Cullen Michael: Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Cullen Michael: Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:648;Page:16914] 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) 
: 
 I move  
That the Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill be now read a first time. 
 At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be considered by the Maori Affairs Committee. I do not intend to move any special instructions to that committee; I rely upon its good sense and cooperation in trying to return the bill as quickly as possible taking account of all the submissions that may be made. 
It is traditional at this point to acknowledge and recognise the longstanding historical grievances of the settling group to outline their claims and to express a hope that the settlement legislation will allow the claimants and the Crown to start afresh. This settlement and this bill are somewhat different from most we have seen before. Unlike other claims settlement bills the bill does not provide for an apology or seek to settle all the historical claims of the relevant iwi. 
This settlement addresses only claims as far as licensed Crown forest land is concerned and leaves until the future negotiations over four redress packages for each of the iwi in the collective. This is not to say that the settlement pays no heed to the grievances of the past. The Crown has recognised that the iwi of the central North Island have well-founded historical grievances and that the Crown has a duty to settle those grievances with redress. Although the central North Island iwi share interests in the Crown forest land they have different experiences and different historical relationships with the Crown. It is complex enough to resolve the interwoven claims of the forest land; negotiating collectively seven separate historical accounts would be well nigh impossible. 
Yesterday saw the first reading of Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa legislation which will settle that iwi’s comprehensive claim. Without the affiliate Te Arawa group’s willingness to put its forest claims back on the table for this process we may not have seen today’s deed of settlement signing. And this settlement is just the beginning of the settlement process for the remaining collective iwi though it is a very remarkable beginning. We have work to do but I am confident that together we will solve the single most intractable problem of the settlement process and in doing so we will deliver its greatest asset into Maori hands. 
In about an hour—because we are making quite rapid progress in other respects—we will sign terms of negotiation with Raukawa one of the seven iwi. We are about to be able to pick up negotiations with Ngati Manawa where they were left off as part of developing the collective process and we are in negotiations with Ngati Tuhoe. So we will make progress on the remaining comprehensive claims of the other iwi apart from the affiliate Te Arawa iwi and hapu. 
The iwi of the collective comprise over 100000 individuals. They have interests that span a major proportion of the Central North Island and this settlement relates to 176000 hectares of central North Island Crown forest land. This settlement of course has its roots in that land and in the contention that has surrounded it for the last 20 years. The Crown Forest Assets Act was passed in 1989. It was assumed that it would last about 3 or 4 years until all the Crown forest land claims were settled. We are now in 2008. The Act was passed as a result of hard-fought and successful litigation on the part of Maori. The Act protected Maori interests in the land under the forests while allowing the cutting rights to be licensed out. The rentals from those licences were set aside until the claims over the forest could be resolved and that has taken much longer than anyone hoped. 
The complexity of iwi relationships in the central North Island has been a small part of that but only a very small part. The Crown embarked on the process however of settling historical Treaty claims at an iwi level while early groupings like the volcanic interior plateau project clustered around claim numbers. It has taken us a long time to develop an approach that suits both the Crown and iwi. The greatest credit for this achievement goes to the collective itself for designing and embarking on the process that has been followed through to this conclusion. There are of course different tribal identities and different histories in respect of the Crown but there is a common interest in unlocking the settlement. Most important they have taken on the task of sharing out the assets amongst themselves rather than leaving the Crown to try to achieve that task. We are very satisfied that the collective will fairly allocate the shares of the commercial assets and that sufficient remains to address the historical claims of those who have remained outside the collective. 
One of these groups is Ngati Rangitihi who until recently were part of the collective. They have not been able to endorse the settlement and they are currently considering their options. Although Ngati Rangitihi is not included in the settlement legislation the Crown and the collective are holding open a window of opportunity for them to agree to the settlement within the next 6 months. If the Crown can be satisfied that there is broad support for the settlement within that iwi it will be included in this bill through a Supplementary Order Paper and provision has been made in the deed of settlement for that process. 
The bill gives effect to the undertakings by the Crown in the deed and that includes Crown forest land to the value of $196 million. This is a positive settlement for all the people of New Zealand. The collective has agreed to preserve and enhance existing public access to the central North Island forest estate for the continued enjoyment of all New Zealand. That is not what is provided for in the Crown Forest Assets Act of 1989 so the collective has made a big concession in that regard to the general public. In addition there are substantial and widespread economic benefits. 
This settlement will make the collective the largest single landowner in the forestry sector in this country and one of the largest investors. The plan is to increase that investment and generate greater value and higher returns so the Crown is working with the collective on developing that plan. The future role in the industry for the collective iwi will be positive for their members industry participants the wider region and the nation as a whole. Not least of course is the fact that the uncertainty around the future ownership of the land is removed. It can also be noted that the rights of the current licence holders remain unchanged under this settlement. 
I have done so already today at greater length but I have no hesitation in doing so again in the House. I ask the House to join with me in thanking the people who have made all this happen particularly Te Ariki Dr Tumu te Heuheu who led the collective’s earlier approaches to the Crown; Rawiri Te Whare whose leadership of Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa was crucial; the Crown facilitator Wira Gardiner for his peerless efforts in assisting the Crown and iwi throughout this process; and finally all the members of the collective who participated in these discussions and make today possible. Their children will one day thank them for it and indeed many of the children were here today to participate in today’s events. 
A number of colleagues from all sides of the House shared today in the moving ceremony that marked the signing of the deed of settlement. I thank them for their presence—their affirmation of support for this particular settlement. This is an important day in the history of treaty settlements in our country. It will allow the Crown and central North Island iwi to move to settle the remaining claims in the region as Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa have already done. I commend the bill to the House.