Horan Brendan: Ngati Manawa Claims Settlement Bill Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill — Third Readings 
Horan Brendan: Ngati Manawa Claims Settlement Bill Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill — Third Readings 
[Volume:678;Page:1469] 
BRENDAN HORAN (NZ First) 
: 
 I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to support this settlement legislation: the Ngati Manawa Claims Settlement Bill and the Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill. Today is a landmark day in history because for the first time here in our lion’s den that we call Parliament settlements reach their third readings in the bright light of day for all to easily comprehend.  
Today we will hear many of the reasons for the settlement of the historical grievances. We will hear of heartbreaking stories and we will gain a greater understanding of why many Maori have been previously disadvantaged in education and commerce—some things as simple as not being able to leverage equity off farm land because the Crown insisted to Maori farmers that their land be amalgamated and the consequences that brought.  
We will learn of the special connection we have to our streams our rivers our lakes and our land and of the synergy of life history and love that binds us. New Zealand First is proud to be here to enjoy this convergence this memorandum of understanding in what will be an enlightenment for many people and will bring us closer together as New Zealanders—one nation moving into tomorrow.  
 Before I turn to the contents of this piece of legislation let me acknowledge the representatives of Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare. Though they be modest in number it is obvious that their tenacity and their ambition are prodigious. These tribes have witnessed some of the most extraordinary chapters of our colonial history. I need not recite at length the twist of that history; suffice to say they experienced both the kinder face of the Crown and the scorched earth policies of the Crown.  
It is important that we note the recitation of these colonial events in this proposed legislation. This reminds us that Treaty settlements are about history coming to collect its debts. We the Maori members of this House realise that the full weight of that debt can never be met by current taxpayers. This settlement along with others today is an attempt to restore honour to the Crown and to salve the wounds inflicted upon Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare by constant Crown ill-treatment.  
Goodwill is what must underlie our settlements. Who knows what the future holds for tribes such as Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare? The leaders and their followers must chart this course. We parliamentarians must do our duty by passing the legislation and undertaking a responsibility to be vigilant in the future to ensure that race relations enjoy a better trajectory.  
My Maniapoto cousin Nanaia Mahuta covered most aspects of Ngati Whare but I would like to add to those sentiments acknowledging on behalf of Ngati Whare all the trustees—both past and present. I would also like to acknowledge the historian John Hutton and the lawyer Jamie Ferguson.  
 The term “manawa” means heart such as in the famous Maori expression “kia manawanui” meaning “be stout-hearted”. Ngati Manawa tell us they derive their name from their tupuna Manawatu Manawaoho Manawarere Manawakotokoto. So much of what we do in the Maori world is as much about heart and spirit as it is about logic. A key feature of this particular settlement given the location of the tribe and its larger neighbours shows that these people have heart.  
As we have seen in earlier settlements such as the Maori fisheries one the challenge is to take capital assets and the institution and transform such a legacy into a viable long-term source of wealth and income. We hear so much as to who will benefit from such efforts and our party New Zealand First believes that the benefits must improve the lives of the many not a chosen few. We all know that there is a hierarchy within Maoridom and people are often placed in positions without the full benefit of a lifetime’s preparation. This means advice fiscal prudence wisdom and transparency are essential. There is an opportunity for all iwi to deepen the skill base and broaden the networks.  
In the past the focus was always on guarding your territory with a large patu. This is our history but we need to retain such cultural strength and marry it off to a new force that ensures our resources endure and earn income either domestically or globally. To do this we will need to move beyond the shadows of our own mountains.  
New Zealand First is solidly behind the development of an export economy. It is important that all iwi in a post-settlement phase have the chance and show the drive to maintain heritage whilst moving beyond the horizon. This is not new—after all where did the waka come from? This spirit will be sorely needed as we move the settlements into a new phase. Kia ora.