shoulders right now how we conduct ourselves to pave that way forward for the next generation.

I’m so proud to be here today. I’m humbled to be part of this chapter of history. But there is a long way for us to go—a long way. I wish you all the very best, from the bottom of my heart, and all the best in your future ongoing endeavours and aspirations—wawata katoa. He mihi mahana ki a koutou. He mihi aroha ki a koutou. Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.

[A warm greeting to you all. And a heartfelt greetings to you all. So then, greetings, greetings, greetings to us all.]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise as we enter in the final stages of the third reading of this very important kaupapa today, the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill. Thank you to the House for giving me this opportunity to make my contribution to what is a historical day, as we’ve heard.

Just a recap on what’s going to be going forward after today—the main provisions of the bill: there are provisions for cultural redress; financial and commercial redress of $38 million—nowhere near what you’ve lost, but it’s something; the return of 15 sites of cultural significance; two properties of cultural significance vested jointly with other iwi; and relationship redress with Crown agencies.

Mr Speaker, a colleague from across the House earlier read out part of the apology, and, if you don’t mind, I’d also like to read part of it as well, the apology in the bill. It says: “Through this apology the Crown seeks atonement for the wrongs of the past and to establish a new relationship with the hapū of Ngāti Ranginui based on mutual trust, cooperation, and respect for … the Treaty of Waitangi”.

I’d like to draw the attention of the House very briefly, if I may, to a public hearing that took place yesterday as part of our Māori Affairs Committee mahi. It was the report of the Controller and Auditor-General with respect to how public organisations are fulfilling Treaty settlements. I’d encourage members of the public to read this, especially in light of when we’re talking about going forward with our Treaty settlements and the obligations. It was quite confronting and quite damning, if I’m allowed to say that, Mr Speaker. And I know that members of the committee were determined to help and to do whatever we can to make sure that obligations are met going forward.

My colleague Tom Rutherford, the MP for the Bay of Plenty, who is sitting beside me—very young but very wise—in his second reading speech spoke about the patience, thanking our Tauranga whānau here today for your patience. When we think about this patience, what are we talking about? We’re talking about over 150 years of patience. And if I was to think of a picture, it’s almost like you’ve been chiselling away—chiselling away at a sculpture where the medium making up the sculpture is your tears, and the tears of those before you. It’s almost like it’s been bound together with immense heartache. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that you came here today for just a little bit of closure, and yet what you saw was a shameless display of disrespect for what you’ve been through, and theatrics.

Thank you for constantly teaching me, a person that was born in Australia to parents from Lebanon, who has my own issues with countries around Lebanon that have tried to overtake Lebanon and crush our language and our culture. Thank you for teaching me patience and thank you for teaching me that forgiveness is actually never ending, because that’s constantly what I feel with every Treaty settlement that we try to progress. Yes, there’s a lot of flaws, as we can see by this report, but I know that I and a lot of my colleagues are trying.

So God bless you as you go forward, and God bless the other two iwi with their progression in gaining some type of settlement. And I pray for all of you going forward that your mokopuna can reap some rewards from what’s happening today.

I commend this bill to the House.

Kāti e te Whare, kua wāwāhia e ōku tuakana e Charlie e tōku pāpā e Tāmati ngā whakapapa here o ōku rahi o Te Tai Tokerau ki roto i a koutou o Ngāti Ranginui. Nō reira e mihi kau atu ana ki a koutou, otirā ki a tātou katoa kua tau iho mai ki runga i te kaupapa kua whakakāhui ai tātou i te rā nei.

Ka huri atu ki a koe kei taku pāpā e Turi. Me taku tangi mōteatea ki tō pāpā, ki a Kihi kua roa rawa e takahi nei i te nukuroa ki roto i au o Te Tai Tokerau. Me tāna kōrero ki ōku iwi, ki ōku rahi, “Kia ū ki te mana motuhake o te hapū. Tirohia ki ngā painga o tēnā whānau, o tēnā whānau kia tū pakari mai ai ko ngā hapū ki roto i ngā mahi kei mua i te aroaro.”

E taku pāpā, e Kihi, hoki wairua mai ki roto ki wēnei kōrero. E taku tuakana e Frank, ka rere ngā mihi me ngā roimata ki tō pāpā, ki a Huikākahu. Te hunga nā rātou tēnei kaupapa i kōkiri ki roto ki ngā tau maha kua pahure ake nei. Nā rātou ngā mamae me ngā kōrero a ngā mātua tūpuna i kōkiri kei mōnenehu ki te pū o mahara, kia korikori tonu nei ki runga i te rae o tēnā, o tēnā o tātou e tau nei.

