Tirikatene RinoRINO TIRIKATENE (Chairperson of the Māori Affairs Committee): Tēnā koe Madam Chair and it's indeed a pleasure to speak in this Estimates debate to traverse the reports of the Māori Affairs Committee for the appropriations in regard to Vote Māori Development and Vote Treaty Negotiations. We also covered a portion of Vote Justice which is the responsibility of the Minister of Te Arawhiti. So if we beg your indulgence we can cover that appropriation as well.I'd like to acknowledge the Ministers that appeared before our committee and all of the work that was going on in relation to the various votes that we have here and it's good news—it's very good news. It's further proof that our Government is tackling the longer-term issues and nowhere is that more evident than in Vote Māori Development. I want to acknowledge the Minister the Hon Nanaia Mahuta for the sterling work that she's doing. If we look at the appropriations for Vote Māori Development there has been close to a 10 percent increase—8 percent in fact—$374 million appropriation for the 2019-20 year and a huge increase within the Whānau Ora portion of that appropriation: a 32 percent increase to over $101 million. So those are some hefty hefty appropriations which are being applied to actually lifting up and raising Māori right across on so many levels.I want to just focus on a few; I know I've got only a short space of time but I want to acknowledge the Minister and her focus on housing through the Papakāinga development and rural housing repairs—very important mahi that's greatly needed right across particularly in high-deprivation areas where Māori are. I want to acknowledge the Minister for her work with the housing initiatives around Kāinga Ora and also around our Māori whenua and we are looking forward to the targeted amendments that will be taking place. These are all part of interlinked initiatives from the whenua from the kāinga through housing through the papakāinga all about improving the wellbeing of whānau.That leads into the work that Whānau Ora is doing. There are some massive increases in funding as I mentioned; a 32 percent increase. There are some fantastic new initiatives in particular the Paiheretia te Muka Tangata. That programme when it is rolled out is about reducing recidivism rates of Māori offenders in prisons but it is also about ensuring that we look holistically not only at the wellbeing of the inmates but their whānau as well. So those ongoing programmes are very exciting and very welcome initiatives and it feeds directly into the work of Minister Davis in his corrections area with Hōkai Rangi the corrections strategy that has been announced to lower the Māori prison population.There are so many other areas where our Ministers are doing fantastic jobs. Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora: we now have completed standing proud our full Māori-Crown strategy in Te Reo Māori which is powering ahead. There is fantastic work in Māori broadcasting and right across into the Crown's commitments as well.If we sweep over to Vote Treaty Negotiations now I want to acknowledge Minister Little for his sterling work ushering through many many Treaty settlements. We know we're entering the tail-end phase of Treaty settlements. They are quite challenging cases but we know that Ngāpuhi is one that we will—a giant that will be tamed—Hon Andrew Little: Just around the corner.RINO TIRIKATENE: Just around this corner by this Minister. He's just confirmed it here in the Chamber. Fantastic work in Treaty negotiations—likewise in the huge amount of work that he's doing in the marine and coastal area space. Finally I want to acknowledge Minister Davis for his work in Te Arawhiti. It is a new division a new office a new tari and it's doing sterling work in terms of having doubled its resources focusing on building strong relationships across Government and it's all about the Crown-Māori relationships. So with Nanaia in Te Puni Kōkiri focusing on the whānau wellbeing Minister Davis focusing on Crown-Māori relations Minister Henare with Whānau Ora and likewise with Minister Little in Treaty negotiations the waka is powering very strongly ahead in Māori development. Kia ora tātou.