Robertson H V Ross: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Robertson H V Ross: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:659;Page:7847] 
H V ROSS ROBERTSON (Labour—Manukau East) 
: 
 Tena koe matua Mr Assistant Speaker Barker. Kia ora tatou no reira e te Whare e nga iwi e nga reo e nga hau e wha. Tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa. 
I am pleased to take a call in the first reading of the Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill. I am privileged to be able to address the House on this settlement bill. First I acknowledge Minister Finlayson from the National Government and the Hon Tariana Turia from the Maori Party. I also acknowledge my own colleagues who had a great deal to do with bringing this legislation to the House for the background work they did. The Hon Mita Ririnui did a lot of the legwork and negotiations and I acknowledge the grunt work that was put in by the Hon Parekura Horomia. 
This bill is the result of ongoing negotiations between the Crown and the Southern Whanganui Cluster working party. The agreement was an outcome of discussions between Ngati Apa of the North Island and the working party on aspects of the Ngati Apa settlement package. Taking a call this afternoon I acknowledge the leadership of the Southern Whanganui Cluster working party and Ngati Apa and their able advocacy for their people for leadership is the ability to motivate and inspire others to follow. It is obvious that there was a lot of passion real commitment dedication and motivation in wanting to provide a better way forward. For people to achieve they need a purpose they need a hand up they need able advocacy and they need the willingness to strike out on their own. So to Ngati Apa I say “Kia kaha tatou tatou.” 
This on-account bill is about economics and about social responsibility. The late Nick Tangaroa who was a friend of mine whom I knew from his time in Pakuranga—we worked together before he went back down to Whanganui—was a staunch advocate of redressing the wrongs of earlier generations. If he were here today—indeed this week—he would be pleased and glad that a people’s hopes and dreams and an economic partnership are about to be recognised. It is an ability to contribute to the economic well-being of this nation for together we serve and together we prosper. 
The aim of this bill is to give effect to the deed of on-account settlement in which the Crown and Whanganui iwi agree to the transfer of assets for the on-account settlement of the Whanganui iwi historical claims. The preamble of the bill sets out the background to the Deed of On-Account Settlement of Historical Claims of Whanganui Iwi in relation to the Whanganui Kaitoke Prison and Part of the Whanganui Forest which was entered into by Whanganui iwi and the Crown. 
In doing some research on this I discovered an article by Patrick Gower a political reporter for the  
New Zealand Herald 
. He had this to say: “Maori are set to become landlords of a prison for the first time in a deal where Corrections will rent the grounds of Wanganui’s Kaitoke Prison from tribal interests. A similar deal is underway with Wellington’s Rimutaka and Arohata prisons with an agreement in principle for the ownership of the land beneath them to go to Maori.” He went on to say that the deals are all based on the agreement that Maori will rent the land back to the Department of Corrections which will retain control of the buildings. Ngati Apa’s 2007 settlement was based on the grievance of the Crown acquiring the land cheaply and assuring them that they would benefit greatly only for Ngati Apa to find poverty and not partnership. That means that their economic prosperity as a people was denied. As a member of Parliament representing a multicultural electoral district in the south of Auckland I concur with that settlement in recognising those feelings. Mr Gower goes on to say: “Mr Finlayson’s spokesman said Rimutaka men’s and Arohata women’s prisons would be given to the Ngati Toa collective as part of negotiations now underway.” I am reminded of where I grew up with the Ngati Toa just north of Wellington with boyhood friends from the local marae: Simon Moriarty Whitu Roiri Pamela Manu and Te Ore Damon. Only two of those people remain today the rest having died rather early. 
To me economic independence the opportunity to provide employment and a sense of achieving and contributing to society matters. It is about a person’s whole well-being. It is about giving a meaning to life. It is my fervent hope that this venture will be successful and that it will be a pathway to provide a future for tomorrow’s generation. All of us as members of Parliament are beholden to provide leadership and direction to lead by example and to provide the opportunities for people to achieve their full capacity and to realise their ability to contribute to society rather than to be a cost. To recognise that one can make a contribution is important for all New Zealanders. 
I acknowledge again the advocacy of Ngati Apa and its people; they are strong advocates for their community their whanau and their mokopuna. I also acknowledge again the advocacy of the Ministers who led this work in the last Labour Government. I acknowledge the work of the Hon Mita Ririnui who went out on the road did the hard-core negotiations represented the Crown and worked tirelessly on the fifth Labour Government’s account. I also recognise the work that the Hon Parekura Horomia did in putting the grunt work in behind this legislation to make sure that it was ready. Of course it must be said that this National Government in coalition with the Maori Party has at least decided to bring this legislation to the House to recognise that there were grievances and it is time that they were addressed. Kia ora tatou. No reira tena koutou tena koutou tena tatou katoa. Kia ora.