Horomia Parekura: Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill — Third Readings 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Horomia Parekura: Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill — Third Readings 
[Sitting date: 25 July 2012. Volume:682;Page:3974. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rawhiti) 
: 
 Tino mihi atu ki a koe motokorero i roto i te Whare nei i roto i totatou Reo i te mea ko teneiano Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori e mihi kauana ki a koe. I a koutou e tautokotia atu te timata o te whakaotinga nei a totatou tuahine a Tariana mo koutou e pa kaha atu i konei Piripi me Glen koutou katoa tena koutou. E mohio atu tatou e roaroa hoki atu te tae i te wa nei; e mohio atu koutou ki ngataumaha ngapiki ngahekeengari e kaha atu koutou hei taetae atu i te rangi nei. He tino rangi nei mo koutou orite atu koutou ki tonohanga he roroa atu mai i te wa o te Whare Miere nei engari e mihi kauana tena koutou. Tena koutou moto kaha moto manaaki i a ratounga uri i timata atu i te ahua o te whenua nei a Tuwharetoa a Maniapoto a koutou o Rereahu me ratou o Raukawa e mihi kauana ki a ratou katoa nga rangatira o terawa me koutou katoa o teneiwa. Tena koutou moto kaha rawa i te tae atu ki konei hei rongo ki te otinga nei. 
E tika atu i runga i te tu nei e mihi kauana ki te Minita a Chris Finlayson motona kaha i te tae atu i konei. I a ratoungaKaimahipera i a koutou e Hone tena koutou. Teraano te mea i roto i te koreromo te Whare nei “E waihotia atu tatou ratou.” E mihi kauana ki oku hoa mahi o nga tau o murira a Michael Cullen ma e whai atu ki te take nei. E whakaaro atu i te rangi e tae atu tatou i te tuwheratia o te whare mo te turuhi i toratouwahi e timata atu tatou te hainatanga o te haerenga o te kereme nei. No reira e mihi kauana ki a koutou ki a ratou tenatatou i a ratou e kore i konei ngatupakeke e whai atu i tenei tino take e mihi kauana ki nga rere haere tenatatou. 
[ 
I really congratulate you on how you use our language in this House as this indeed is Maori Language Week. Well done. As far as you others are concerned I endorse the start of this settlement process by our sister colleague Tariana for you and how you persevered to get it here Phillip Glen all of you. We know that the journey to arrive at this point in time has been a really lengthy one but despite the burdens the ups and downs you worked hard to get here today. It is a great day for you. Like your long wait back home it seemed even longer waiting for this Beehive but I salute you—greetings. Thank you for your strength and the respect of those the descendants who began these land matters of Tuwharetoa Maniapoto and you of Rereahu and Raukawa; I acknowledge the leaders of those times and you all of these times. I commend you for being so resolute to get here to hear this settlement. 
It is apt while I am on my feet to acknowledge the honourable Minister Christopher Finlayson and his efforts and those staff like you Hone—thank you. There is a message in a quote about this House that goes like this “Leave it well alone to us and them.”I acknowledge former work colleagues of the past like Sir Michael Cullen who addressed this issue. I recall the occasion when we were at the opening of a tourist centre in their area where we initiated the signing of the commencement of this claim. So I acknowledge you them us all and those who have passed away; greetings to us all 
.] 
 The people of the Maraeroa A and B Blocks comprise hapu affiliating to Ngati Rereahu Ngati Maniapoto Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Raukawa. So it is interesting in that sense that this settlement is certainly about the uri of those original owners and that they were dispossessed through actions of the Crown is something that is etched in our history. That the Crown saw fit to purchase under duress and unnecessary pressure where the people wanted to lease lightly is something that we are putting right today. Maraeroa in its own right has significant wahi tapu—there are significant wahi tapu there—that the people certainly have preserved not just in their hearts and minds but in practice over the years. And now to have the free run of those and that everybody else understands that it is their area is something that we need to celebrate. 
The area was shared with many iwi who were able to come and go fetching food and other relevant supplies to help their survival. It is a wonder that these four iwi come together and I think it is a common collective that other iwi and other organisations in this country should recognise because clearly at times it is not easy. I know that in the common Pakeha world it is not easy bringing the Churches together even though they pray to one God so it is great that iwi as great as Rereahu Tuwharetoa Raukawa and Maniapoto have seen fit to come together to help this bill progress. 
Tariana mentioned those efforts by Brian Stanley and Phillip Crown—and I really want to mihi to Phillip who has put a lot of effort into this over the years. He has certainly shown what rangatiratanga is about. He has certainly shown what leadership is about. But I also want to recognise Glen Katu for his sterling support and awhi—genuine awhi—to make sure that this settlement got here. So in the sense of that it is important that with pride and fondness you know I do recall signing the terms of negotiation at the opening of their tourist centre. It is quite a fascinating place Maraeroa. Like where I live it is out in the sticks but it is a great paradise in that they have kept up with being a modern iwi in the sense of the corporate affairs they have. The businesses that they have are a good example to the rest of the country but they see fit to not just talk the talk about the new generation but practise that and that they have an environmentally friendly tourist centre is something to be recognised and again celebrated. And it has been a long time coming to today. It certainly has not been without their effort and that of officials and the Crown. 
Unlike other settlements this settlement is for the descendants of the original owners of the Maraeroa A and B Blocks. That is one group of the seven that were split up and partitioned as I recall. To keep that connection not just through the cultural sense but through the bloodline sense the whakapapa sense is something that is certainly stirring. Whakapapa and cultural connection to what the old people have left behind generally gets put asunder by either dastardly deeds or people over-modernising and forgetting what really has given them the right to put their mantle down and stand tall as those people of that area. This in itself for me is one of the interesting settlements of these times because it is generated out of the effort of a whole lot of iwi but it is also something that is consistent with maintaining—and not just re-recognising but ensuring—that people know who the descendants are and who the uri are of those people and they need to be commended for that. 
 The Government recognises that through the native land laws and the operation of the Native Land Court the Government failed to adequately provide for the original owners of Maraeroa A and B Blocks and there is a raft of stories in relation to what went on in Maraeroa A and B Blocks. The settlement bill also records an apology to the descendants of the original owners of the Maraeroa A and B Blocks for historical acts of omission by the Crown including native land laws and again the operation of the Native Land Court which led to the alienation of the Maraeroa lands. I think that those who understand the practice of alienation and the journey through history know that it is something that is very hard to turn round and to take back to rightfully recognise what was wrongly done. I think that the effort by the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations the officials and everybody in this House in trying to ensure our part as members of Parliament is put right is something to be very proud of. 
I offer congratulations to Te Maru o Rereahu Trust and trustees who represented the descendants of the original owners. But it is also important to recognise the transfer of a number of sites of significance to the Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation and there are a host of them. Tariana Turia went through them and other speakers will go through them. 
I do want to reiterate that this is a very very substantial settlement in the sense of what it is more so than the quantum. I always like to suggest to the Minister that the quantum is a bit on the low side. He could make an effort and he could do that today and even at this late notice step it up a bit—he might feel generous when he gets up to speak. But it certainly is about the practice the design of it and putting something terribly wrong right. 
Apart from that it shows the cohesion the effort and the persistence of these people who have been here to represent their people to get there through the long haul. They have come in few numbers today but there are plenty of them up there in the gallery. I remember going there and watching these kids sitting in the trees looking down at us wondering where the hell we came from. But it is something they need to be commended for and I certainly am proud to be one of the members of Parliament here today to see the end of it and to thank them for their effort and again thank the Minister and the officials. Kia ora tatou.