Samuels Dover: Te Roroa Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
Samuels Dover: Te Roroa Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:640;Page:10081] 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS (Minister of State) 
: 
 Te mea tuatahi maku kei te mihi atu ki nga whanaunga o Te Roroa na ratou nei tenei taumahatanga e Tari mai ra ano i te tau 1882. 
I am just paying tribute to and acknowledging the people of Te Roroa in terms of this resolution to the injustice that they have been fighting for since 1882. Of course we acknowledge the negotiations and the Waitangi Tribunal’s report in 1992 and a lot of things have happened between those dates. But I say to the House that I am certainly amazed at and very interested in some of the contributions that have been made tonight by members of the Maori Affairs Committee and specifically the National members. I remember the negotiations and the discussions that took place in terms of the Ngai Tahu settlement when Doug Graham said that the integrity of the settlement agreement that has been negotiated by two parties cannot be undermined. I want to repeat that. This was from a member of Parliament whom Maoridom has a lot of respect for—Sir Douglas Graham—and I think that he made this statement before he became the honoured Sir Douglas. He said that it is not the role for this Parliament or any of its members to play political humbug with a settlement that has been made by two parties and in that case it was between Ngai Tahu and the Crown. 
I remember very very vividly that that message was endorsed by the chairman of the Maori Affairs Committee which I was a member of at that time. That chairperson was none other than the Hon Georgina te Heuheu. So sometimes in the affairs of Maoridom some of the words that we say beforehand come back to haunt us afterwards. There is a reference to that in terms of Maori whakapapa but sadly I am not permitted to utter those types of references in the House this evening. 
I was also interested to hear the heart-touching contribution from Chris Finlayson when he said that he was “touched” by the genuine contribution from the submitters who had made submissions to the select committee. I would say to that member that Maoridom deserves to be touched by more than just some sort of throwaway line to say that he as a member of the select committee was touched by the integrity and the emotional depth of the submissions made to the select committee. Let me say that if the member was so touched by it he would change the policy of the National Party when the National Party is committed to demolishing the Maori voice in this Parliament. How touched can the member be? You see one is examined and scrutinised by Maoridom in terms of one’s whole attitude and whole approach to the issues that involve Maori people not in terms of just one part of it. 
 But I want to acknowledge the process and I want to acknowledge the commitment of Te Roroa and many of them are whanaunga of myself Tau Henare and Shane Jones. For us who live in the realms of Ngapuhi in Tai Tokerau I want to congratulate them. Kia kaha kia manawa nui. 
[ 
Be strong and stout-hearted. 
] 
It does not matter where we go in terms of the settlement process with regard to treaty claims; not unlike Pakeha we will never ever get 100 percent consensus. That is an impossibility. It is a dream and a fantasy. But what we can do is give commitment and encourage and salute the people who have made a commitment to resolving this ongoing process and this ongoing injustice when we reflect that it started back in 1882. We come to the issue of wahi tapu such as Te Taraire which are sacred areas for Maoridom and sacred areas for Te Roroa. Kaharau is another area that is very sacred and significant to the people of Te Roroa. Yet they recognise that in fact parts of that land are not owned by the Crown. 
Let me say that when I read the preamble and I read the contribution as to the reasons that members of the National Party are opposing the settlement they say it is because those pieces of land were not returned to Te Roroa in terms of the settlement. But who proposed the legislation to prohibit private land being part of any Treaty redress? Who did it? It was not this side of the House. I want to remind the honourable Chris Finlayson— 
Hon Tau Henare 
: So do you agree with the policy or not? Are you going to change it? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: —and Tau Henare the captain of the waka jumpers. He has forgotten. [ 
Interruption 
] Hang on; we are talking about the integrity of the Te Roroa people. If it were permitted in law for the tribunal and for the Crown arbitrarily to take private land then we would have some very interesting ongoing discussions between that side of the House and this side. We support the view that the taking of private land should not be allowed. But if there is an opportunity for the people of Te Roroa to negotiate a private sale between a willing buyer and a willing vendor kei te pai. But which party was it that introduced legislation prohibiting the Waitangi Tribunal or the Crown from acquiring compulsorily land to be able to satisfy Treaty claims? It was not this side; it was that side. Unfortunately Chris Finlayson just dropped down in the last shower and he does not know. I thought he would know. He is a man of integrity. I appreciate his thoroughness because like him I have actually read the report. 
I thank my relation here Tau for saying: “Old man; well old man.” I am proud of that because he acknowledges me as his elder. I have to say that one day he might get there. He may achieve that maturity. I am hopeful for him. In fact after the contribution I am making tonight I will have a karakia to make sure that one day he will reach the age of 69 and 70. I thank him very much for the compliment because in our culture when one acknowledges one’s elders one is in fact acknowledging that there is wisdom in the words of one’s elders. 
At the end of the day I expect that every Maori in this House would support the settlement and do members know the reason why? Because it is a settlement that has been negotiated between Te Roroa and the Crown. 
Na reira kei te mihi whanui atu ki a koutou katoa mo tenei po hakawhitiwhiti korero nei ki a tatou i roto i tenei Whare a Mr Deputy Speaker te rangatira te kaiwhakahaere o te Whare huri ana tena koutou tena koutou tena ano tatou katoa. Kia ora tatou. 
[ 
So I acknowledge you all broadly in this evening’s debate in the House including you Mr Deputy Speaker chief and judge greetings. To us all throughout the House greetings greetings and greetings again to all of us. Thank you. 
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