Mauao Historic Reserve Vesting Bill

I am pleased to stand and take a brief call on the preamble to the Mauao Historic Reserve Vesting Bill, which provides for the transfer of the fee simple estate of Mauao historic reserve, better known as Mount Maunganui, from the Crown to Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, and Ngāti Pūkenga, representing the Tauranga Moana iwi. The fee simple estate is to be held on trust by the trustees of the Mauao Trust on behalf of those iwi. The bill gives effect to an agreement to introduce vesting legislation in relation to Mauao signed by the Crown and iwi in August 2007. The bill is reasonably straightforward, as would be expected.

Mount Maunganui, or Mauao, is of significant cultural, traditional, historical, and spiritual importance to Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, and Ngāti Pūkenga. As I say, that is not surprising. The maunga is right there, placed in the middle of their tribal territory—their rohe—and clearly all of their historical and spiritual associations are tied up with that maunga, as no doubt Mita Ririnui would be able to confirm for us if he were to take a call.

I want to comment on just a couple of matters. It is very clear in the preamble that the bill does not form part of any Treaty settlement, and that is interesting in itself. I have seen a note, I think from the Minister’s briefing notes, stating that Mauao was acquired by the Crown in the 1880s and has been administered as a historic reserve since 1981. Of course, we have not been taken into the usual historical elements associated with a Treaty claim, and the information relating to the Crown acquiring Mauao in the 1880s has not been a part of the scrutiny of this bill. But I had a sense from some of the submitters when we were in Tauranga to hear submissions that that particular element, that this maunga had not been made part of their Treaty claims, was the cause of some slight concern—or maybe it was not slight, even. So obviously there is a story behind the acquisition of this maunga back in the 1880s, but that does not form part of the narrative of this bill because there has been an agreement that it is not to form any part of a Treaty settlement. As I say, I think that is a matter of some interest. It may be that when the Tauranga Moana iwi come to finally settle their Treaty claims, we will hear more of the details of the way in which the Crown came into possession of this reserve.

Instead, implicit in the preamble is the notion that the transfer is to enable the building of healthy relationships between the Tauranga Moana iwi and the Crown. That is an interesting concept, as well. We would hope that there is already a relationship between the iwi of that area and the Crown. As all iwi are, these iwi are important in their rohe. One would have hoped there was already a strong enough relationship with the Crown, but this vesting obviously has as its root the notion that the Crown wants to build healthy relationships with the iwi. That is a very fine notion—absolutely—and I hope that it will also be the basis for more energetic activity around the settlement of the iwi’s Treaty claims. To date, even with all the activity that Dr Cullen seems to be energised with, there does not seem to be much progress yet on the Tauranga Moana iwi’s Treaty claim.

I thank the Hon Georgina te Heuheu for a very positive contribution to the Committee stage debate on the Mauao Historic Reserve Vesting Bill. I think the point that she made is one that needs to be acknowledged much more strongly throughout this entire legislative process, and that is that the Crown set out to establish positive relationships with the iwi of Tauranga. Although the relationship at the time could be considered to have been reasonably positive, this initiative builds on a lot of the initiatives undertaken by the Crown in decades gone by.

As the member said, Mauao te maunga has a very, very strong history in terms of its association with the iwi of Tauranga Moana, they being Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, and Ngāti Pūkenga. There also is the historic relationship, which is acknowledged in this legislation, with Waitaha, who are of Te Arawa descent. It is also important for this Parliament to know that Mauao te maunga, or Mauao the mountain, has seen many, many iwi from all of the tribal confederations land on his shores, including Tākitimu, Tainui, Te Arawa, and many others who passed through the region at the time of the great migration.

Pita Paraone: What about Ngāpuhi?

Hon MITA RIRINUI: Mātaatua is, of course, one of those peoples. For the satisfaction of the member who wants Ngāpuhi to be mentioned, I can say that Ngāpuhi did visit Tauranga but not for very long. They were moved on and they headed north. They came from Whakatāne. The first recorded hijacking in the history of Aotearoa was when they hijacked the Mātaatua canoe and took it up to the Hokianga. They did not know how to sail into the harbour, and the canoe sunk. It has been there ever since. One member in this Chamber can confirm that that waka is there, and that member is sitting behind me. The Hon Dover Samuels went down and had a look, and it certainly is there.

So I say that there is a connection between all these tribes and this maunga called Mauao, which has this great history. At one time it sat at the back of the Taumata hills, which is a place where a lot of great mountains stand today. There is a history around that, but I will get on to it tomorrow at the third reading. It is actually quite a good story and it is a positive story.

It is important to acknowledge the significance of this legislation and the relationship of the Tauranga Moana iwi to this icon on the landscape of the Tauranga Harbour. After a very long journey and many attempts by the iwi to have the maunga reinstated with them, it finally looks like that will happen—unless someone in this House has the courage to try to stop it, and I would advise against that.

I also acknowledge the contribution made by the local authorities. They are concerned about the ongoing maintenance of the Mauao reserve, and they have very strong management plans in place, in collaboration with local iwi, through the advisory committees, to ensure that the work on Mauao is ongoing, and that whatever cost implications come to hand are dealt with through the council’s annual appropriations. I understand that those figures are quite high. They are beyond the means of the local iwi, but that is something that the iwi and the Tauranga local authorities have come to a decision on.

As I say, the history is very well documented and very strong. It is interesting that annually, on Waitangi Day, 6 February, Tauranga people—not just iwi—climb to the top of this mountain at dawn to celebrate Waitangi Day. In the last 2 years I have seen Bob Clarkson there. I have to give him lessons on how to make an appropriate speech on Waitangi Day, because twice he has got it wrong. Never mind, I am told that he is leaving Parliament—but I do not think it is because of that. However, like everybody else who comes up the maunga, of whatever ethnicity, we are always glad to see him, always glad to have him there. Next time he should come and have breakfast with us, and we will rejoice in the founding of our country. Thank you.

Preamble agreed to.

Part 1 agreed to.

Part 2 Vesting of Mauao historic reserve and related maters