Finlayson Christopher: Te Urewera-Tūhoe Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFinlayson Christopher: Te Urewera-Tūhoe Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 22 October 2013. Volume:694;Page:14129. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I moveThat the Te Urewera-Tūhoe Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the bill. This is a very important day. We are debating a bill to resolve the historical grievances of Ngāi Tūhoe. It is not however the first time that this House has debated these issues. But hopefully as a result of our work this time the Crown will learn something from its previous mistakes and the Tūhoe-Crown relationship will henceforth be very positive.The history of Tūhoe’s interactions with the Crown is summarised in Part 1 of the bill but a few words can never adequately explain all that has happened. I ask anyone who doubts the wisdom of what the Government is proposing to do to go behind the summary of the acknowledgments in the historical account and look at the primary facts. Take for example acknowledgment (6) in clause 8 of the bill. It talks about Parliament enacting the Urewera District Native Reserve Act 1896 which provided for local self-government over Te Urewera and for decisions about the use of land to be made collectively and according to Māori custom.So what did happen in 1895-96 that resulted in the Urewera legislation? At that time the then Premier Richard Seddon had been concerned about Te Urewera and visited Ngāi Tūhoe. Apparently Seddon almost drowned when he crossed Lake Waikaremoanato meet some of the rangatira. There were also a number of Tūhoe delegations who visited Wellington. After many discussions Seddon agreed to introduce the Urewera legislation. Ngāi Tūhoe representatives were in the gallery for those debates just as they are here today.It is instructive to read theHansard from the bill’s first reading in the House. This is what Seddon had to say: “… after having seen the country and after having listened attentively to what was put forward by the Tūhoe people I have come to the conclusion that if the promise made many many years ago … to the Tuhoe had then been kept if we had given the same powers and privileges which we are proposing to give under this Bill a lot of the trouble that has arisen [and which has been the cause of bloodshed]—which has been the cause of an otherwise well-disposed people being estranged from the rest of the colony—would have been avoided.”The next acknowledgment in clause 8 explains how that legislation was undermined between 1896 and 1921 and then repealed without any reference to Tūhoe. In 1954 the Crown established Te Urewera National Park which included most of Ngāi Tūhoe’s traditional lands. The Crown did not consult Tūhoe about this and did not recognise Tūhoe as having any special interest in Te Urewera or its management. So throughout the 20th century the story has been one of Tūhoe being ignored and not consulted on decisions affecting their rohe.Tūhoe has always tried to approach resolution of its dispute with the Crown in a principled and determined manner but up in Te Urewera the messages about the unfairness of it all have been passed down from generation to generation. Indeed I will never forget the elderly gentleman whom I met at Ruātoki who said to me in relation to the events of 2007: “I said to my grandchildren: ‘It happened to my grandparents and now it’s happening to you.’”Given this history this Government is determined to address these issues not because they are necessarily easy to resolve and not because they are politically popular or there are votes in it but because it is the right thing to do. The legislation we are debating today contains more than a historical account of what happened in the past together with an apology and compensation. It is also a forward-looking arrangement that has the potential to produce very positive results for Tūhoe and the Crown. The fact that it is happening is because the Crown has been given a second chance to work with Tūhoe in an honourable manner. So the past is very important. As is so often said ignore the history and one is doomed to repeat it.Key to success will be the post-settlement relationships. This of course applies to all settled iwi and that is why the Crown has established a post-settlement unit to monitor the progress of settlements to audit them and to ensure that undertakings given on behalf of the Crown are honoured not just tomorrow but in 50 years’ time.Let me now turn to some of the detail of the bill. This legislation comprises two bills which it will be divided into at the Committee of the whole House stage. First the bill gives effect to the undertakings by the Crown in the Tūhoe deed of settlement. It includes the Crown acknowledgments and apology cultural and commercial redress packages and provisions consolidating Tūhoe’s governance entities. A forward-looking and exciting aspect of the deed of settlement is the social agreement. Its dual aims are both to build Ngāi Tūhoe’s capability to manage its own affairs and to improve the Crown’s delivery of services in Te Urewera. A number of Government agencies are already working with Ngāi Tūhoe in a number of areas from housing to the delivery of primary care services and ensuring that education is underpinned by a Tūhoe philosophy. Child Youth and Family is assisting Tūhoe to achieve their goal of having no Tūhoe tamariki in Child Youth and Family care.To the few people left in this country who still talk about Māori privilege and special treatment for Māori my answer to them is to visitRuatāhuna orRuātoki. Let them see the reality. Big issues need to be addressed within the rohe of Ngāi Tūhoe. The Crown and Tūhoe are going to work together to address them.The second piece of legislation addresses Te Urewera. For too long the people of Ngāi Tūhoe have been locked out of having any say in the affairs of Te Urewera. This has been most unfair particularly when one looks at the map and sees the extent of privately owned Māori land. This bill rectifies terrible historical wrongs.Te Urewera will have its own legal identity. It will not be governed by the National Parks Act but will be administered by a board made up of Crown and Tūhoe representatives. After a short initial period the board will contain a Tūhoe majority and this is as it should be. One of Tūhoe’s goals throughout the negotiations was to provide for the reconnection of Tūhoe to Te Urewera and for that connection to be strengthened through Tūhoe’s role in its governance and management. Public access will continue. Tūhoe has always welcomed visitors and public input into management and public access will be guaranteed.Finally work is now under way to explore international recognition for Te Urewera such as a Unesco biosphere reserve like the Everglades in Florida. I met with Unesco on this issue last week and told the officials that decisions on this issue will be for the new board to determine.So I finish this short speech by acknowledging the people of Tūhoe who have carried their grievances through the generations. I will leave individual acknowledgments until my third reading speech because so many have worked tirelessly to get to this stage and in this speech I cannot do all those people justice by mentioning just a few names. I commend this bill to the House and to the tender care of Mr Henare’s Māori Affairs Committee.