Eagle Paul; Salesa JennyPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): E te iwi Ngāti Rangitihi nau mai haere mai kia ora. It gives me great pleasure to be able to speak on this the first reading of this bill in the House. I'm the last speaker for this and it gives me a sense of sadness to actually listen to all the speeches from across the House today which reflect the history of this iwi and its dealings with the Crown. I want to start by acknowledging the Minister the Hon Andrew Little and his predecessor the Hon Christopher Finlayson for their work; Te Arawhiti; but also—and of course—Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust for your negotiation; and Leith and your team up there and your whānau: kia ora nau mai haere mai and welcome. Lots has been said already today but I want to acknowledge your work because this process this settlement is the result of much hard work and particularly for the tireless work done by members to achieve the very best settlement you could for your people and the iwi. It's interesting I haven't had lots of experience with Treaty claims but recently as has been said in Wharekauri Rēkohu the Chatham Islands—and I'm responsible I'm the member for the Chathams and so that was my first experience the first of three settlements which will happen for the people of the Chatham Islands. But it's interesting when you read a summary of the historical background to the claim it's quite a confronting read I often think: Is it this the same Aotearoa New Zealand that we live in today?" Because you have every right to be sad and be upset to say the very least. I've heard today that the negotiations with the Crown began in 2015 but when I read the historical background it actually extends back to around the 1820s when there had been minimal contact with Pākehā. But things got pretty rough after that. And you'll see in the detail there that despite having a good relationship with the Crown that still did not benefit Ngāti Rangitihi.Many members of your iwi have submitted through the Waitangi Tribunal claims and are no longer with us and I want to acknowledge them and for all the people who have gone before and paid tribute to them. This settlement includes an apology from the Crown and as has been said recognises the many wrongs that have been committed against the iwi. But more importantly this settlement provides commercial and financial redress to you to ensure the people of Ngāti Rangitihi have a solid economic and cultural foundation for your people's future. In reflecting on some of this information I think this is long overdue. It has taken many many years but when I look at some of the grievances suffered there was certainly a failure by the Crown to act in good faith when leasing and purchasing land blocks. There are many examples there as I said even in the summary. I'm miffed at the way that the process went about in terms of eventually the forced sale of the land. There was also excessive confiscation of land under the Public Works Act. Not surprising but surprising at how it went about considering as I said the good relationship that you had with the Crown. But worst of all I feel that there was just a complete failure to provide or to lease sufficient land to support yourselves particularly in the aftermath of the Tarawera eruption. These in summary have resulted in a real loss and displacement of the people of Ngāti Rangitihi.It was interesting to read and I don't know the area well but I have many friends and colleagues who hail from this area—but something I do know is the emotional and cultural connections with of course the site the once world-famous pink and white terrace. Even going back to look at some images of that I thought "Wow!" It certainly was one of the wonders of the world but the devastation of the eruption in 1886 made us lose one of our most iconic sites. The pleasing thing though is that the site where the Terraces once stood will be transferred back to the iwi along with 18 other sites with deep significance to the iwi including what I found here what's termed the so-called beating heart of Ngāti Rangitihi rohe Te Tapahoro Bay. Kia ora for the return of that.But returning these properties in the rohe will hopefully ensure that the people will be able to reconnect with their cultural and traditional roots. However in saying that I don't believe it will ever erase the mamae for the people of Ngāti Rangitihi. But in saying that—I said at the start it will provide a strong commercial and hopefully a cultural future for the young people the rangatahi of the iwi.We've heard today that the redress will be valued at over $11 million—$4 million in financial redress and $7 million through the Central North Island Forests Collective settlement which Ngāti Rangitihi were party to back in 2008. I was surprised to hear today—but also read initially—that the Crown back in the 1950s allowed the discharging of waste from the Tasman Pulp and Paper Mill and others have spoken about that. As I said right at the start things that we would never do today in this Aotearoa New Zealand that we now live in. But that was the time and this is the time to put the wrongs right. I'm pleased however that there will be the establishment of the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group which will oversee the restoration of the mauri of the Tarawera River catchment.At this point I'd like to acknowledge the work undertaken by the negotiators to the chief negotiator the team and to Te Arawhiti the Office for Crown Māori Relations. And we've heard I think the approval rate was nearly 92 percent of iwi members that's impressive and that gives you a real mandate to move forward with confidence. To conclude I'd just like to reinforce a couple of points: this will never erase the mamae your ancestors suffered. It is an important step however towards healing and strengthening the relationship not only with your iwi members but between Crown and iwi. I hope that we don't let down the people of Ngāti Rangitihi like we did in the 1800s. We led them to believe that we were a partner that we were in a relationship—they were conned. And today we put that right. The settlement also gives the people the opportunity to reconnect and re-establish their cultural and traditional roots and to provide as I've said that strong economic foundation for the rangatahi young people of Ngāti Rangitihi the people of Te Arawa and future generations. I'm looking forward to working with our chair and the good team that make up the Māori Affairs Committee lead by Tāmati Coffey. I believe that we're experienced in working together collaboratively on such settlements we do a good job for the Māori people of Aotearoa New Zealand and I believe we'll do a good job with this. I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): Ko te Pātai Kia whakaaetia te mōtini. Koutou e whakaae kī mai Āe ki te kore Kāo. Kua Āetia.[The question is That the motion be agreed to. Those of the opinion will say Aye; to the contrary No. The Ayes have it.]Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The question is That the Ngāti Rangitihi Claims Settlement Bill be considered by the Māori Affairs Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): Permission has been granted for a waiata.Waiata"