Mahuta Nanaia: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Second Reading 
Mahuta Nanaia: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6718] 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) 
: 
 Tena koe. Tenei e tapiri atu aku nei whakaaro aku nei mihi ki a koutou o Te Arawa waka kua tae mai nei ki te tautoko te panui o tenei wahanga o te pire nei. Me te whakaaro ano ki a ratou e matakitaki mai i enei korero i runga i te pouaka whakaata. No reira tena koutou katoa. 
[ 
Greetings to you. I add my thoughts and acknowledgments to you the canoe of Te Arawa who have arrived here in support of this stage of the bill. I am mindful as well of those watching these addresses on television. So greetings to you all. 
]  
Kia ora Mr Assistant Speaker. I join with my colleague Mita Ririnui in acknowledging those who have travelled from afar from Te Arawa to listen to the deliberations on the second reading of the Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill. I acknowledge the previous Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia and the previous Maori Affairs Committee for their work with the negotiators to ensure that the passage of this bill indicated a clear intent to resolve some of the historical grievances in this area. I acknowledge those who have negotiated long and hard to ensure that this transfer takes place. I also acknowledge the current Minister of Maori Affairs Pita Sharples and the current Maori Affairs Committee for their work. 
I will make a few contributions. I start by saying the passage of this bill has not been delayed by any decision on this side of the House. That has to be clearly stated. In fact within the context of moving forward Labour acknowledged that this transfer is in the Treaty settlement and that this is a step of goodwill and good faith taken within the context of the broader negotiations that were happening in the region of te Waiariki and certainly in the central North Island with regard to the larger central North Island collective of negotiations towards Treaty settlements in the area. I make the observation that when we can take a step of goodwill and good faith towards the bigger picture of addressing some of the historical injustices that have occurred to iwi throughout our whole country Parliament is taking a very clear and deliberate step that says it is absolutely necessary to continue to go down this path so that people can look forward. This bill is about more than just the transfer of land; it acknowledges the past. This is about ensuring that the future will remain intact in terms of how these iwi want it to look. This is an opportunity for all parliamentarians to say we actually think this is a good road to go down. With all those sentiments I am certainly very supportive of ensuring that this bill continues its passage to its final reading. 
A number of issues were raised by the Maori Affairs Committee one of which was the decoupling of Tuhourangi and Ngati Wahiao. Far be it from me to recite the histories that lie behind why that has been the case. In fact for my part I would like it to be recorded in  
Hansard  
that the history around the Tuhourangi and Ngati Wahiao relationship is best told by those people themselves. If at any point in the future people want to come back and use the passage of this bill as a reason for or against certain propositions let it not be on the basis of what parliamentarians say; let it be on the basis which I certainly support of Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao and Te Arawa telling that story. It is inappropriate from my point of view for a Maori MP to put somebody else’s history in this House and use that as the absolute record. 
The second point that I would like to refer to is the general recognition that Te Arawa is no stranger to the opportunities of the present and of the future. They have demonstrated over time that they are entirely capable of managing their economic base of being able to provide for their people and of being able to look to the future. This is another small part of a bigger opportunity that is ahead for the people there. And so it should be because from my previous experience as Associate Minister of Tourism I know that the people of Te Arawa reflect who we are in terms of our identity as Maori people within New Zealand. They have a strong role to play and will continue to have a strong role to play in terms of how our identity as Maori is reflected within our own country and how it is perceived within the global community. I certainly want to acknowledge that because if we look at some of the further consequences of that and if we look at the role that Te Puia plays in its investment in Maori arts and crafts we see that historically and right up until this current day many of our own iwi are able to point to the opportunities that have been opened up to us by the old Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and now by Te Puia. 
The third point that I would like to make is raised with the greatest of respect to members of the Maori Party. It concerns the role that they took by appointing a Maori MP as a negotiator in this particular instance. I have a concern about where that leads the thinking of this House with regard to the absolute right of iwi to have a direct relationship with the Crown in their negotiations. There is a difficulty with Maori MPs acting as negotiators albeit they represent a constituency. We should not really take the role of a conduit and stand in the way of iwi having a direct negotiating role with the Crown. I believe that in principle. This puts us in a difficult situation because a precedent has been set by the Maori Party. But I am absolutely clear that in my rohe the Maori Party does not represent the Maori people. I say with the greatest of respect we should cautiously walk down this road before we start to say Maori electorate MPs can have a role in negotiating with regard to particular interests that we might have as our own hobby horses in our own electorates. We all have the same scenarios happening. Tau Henare raised one and we can point to the fisheries issues there. We have some issues too. But I hesitate and err on the side of caution in favour of a direct negotiating relationship between iwi and the Crown. Maori MPs per se should not be taking on that role. I caution future thinking in this regard with the greatest of respect. 
The bill is a clear signal that there is an optimistic future ahead for Te Arawa. The bill is a starting point; it is part of a bigger picture. I am absolutely confident that the people of Te Arawa will continue to walk down their path of self-determination opportunity economic benefit and growth for the well-being of not only their own people but also their region and certainly those of us at large amongst other iwi. I commend the bill to the House. I hope that its smooth passage to its third reading happens forthwith in a speedy way. Finally to the clerks of the committee and to all the advisers who provided advice to the Maori Affairs Committee tena mihi atu ki a koutou katoa. Kia ora mai tatou.