Harawira Hone: Ngati Apa (North Island) Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
Harawira Hone: Ngati Apa (North Island) Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:664;Page:11855] 
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
: 
 Kia ora tatou katoa e te Whare. Sitting on the Maori Affairs Committee to hear stories from whanau hapu and iwi is a real privilege as it was to hear the submissions of Ngati Apa on the Ngati Apa (North Island) Claims Settlement Bill. It was an opportunity to hear them speak with pride of their whakapapa their descent from Apa-hapai-taketake another tupuna of Rangitikei and Nga Wairiki. 
Four months ago we travelled up to Marton to hear submissions at Turakina Maori Girls’ College and also of course to enjoy the sweet melodies of the beautiful young Maori women who attend that wonderful school. We heard submissions in support from various hapu of Ngati Apa including Nga Ariki Nga Wairiki Ki Uta Ngati Tauira Ngati Kauae Ngati Rangiwhakaturia and Nga Uri o Taitapu. 
We also heard submissions lodged by Wai 655 claimants and the Southern Whanganui Cluster / Tupoho working party several of whom felt that Nga Wairiki should be left out of the Ngati Apa settlement and dealt with perhaps as a separate iwi or as a hapu of Whanganui. But we noted that three major Nga Wairiki hapu groups had already chosen to be included in the Ngati Apa settlement and that the runanga had left the door open for all of Nga Wairiki to participate in the post-settlement affairs of the iwi including elections to the new governance body. We recognised the differences but we also accepted the fact that those matters were best resolved in-house by Nga Wairiki themselves. 
The other contentious issue was that presented by members of the Southern Whanganui Cluster / Tupoho working party who said that they wanted to take issue with the part of the settlement that involved the Lismore Hills Forest which both Ngati Apa and Whanganui have interests in. Some objected to the transfer of 65 percent of the forest to Ngati Apa because they felt that there was a stronger Whanganui claim to the part of the forest being offered to Ngati Apa. They felt that they were being shut out of gaining any interest or settlement from that area. That was one of the more complex issues that we had to consider but our research showed that a lot of time had already been given to enabling the various interest groups to resolve that issue including extensive litigation through the Waitangi Tribunal and the Court of Appeal which upheld the tribunal’s decision. Given the number of meetings the litigation and the outcome of the litigation and the very strongly held but differing view of the parties we simply did not believe that more time would necessarily lead to a positive agreement. We noted though that 35 percent of the Lismore Hills Forest had actually been set aside for use in any future settlement with Whanganui iwi. 
The Hon Tariana Turia herself of Ngati Apa and Nga Wairiki has already spoken of the Pourewa Accord between Ngati Apa and Ngati Hauiti. It was interesting to note that Ngati Hauiti felt that any concern they might have had regarding the settlement and other redress was covered in that accord and that they therefore had no major issues with the bill. That is a precedent that other iwi and hapu might do well to consider. It is unnecessary in the north of course but certainly worthy of consideration in some of the more rebellious areas south of the Tamaki River. 
Nga Wairiki ki Uta spoke of the ongoing support they have received from and given to Te Rununga o Ngati Apa over the years their continued representation at the runanga level how the runanga itself could help represent Nga Wairiki ki Uta. They spoke about a number of other important issues including fisheries resource management iwi representation and other dealings with the Crown and their gratitude to the runanga itself following the devastating floods of 2004 which had severely damaged their marae and a number of their homes. 
I come back to Ngati Apa. The various hapu collectives of Ngati Apa have come together to give their support to Te Runanga o Ngati Apa negotiating and settling their historical claims. They told us that their hapu had freely and willingly participated in every aspect of the negotiations and the settlement process including a number of information hui held throughout the rohe and that the deed of settlement had in fact been ratified by 97 percent of those who had voted. Ngati Apa clearly are people on the move rebuilding their culture and their identity from a time when they were almost landless. Their tikanga was under threat and their capacity to speak the reo was seriously endangered. The progress they have made is a credit to their commitment and their vision to rebuild and restore themselves as Nga Wairiki and Ngati Apa. The Maori Party is proud to acknowledge their efforts and to support this bill today.