Mahuta Nanaia: Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMahuta Nanaia: Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 07 May 2014. Volume:698;Page:17653. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato): It gives me great pleasure to be able to support the second reading of the Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill. Although it is not in my technical electorate boundary it is within my childhood rohe. I was very pleased to be able to attend the signing of this particular settlement at Rukumoana. There was a strong air of anticipation that some great things can emerge from a very discreet and small settlement.The Ngāti Hauā settlement exists outside of the Waikato raupatu boundary. Some of the key pillars for the settlement are around the Tumuakitanga and its relationship to the Kīngitanga and more important the way in which Ngāti Hauā marae have organised themselves. Their governance has been propelled by the expectations of having a settlement that can help them to develop their marae and their resources and look forward to see how they can optimise the value of other shareholding interests that they have within the Ngāti Hauā area.Ngāti Hauā is rich in history rich in resource of its people and marae and rich in so far as some of the business and farming activities that they are involved in. There aretwo components through the submission process that the Māori Affairs Committee turned its eye to. One was in relation to an objection—the only objection to the settlement—and we have mentioned that in the report with relation to the supporting of the Tumuakitanga. We were very satisfied that nothing in this bill provides for the transfer of a payment to an individual. In fact on ratification tribal members themselves were informed that a component of this particular redress allowed for the support for the Tumuaki and an institution to be able to achieve that. This is a really important part of the bill albeit a small commentary from the select committee because it would be right for tribal members to have a strong sense of objection if they felt that in any way a particular individual benefited specifically from a Treaty settlement. I really want to assure members of the House that we put our minds to that objection.The second one was in relation to the transfer I guess of similar instruments that relate to those Waikato River iwi. If members have an appreciation for the Ngāti Hauā region some of the catchments feeding the Waikato River are inextricably linked to the Ngāti Hauā area. What is happening now as a result of the river settlement is that catchment plans have been developed in conjunction with the regional council and Waikato-Tainui iwi representatives to be able to provide for the more efficient better management and care and protection of tributaries through catchment plans thereby influencing the positive impact on the Waikato River.But here is a particularly unique example in Ngāti Hauā. This is how this settlement I think will build on greater stewardship and protection for our waterways. They have gone into a partnership with the regional council to be able to do something like the Clean Streams Project such as put up fences plant along waterways and stop cattle from going into streams that have a high intrinsic value for Ngāti Hauā themselves but also are important in terms of the network of streams within the Hauā area. I can see that my colleague Tim Macindoe is very familiar with what I am saying.The point of this is that giving effect to the instruments contained in the Waikato River settlement and making clear that the Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill allows the instruments to be extended to their rohe creates dare I say it—excuse the pun—a streamlined effect for efficient management of waterways. That is a good thing. I know that members of Ngāti Hauā are very excited about their settlement. I know that they are very appreciative of the Government pursuing this with some vigour because in relation I guess to Waikato they understand that they would be seen as a very small component part of Waikato. So they have an immense amount of gratitude to the Government for getting their settlement on the table and through the House with such speed and I feel compelled to convey that to the Government on their behalf.There are other aspects of the bill but can I say that of all the settlement bills that we have heard at the end of last year and this year this was probably the most efficiently managed bill to the extent that all but one submission supported it. The ratification process was extensive. It was very clear how the components of the redress would be utilised. It has been very encouraging to see the growing attendance of the Ngāti Hauā people at their monthly meetings and the way in which they have organised themselves. I think that Ngāti Hauā have become a model for Waikato to that extent. You can go to a meeting within Hauā and they will have near on for the size of the hapū 60 to 80 people turning up at Rukumoana for their monthly meetings. I think that is a great hallmark of real development of people in their area.I do not have too much more to say but can I commend the bill once again to members. Can I say although it may be ruled inappropriate that it does concern me that members who are not represented on the Māori Affairs Committee see fit to attack Treaty settlement legislation and I would urge members who feel that they need to beon particular Treaty settlement bills to actually have members on that select committee albeit for each one. Thank you. Kia ora.