Nō reira te hunga wairua, te hunga mate ki a koutou, haere, haere, haere.

Nā ka whakahokia mai ngā rārangi kōrero ki a tātou me tā tātou kaupapa, e te iwi.

I a au e rangahau ana i ngā kōrero e pā ana ki tēnei kaupapa, kaua mō te kawenga o te kerēme mō ngā tau tata kua pahure ake nei, engari ka hoki waku mahi rangahau ki roto ki te taima o tōku tupuna o Tau Henare. Nā i te tau 1927, i puta mai te ripoata e kīia nei ko te Sim inquiry. Nā i taua taima ko tōku tupuna a Tau Henare he mema o tēnei Whare. Ka tū mai taku tupuna me tāna kōrero e pā ana ki tērā kaupapa i rangahau i ngā tūkinotanga a te Kāwanatanga ki runga i a koutou o Tauranga Moana.

Anei te kōrero a tōku tupuna, a Tau Henare. Hei tāna, “Ko ngā kino o te Kāwanatanga anō nei he waikura; ka kore e moe, ka kore e mutu.” Ne? Ka waiho atu au i tēnā kōrero ki runga i a tātou katoa i te rā nei. Nā ko taua tau rā, anā, ko te 1927. Anā, anga mai ki tēnei wā tonu, te tūnga mai o tana mokopuna tuarua ki roto i tēnei Whare, kua kitea kei te pērā tonu. E tika ana wāna kōrero ki tēnei Whare, otirā ki te katoa i taua taima, i te tau 1927.

Nō reira e aku rangatira, tēnā, kua kōkirihia nā koutou i tēnei kaupapa kia ūngutungutu i ngā ō ngotongoto kia pakari ai ngā hapū katoa o Ngāti Ranginui ki roto i ngā tau maha kei mua i a koutou.

Koinā tāku e hari nei; koinā tāku e pōuri nei. E pōuri nei. Kua rongo atu koutou katoa ki te āhuatanga o ētahi o ngā kōrero kei roto i tēnei Whare. E hoa, ko te mahi a wētahi hei wāwāhi i ngā take Māori kia noho ki tēnei pouaka, ki tērā pouaka. Engari o te ao o te Māori, e tika ana te kōrero, anā, ko ngā kokonga o te whare ka kitea, engari ko ngā kokonga o te ngākau ka kore e kitea. Nā i te rā nei kua rongo koutou i te ngākau o ētahi o mātou e hāngai pū atu ana ki ngā kaupapa e kōkirihia nei e te Whare i te rā nei, anā ko tā koutou take kei mua i te aroaro o te Kāwanatanga.

Kei te kapo ake au i ētahi o ngā kupu i rangona e māua ko taringa i te ata nei. Anā ko te kī a tōku tuakana, a Te Pio i te rahi i tae mai ki mua i te aroaro o Te Ātiawa i te ata nei, me tana hiahia mā tēnei Whare ētahi mahi hei whakaohooho ake i a tāua te Māori, hei whakaihiihi ake i ā tātou rangatahi, i ā tātou tamariki mokopuna.

Heoi anō ka tūohu tēnei Ngāpuhi ki mua i a koutou, me te kī atu e ngā hapū katoa o Ngāti Ranginui, e hoa, ko koutou kē ēnā i whakaohooho nei i a au, whakaihiihi nei i a au. Kia tiro atu anō au ki roto i a au anō o Te Tai Tokerau kei te anga pēhea mātou ki hea? Nā, koutou tēnā i takahi nei i tēnei huarahi, para nei i tēnei huarahi mai i te wā o ō tātou mātua tūpuna tae noa ki tēnei wā. E kara e Te Pio, e mihi atu ana ki a koe me ō kōrero hei whakaaweawe, hei whakaohooho ake i a tāua te Māori ki ngā mahi nui kei mua i te aroaro o tēnā iwi, o tēnā iwi, o ngā hapū katoa o Ngāti Ranginui i te rā nei.

Nō reira e ōku rangatira, kua kite atu ahau i te āhuatanga o ētahi o ngā wāwāhitanga ki roto i te pire, me taku hari kua whakahokia atu ngā wāhi whenua ki a koutou.

