Ririnui Mita: Ngati Tama Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
Ririnui Mita: Ngati Tama Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:613;Page:10081] 
MITA RIRINUI (Labour—Waiariki) 
: 
 Tu tautoko anaiteneipireahakoangaporarurarutanga kei waenganuii a Ngati Tama. Kei a ratauano te huarahi ki mua. I stand to support the Ngati Tama Claims Settlement Bill and I say so knowing that a number of issues have arisen during the settlement process. I want to say that the resolution of those issues lies with Ngati Tama. This is its bill. 
Ngati Tama is a North Taranaki iwi. Its historical claims relate mostly to the loss of life and destruction of property during the Taranaki wars and the loss of land later on. The Crown recognises that the confiscation of lands and other resources that have made a significant contribution to the wealth and development of this country left Ngati Tama virtually landless. The bill makes it clear that this is a comprehensive and full and final settlement of all historical claims relating to Ngati Tama in Taranaki. 
I know that Ngati Tama has been waiting a long time for the Crown to apologise. It is right and just that the Crown apologises for the breaches of the treaty. I also say that before 1860 Ngati Tama was prosperous and economically successful. However the widespread loss of Ngati Tama land as a result of the Crown’s waging of war and subsequent confiscations hindered the economic social and cultural development of Ngati Tama throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The Crown has acknowledged that it breached the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles. The Crown regrets and unreservedly apologises to Ngati Tama for its actions that resulted in loss of life during the Taranaki wars and the virtual landlessness of Ngati Tama in Taranaki. Those actions have caused suffering and hardship for Ngati Tama over the generations to the present day. 
This settlement is a milestone for Ngati Tama and the Crown. It will allow Ngati Tama to begin its development plans and look ahead to a brighter future full of opportunities. The settlement will also help restore the honour of the Crown and will help both parties to move forward together as treaty partners. The settlement is very significant. It is the second Taranaki treaty settlement to be finalised. It will be followed shortly by a third with the signing of the Nga Rauru deed of settlement. We hope this settlement will encourage other iwi from Taranaki and indeed from around the motu to enter into negotiations with the Crown. 
I was a member of the Maori Affairs Committee which considered the bill and that committee went through a thorough process that involved a day of hearing oral submissions from a range of interested parties. We listened to the korero of the people on the contents of the bill and on the settlement generally. 
As is the case with most settlements there were some people who raised significant concerns about the mandate of the negotiators. We the members of the Maori Affairs Committee feel that the answers to their concerns can be found in their participation in Te Rununga o Ngati Tama. We encourage them to involve themselves in the future of Ngati Tama by actively participating in the rununga’s elections and other post-settlement asset management processes. 
I will comment briefly on the criticisms of the Office of Treaty Settlements. We the members of the Maori Affairs Committee did ask the Office of Treaty Settlements officials to approach Ngati Tama negotiators in order to talk through a number of issues. They did the best they could as instructed by our committee. As it was they were unable to resolve those issues adequately and we felt that it was important to move on. 
I also want to respond to Mr Stephen Frank’s comments about the contents of the bill. He described its words as weasel words. If one looks at a bill in isolation from the discussions with the people involved in that particular settlement then one has no idea about the issues it is attempting to address. Ngati Tama wants to move on and we want to help it to do that. It may be that Ngati Tama will come back to the Crown in the future to relitigate the issues but so might Ngai Tahu Tainui or many others. This Government is doing the best it can to help them move forward. 
I have gained the impression throughout this debate that many of the previous speakers have no appreciation of what 160 years of grievance can do to a people. It is time to move on. [ 
Interruption 
] Mr Franks obviously does. As I said in the beginning the Ngati Tama iwi has been waiting a very long time to see its historical treaty claims acknowledged and resolved by the Crown. I wish the people of Ngati Tama all the best for moving forward and rapid development and full expression of their tino rangatiratanga or self-development. Kia ora.