Finlayson Christopher: Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill — First Readings 
Finlayson Christopher: Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill — First Readings 
[Volume:678;Page:1025] 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) 
: 
 Can I begin by expressing my thanks to the House for approving the debate proceeding in this way because we are dealing with cognate Government and private bills. The Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill is required so that the incorporation can receive the fruits of the settlement and so it is just great that we have been able to proceed in this way rather than deal with the public bill the Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill and leave the private bill for members’ day which would have been a very untidy way of dealing with this issue.  
Like the two previous speakers I acknowledge the negotiation team from the Te Mahu o Rereahu Trust who as Mr Horomia said represented a really diverse group of iwi. They took a lead in this negotiation and I acknowledge their practicality and their very hard work which has made this settlement possible. I particularly refer to Piripi Crown Brian Stanley and Glen Katu whose endeavour skill and influence have got us to where we are today. I also want to thank everyone who has been involved in and given their support to this negotiation over the past couple of years. As Mrs Turia said it is right and proper to remember those who are no longer with us and I too want to acknowledge the work of Murdoch Paki a prominent and respected member of the trust during the negotiations.  
Today we address the historic grievances of the descendants of the original owners of the Maraeroa A and B Blocks so that they and the Crown can move forward together. Developing a new relationship that is based on mutual trust and cooperation is really what these Treaty settlements are about—healing the past and building the future—and I am confident that this settlement too will very successful. I do not intend to repeat the matters that have already been covered by my ministerial colleague Mrs Turia so what I want to do is say something about the redress components of the settlement.  
The settlement is to use that very overused word unique in the Treaty settlement framework. The beneficiaries are going to be the descendants of those who once owned the lands rather than being based on iwi affiliation and as Mr Horomia said there are a number of members of various iwi who are involved in this settlement. The cultural redress will reaffirm the relationships of the iwi with sites of significance within the Maraeroa Blocks. The commercial redress elements of the settlement will help provide a platform for economic development.  
In particular I want to highlight a number of key features of the settlement. First there is the option to purchase 286 hectares of the Pureora north Crown forest licensed land and then what goes with that: the accumulated rentals and New Zealand units and a right of first refusal over the Crown land at Pureora Village for a period of 50 years. Approximately 1793 hectares across six Crown sites will be vested with four of the sites subject to a conservation covenant and $40000 will be provided to explore the vesting of the Nga Herenga Pa site which is a site of great significance for the descendants being the place where Rereahu died. There are a number of other changes and name changes included in this settlement and 12 statutory acknowledgments over culturally significant sites including the commencement of the Waipa River the co-governance of which was dealt with a few minutes ago in Committee in the context of the Ngati Maniapoto legislation and there are a number of other sites as well.  
As part of these post-governance arrangements representatives of the iwi bodies will be provided for on the trust entity. These arrangements reflect the—as I said—unique nature of the block settlement where the beneficiaries are descendants of the former owners of the Maraeroa A and B Blocks rather than based on iwi affiliation.  
So my thanks go to members of the trust and the negotiating team for their patience while we have waited to get to this parliamentary stage. I very much look forward to both these bills being considered as quickly as possible by the Maori Affairs Committee under the energetic and professional chairmanship of the newly wed Tau Henare and I look forward to those bills coming back to the House as quickly as possible so that we can have the settlement enacted.  
Just to pick up on a point that I think one of the Green members may have made earlier we had a bit of a sermon on how the Government rushes these matters through. Well we are anxious that iwi and trusts receive the fruits of their settlement. This deed was signed by Mrs Turia on behalf of the Crown about a year ago. They are anxious that it proceed; we are anxious that it proceed. It is not a question of rushing things through because of some timetable but in order to deliver justice as quickly as possible to these people. And to quote the old adage justice delayed is justice denied. So I am very pleased to support this legislation as it now embarks on the select committee consideration.