I rangona e māua ko taringa i te rā nei te kōrero a tōku matua, a te Hōnore a Shane Jones, e pā ana ki te whenua rā, i tau te pakanga ki runga o Pukehinahina, me tana tono mai ki tēnei taha o te Whare, anā ko ngā mema matua, ngā mema teitei o tēnei taha o te Whare hei tautoko atu i ngā whāinga o koutou, me tana tautoko ake i te kaupapa o Pukehinahina.

E te Whare, i kō atu i te 10 tau ki muri, ko au te heamana o te kaupapa Homai He Rā. Ko au te heamana i kōkiri i ngā take katoa e pā ana ki ngā wāhi pakanga i te wā o ō tātou mātua, ō tātou tūpuna. I taua wā tonu ko au te heamana o te pā pakanga, a Ruapekapeka, i Te Taitokerau. Anā, i noho tahi mātou katoa ko koutou, te hunga o Ōrākau, o Pukehinahina me ngā wāhi huri, huri noa i te motu whānui.

I reira mātou, ka kōkirihia te kaupapa, me te kōrero, āe, me tautoko tonu te whakahokinga mai o te whenua, ka tahi. Me te whakapakari ake, me te hahu ake anō i ngā kōrero a ō tātou mātua tūpuna, ka rua. Anā me ū tonu ki te tapu me te mauri o aua wāhi mō ā tātou mokopuna tamariki ā taihoa ake nei. Koia ko ngā whāinga i taua wā, arā, koia ko ngā whāinga tonu i tēnei wā.

Nō reira kia kapo ake ahau i ngā kōrero a taku pāpā, a Shane Jones, arā ki tō tātou Whare me te wero mō te āhuatanga ki a Pukehinahina.

Kāti e aku rangatira, kua roa rawa tā koutou hūnuku mai i te nukuroa kia tau iho mai ki runga ki tēnei Whare, kāre e kore he nui tonu ngā mahi kei mua i ō koutou aroaro hei oranga mō ā tātou tamariki mokopuna ā taihoa ake nei. Engari kei te tika ngā kōrero a ētahi o mātou o tēnei Whare.

Mō te āhuatanga ki te Tiriti o Waitangi, ka kore e oti noa, ka kore e pau i te wera o te rā, engari ka ū tonu ki te ngākau me te whatumanawa o tēnā, o tēnā o koutou; o tēnā, o tēnā o tātou. Nō reira me pērā tonu ka tika.

Ka mutu ka tiro atu ahau ki te toenga o taku taima, nā kua kōrero atu ahau mō te āhuatanga ki te kāmeta: ka kitea ki tērā taha o te Whare, engari ka kore e kitea ki tēnei taha o te Whare. Kei te mōhio a Turi ki taku whakapapa ki a koutou. Tēnā pea ko te huarahi tika kia tīkina atu e Peeni tētahi kāmeta mōku, anā ki roto i taku poraka whenua kei roto i te ingoa o tōku tupuna, a Tāpeka, mō āna hea kei roto i ngā poraka whenua kei roto i a koutou.

Tēnā pea te huarahi tika kia tīkina atu e au taku kāmeta hei kawenga ki roto i tēnei Whare me ngā kaupapa maha huri, huri noa.

Kāti, e aku rangatira, me pēnei pea taku kōrero whakamutunga ki a tātou katoa i te rā nei: ko ēnei kōrero ka whakairihia ake rā ki te tāhuhu kōrero o Ranginui e tū nei, ka poupoua ki roto i a Papatūānuku e whārikihia nei. Ka tirohia ki ngā pae maunga, ki ngā awa whakatere taniwha, ki ngā awa me ngā tapuwae a ō tātou mātua tūpuna hei paraninga ki te rae mō te hunga o nāianei me te hunga o āpōpō. Ka whītikina ki te ora, ka whītikina ki te oranga tonutanga o tāua te iwi Māori, o ngā hapū maha o Ngāti Ranginui.

Turuturu ōwhitiwhiti, whakamaua kia tina. Haumi e, hui e, tāiki e.

[Well, to the House, my senior Charlie and my uncle Tāmati have already opened the genealogies that bind my people of Northland to you, Ngāti Ranginui. Therefore I greet you, indeed all of us that have arrived here on the item that has brought us all together today.

I turn to you, my uncle Turi. We should grieve for your father, for Kihi, who journeyed across the land to my people, to Northland, for a long time. And his statement to my iwi, to my people, “Hold fast to the self-determination of the hapū. Look to the advantages of each family so that the hapū may stand strong in the endeavours before you.”

