Harawira Hone: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
Harawira Hone: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:666;Page:13741] 
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
: 
 Kia ora Mr Deputy Speaker. Tena tatou katoa e te Whare. I begin my speech tonight by offering the gratitude of the Maori Party to the previous Minister of Maori Affairs the Hon Parekura Horomia for all of his efforts in helping to bring the Whanganui Iwi (Whanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Whanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill to this point. 
The Maori Party supports this bill which gives effect to certain provisions of a settlement signed by the Southern Whanganui Cluster / Tupoho working party on behalf of Whanganui iwi and the Crown on 31 July 2009 and also protects Whanganui iwi interests in the northern part of the Whanganui Forest and the half share in the land under the Wanganui Prison. We note that under the agreement in principle Whanganui iwi were originally to receive 100 percent of the prison lands—Lismore Sands and Lismore Hills—but that now Ngati Apa will receive 50 percent of Lismore Sands and 65 percent of Lismore Hills as part of their settlement. We hope that the Crown takes the same flexible and innovative approach to resolving the difficult issue of overlapping claims between Ngati Apa and Whanganui iwi. 
We note furthermore that the deed of on-account settlement provides the working party with the opportunity to acquire a half share in the land under the Whanganui Prison and the half of the Whanganui Forest not offered to Ngati Apa. The agreement to enter into an on-account settlement was an outcome of discussions between Ngati Apa and the working party to address concerns that the southern hapu of Whanganui iwi had with aspects of the Ngati Apa settlement. If Ngati Apa do not purchase a half share of the land under the Wanganui Prison or the southern half of the Whanganui Forest the Crown will retain the properties until it has reached a comprehensive settlement with Whanganui iwi of their historical Treaty claims. 
The on-account settlement means that these assets will be taken into account when the Crown and Whanganui iwi enter into their comprehensive settlement. The on-account settlement is not a comprehensive settlement and therefore it is not full and final. But we well understand that the key to this settlement’s success rests in the way in which the relationships play out between Whanganui iwi and Ngati Apa or Nga Wairiki. We also well realise that this matter is best resolved internally. 
The other amendment of course refers to the Southern Whanganui Cluster working party call for Whanganui to be properly spelt with an “h”. As a result the select committee recommends amending the spelling of Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest to Whanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Whanganui Forest throughout the bill. Te Kenehi Mair of Whanganui iwi said in a submission to the Geographic Board that “The name of our rohe our awa and our iwi is how we are identified … Whanganui was the name given to the area by our ancestor over 600 years ago. Te reo Maori is a vital part of our nation’s culture a source of pride for Maori and a symbol of our collective identify. The name Whanganui has a whakapapa a history. It carries meaning and significance. The name must be spelt properly otherwise it loses integrity.” 
We support the bill because of the subject matter and the importance of the on-account settlement to Whanganui iwi in settling part of their historic grievances against the Crown and securing lands of cultural significance to Whanganui Maori. Kia ora tatou katoa.