Wagner NickyHon NICKY WAGNER (National): Tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā. Kia ora anō tātou. As a new member and actually a returning member of the Māori Affairs Committee I feel enormously privileged to be speaking to this bill on this historic occasion. As we've already heard it's been a very long and winding road to get here today; 15 years of complex challenging and stressful processes for Ngāti Porou but we're here. Numerous people have been involved along the way and I'd like to pay tribute to everyone who's worked so hard but in particular I'd like to pay special tribute to Dr Apirana Mahuika and his son Matanuku. Uncle Api—I hope I can call him that—began this process and sadly of course he's no longer with us but I'm sure he would be enjoying today as we think of him.I'd also like to note the work of Selwyn Parata chair of Te Rūnanganui o Ngati Porou who I do see here today and I'm sure will be leading the waiata at the end of the day because I always see him larger than life at Te Matatini.The negotiations for this bill go all the way back to the days of the Foreshore and Seabed Bill right back to 2004 and at that time Ngāti Porou the people of the East Coast were the only group—the only group—to sign an agreement with the Crown. Ngāti Porou—always the leaders—signed that agreement establishing customary title customary rights and a protection of wāhi tapu. And then—and then—it had to be renegotiated all over again under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act in 2011.I would like to thank Ngāti Porou for their patience for their wisdom for their tenacity and—I'd also like to echo my colleague Anne Tolley—for their good grace and their steely determination during that time. The deed was finally ratified by ngā hapū o Ngāti Porou and signed by all parties in August 2017 and I know that the Hon Chris Finlayson who has worked so closely with Ngāti Porou and who considered Dr Api a friend was particularly pleased when we finally got that signature of the deed to amend.Now nearly two years later this legislation finally completes the parliamentary process and the bill will pass at this third reading. It will provide certainty. It will provide certainty for all of us—certainty about the use certainty about the management and certainty about the mana of the rohe moana of Ngāti Porou.The bill as we've heard recognises the unbroken the inalienable and the enduring connection of the hapū of Ngāti Porou to those who are most closely connected to the beautiful areas of Ōpōtiki and the East Cape. It also will recognise Ngāti Porou's role as kaitiakitanga of the area. It provides the legal mechanisms to protect the mana of Ngāti Porou across the rohe and to recognise the specific areas that they have customary marine title rights for and it also recognises that the Crown has a responsibility for public access to the common marine coast area and a role in regulating it.So at last—at last—this day has come to pass the bill after 15 long years of negotiation and parliamentary process. As the Hon Chris Finlayson foretold in the second reading of the bill about this final step—and I quote him. He said It will be a great day for Ngāti Porou." Indeed today is a significant day for Ngāti Porou an historic day for Ngāti Porou and a great day for Ngāti Porou. Kia ora tātou."