To my uncle Kihi, return in spirit to these discussions. To my senior Frank, condolences and tears flow to your father, to Huikākahu. To those who progressed this initiative for so many years past, those who pushed through the anguish and progressed the words of our forebears and ancestors so they are not relegated to the memory banks, so that they remain in motion across the front of mind of each of us here.

And so, to the souls of the departed, rest in peace.

Let the focus of my statements now return to us and our work, people.

As I researched the information regarding this subject, not for the passage of the claim in recent years past, but my research efforts within the time of my ancestor Tau Henare. Now, in 1927, the report was produced that was known as the Sim inquiry. Now, at that time my ancestor, Tau Henare, was a member of this House. My ancestor stood to speak on that initiative to research the abuses of the Government on you, Tauranga Moana.

Here is the speech of my ancestor Tau Henare. According to him, “The evils of the Government are like rust; they don’t sleep, they don’t end.” Right? I will leave that statement for all of us today. That was on that day—i.e., in 1927. Now we address this particular time, and the rising of his great-grandchild in this House, it can be seen that things are just the same. His comment to this House is true, indeed for all of that time, in 1927.

And so, to my noble leaders, you have progressed this work so that delectable fruits may cascade to strengthen all the hapū of Ngāti Ranginui over the many years before you.

That is what pleases me; that is also what saddens me. Saddens me. You have all heard the nature of some of the comments within this House. My friend, what some would do is split off the various Māori issues to sit within this box and that box. But the world of the Māori, the statement is true—i.e., the corners of the house can be seen, but the corners of the heart are never seen. And so today you have felt the heart of some of us regarding the work being progressed by the House today, and your issue that is before the Government.

I will take some of the words that my ear and I heard this morning. That is the comment of my senior, of Te Pio, when many of you arrived before Te Ātiawa this morning, and his desire that this House might endeavour to rouse us, the Māori people, and energise our young people, our children and grandchildren.

However, this Ngāpuhi bows before you, and says to all hapū of Ngāti Ranginui, my friend, you indeed are the ones that rouse me, and that energise me. Let me take a look at myself, at Northland, where are we heading to? Well it has been you that walked this path, and that blazed this path since the time of our forebears and ancestors right up until this time. My friend Te Pio, I acknowledge you and your comments that inspire and arouse us, the Māori people, for the great endeavours before each of the iwi and all of the hapū of Ngāti Ranginui today.

And so, my noble leaders, I have seen the nature of some of the sections within the bill, and I am happy that land assets have been returned to you.

My ear and I heard today the speech of my uncle the Hon Shane Jones regarding that land, where war came to Gate Pā, and his appeal to this side of the House—i.e., the senior members, the prominent members of this side of the House to support your aspirations, and his support of the initiative of Pukehinahina.

To the House, over 10 years ago, I was the chairperson of initiative Homai He Rā. I was the chairperson that progressed all of the issues regarding the battle site in the time of our forebears and ancestors. At that particular time, I was the chairperson for the battle fortress Ruapekapeka, in Northland. Now, we sat together with you, the people of Ōrākau and Pukehinahina and similar sites all across the country.

There we were, progressing the initiative, and discussing, yes, and supporting the return of land, in the first instance. And also strengthening and resurrecting the narratives of our forebears and ancestors, in the second instance. And also maintaining the sanctity and life force of those places for our grandchildren and children in the future. Those were the goals at that time—i.e., those remain the goals at this time.

Therefore, I take the statements of my uncle Shane Jones—i.e., to our House and the challenge with respect to Gate Pā.

Well, noble leaders, you have been traversing the length of the land for a long time now to come to this House, without doubt there is much to be done before you for the benefit of our children and grandchildren to come. However, the statements of some of us of this House are true.

With regard to the Treaty of Waitangi, it will never truly end, it will not be burnt up in the heat of the sun, but it will remain in the heart and soul of each of you, of each of us. And so it is appropriate that it be so.

Furthermore, as I look to the remainder of my time, I have spoken about the factors surrounding the scarf; it can be seen on that side of the House, but it can’t be seen on this side of the House. Turi knows my genealogy to you. Perhaps the right pathway for Peeni to access a scarf for me, now, is through my land block in the name of my ancestor, Tāpeka, and his shares in the land block amongst you.

Perhaps that is the right pathway for me to access my scarf to carry within this House and the many initiatives surrounding it.

