Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti): E Te Māngai o Te Whare tēnā koe otirā ngā mema o Te Whare nei tēnā tātou katoa. Te Arawa waka ngā hapū maha ōku rau rangatira mā e kui mā e koro mā nau mai haere mai. Nau mai haere mai i runga i te kaupapa whakahirahira. Nō reira tēnā koutou katoa.[Greetings to you Mr Assistant Speaker and indeed to the members of this House greetings to all. Te Arawa canoe the many subtribes my esteemed chiefs the elders: welcome welcome. Welcome for this important matter. Therefore welcome to all of you.]I know people are in a hurry to get out of this House but I want to warmly welcome the great people of Te Arawa who have turned up here today in honouring the first reading of this bill.A few weeks ago we celebrated 90 years since the first Māori Anglican bishop was appointed in Aotearoa New Zealand and that bishop was Frederick Bennett. Frederick Bennett came from Ngāti Whakauē and he resided in my marae of Kohupatiki. So we had this church service in honour of Frederick Bennett. I mention him because in his era he discussed with the Thirty Thousand Club which was the old Lions club in Hawke's Bay at that time and suggested that they should have an iconic Māori statue in Ahuriri—Napier. It of course became Pania of the Reef. So I stand here as the daughter of the model of Pania of the Reef to acknowledge the contribution of Frederick Bennett Ngāti Whakauē and the people who are here today.I also want to talk about another good friend of mine that I worked with the late Joe Hakaraia who worked together with Parekura Horomia in the Department of Labour awhiawhi-ing our iwi whānau around the motu. So it would be remiss of me if didn't acknowledge Joe and of course his lovely wife Parehuia and the support that they gave Parekura and also myself and I want to honour those particular individuals and the contribution that they have played.I don't want to go on too long. I've got my instructions that we have to get through these mihi because you really want to hear from your member Tamati Coffey who's doing a fantastic job on your behalf in this House. So we want to make sure we give him enough time to speak. But look this bill has three parts and two schedules. Rino Tirikatene is the chairman of our Māori Affairs Committee. I'm on it; other members are on it. We're looking forward to coming to Rotorua. I understand that there's a new restaurant that's going to be opening soon called Our House which is next to Ponsonby so we want to make sure that we do the right thing. No advertising in the House? Why not? Why not?On a serious note I'm really pleased that we're ending this day in this House on something significant by gifting something back to an iwi of Te Arawa. I stand to honour and commend this bill to the House and I look forward to travelling to Rotorua to hear the many submissions. Please please whānau submit because I think we can improve this bill. I know that you are great deliverers and developers of assets. I'm not too sure if we need a Crown appointment but kei a koutou te tikanga [it is up to you]. So please have your say and I look forward to coming up to Rotorua. Have a merry Christmas. Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa. I commend this bill to the House.