Well, my leaders, perhaps my closing statement to all of us this day should be this: these are the discussions that will be suspended on the apex ridge of heaven above, and embedded within the earth spread out below. Look to the mountain ranges, to the rivers of our spiritual guardians, to the rivers and the footsteps of our ancestors and forebears to be immortalised in memory for those of today and those of tomorrow. To be bound by wellbeing, to be bound by eternal health of us, the Māori people, and the many hapū of Ngāti Ranginui.

Let it be realised, let it transcend, and be bound tight. It coalesces, it assembles, it is done.]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I look up to my friends in the gallery and I reassure you that I’m the last speaker. I’m the last politician you’re going to have to hear from today, talking before we actually see the action. And so I say: thank you so much for sitting in the gallery for the last nearly three hours, listening to the debate, speaking about your home, what this means, what it means for you going forward. So I say: thank you so much for putting up with all of us and coming to spend time with us, and I’m the lucky last. I hope they’ve saved the best till last, but you’ll be the judge of that—you’ll be the judge of that.

I do rise to speak on the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill, now at its third and final reading. I just want to quickly thank Neil Te Kani, who is watching from Tauranga and sent me a text and thanked me for my speech in the second reading. And I say thank you to Neil because I wear a pounamu every day that he gave to me and blessed for me. So thank you, Neil, for doing that on my behalf.

It’s a privilege to witness this momentous occasion, the culmination of a journey that began long before this legislation was first introduced nearly a decade ago. In my speech during the second reading, I outlined the history of this bill and the significance of the settlement for Ngāti Ranginui. Today, as we prepare to pass this legislation into law, I want to reflect on what it means for our region and for New Zealand.

First, I wish to acknowledge once more the representatives of Ngāti Ranginui who have journeyed to be with us today, and those who have worked tirelessly throughout this lengthy process. Your patience, persistence, and commitment to your people has brought us to this moment. The settlement we are finalising today addresses historical injustices that have shaped our region for generations. The raupatu of 1864, the undermining of hapū authority, and the systematic alienation of land—these actions by the Crown violated the Treaty of Waitangi and created wounds that have endured across generations.

As the bill completes its passage through Parliament, we’re not just transferring assets or making financial redress; we’re acknowledging the truth, restoring mana, and creating opportunities for genuine healing and development. For the 14,928 people who affiliate to Ngāti Ranginui, more than half who are under the age of 30, the settlement represents not just closure for historical grievances but a platform for future aspirations. The $38 million redress, the return of culturally significant sites, and the establishment of meaningful relationships with Crown agencies will establish Ngāti Ranginui to build on their vision for cultural revitalisation and economic development.

Throughout the progress of this bill, I’ve been heartened by the spirit of kotahitanga, demonstrated by all involved. The agreement of Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Pūkenga to allow the settlement to proceed independently speaks to the mutual respect and the understanding among the iwi of Tauranga Moana. The unanimous support from the Māori Affairs Committee and the broad cross-party backing for this legislation reminds us that Treaty settlements transcend political divisions. When we work together to address historical injustices, we strengthen the foundations of our nation.

With the passage of this bill, the Crown’s formal apology will be enshrined in law, acknowledging the specific breaches of the Treaty and expressing genuine remorse for the suffering caused. As one of the Bay of Plenty MPs, I’ve witnessed the profound impact that unresolved Treaty claims have had on our communities. The finalisation of this settlement removes a significant barrier to progress and creates space for new opportunities. I’m particularly excited about what this means for the hapū of Ngāti Ranginui, and others, who have maintained their strength despite generations of challenges. The settlement provides tools and resources to support their cultural, social, and economic aspirations.

While this settlement marks the end of a long legal process, it truly is a beginning. It establishes a foundation for the future relationship between the Crown and Ngāti Ranginui, one based on partnership, respect, and shared prosperity. As we conclude the legislative process, I acknowledge those who have contributed to bringing this settlement to fruition: the negotiators, the trustees, Crown officials, parliamentarians past and present, and the many community members who have supported this journey.

The settlement is a testament to the enduring strength and vision of Ngāti Ranginui. It’s also a reminder of our collective responsibility to honour the Treaty of Waitangi and to build a more just and equitable New Zealand. It’s with great pride that I support the third and final reading of the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill. May it serve as another step towards healing, reconciliation, and shared prosperity for all New Zealanders. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

Waiata—“E rongo”

Haka—“Te haka o Ranginui”

The House is suspended, and will resume at 2 p.m.

The House adjourned at 12.58 p.m. (Thursday)