Mooney JosephJOSEPH MOONEY (National—Southland): It is a privilege to rise on behalf of the National Party and as the National Party spokesperson for Treaty negotiations to speak on this first reading of the bill today. To those who are watching at home kia ora e koro mā e kui mā e rau rangatira mā e Ngāti Maniapoto tēnā koutou. Nau mai haere mai ki te rā whakahirahira.[Greetings to the elders the many chiefs and the people of Maniapoto greetings to you all. Welcome to this auspicious day.]The National Party will be supporting this bill through to select committee. To the elders leaders and members of Maniapoto who are here witnessing this from home I wish to extend a very warm welcome this afternoon. The settlement this bill and this process is about you your tipuna and uri. I acknowledge that the signing of the Maniapoto settlement which took place last month has been a long time coming for iwi who have been on this journey for over 30 years and I wish to acknowledge all who have been involved in that process. I wish to acknowledge also Minister Little and all those who have been involved most recently but also over many many years.The finalisation of this settlement and its journey through this House of Representatives is testament to decades of hard work and negotiations between Maniapoto and the Crown. It signifies the beginning of a new relationship between both parties based on trust cooperation and a commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. I also note that this bill completes the settlement process which began under former Treaty negotiations Minister the Hon Christopher Finlayson under the last National-led Government. As before I wish to knowledge Minister Little who is the Minister responsible for shepherding this settlement to its final conclusion.The Maniapoto settlement package is one of the largest ever negotiated and includes financial redress which in total will be worth approximately $177 million; relationship agreements with various Crown agencies; the transfer of 36 sites back to Maniapoto as cultural redress; the first right to purchase Crown lands in the future; an agreed historical account; an acknowledgment of Treaty breaches and a formal apology for those breaches.Maniapoto's historical grievances relate to the loss of life and conflicts with the Crown in bearing the cost of the New Zealand Wars. The Crown deliberately undermined Maniapoto independence failed to uphold promises made in the 1880s relating to Maniapoto land administration and self-determination and acquired Maniapoto land in an aggressive manner. This settlement contains an apology from the Crown for its acts and omissions in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi an acknowledgment that the Crown failed to uphold promises in Te Ōhākī Tapu—a series of agreements and assurances which the Crown and Maniapoto entered into between 1883 and 1885 through which Maniapoto sought Crown recognition of their mana whakahaere over their lands and people. Specific acknowledgments of breaches in the deed include: acting unjustly in sending Crown forces across the Mangatāwhiri River during the Waikato War including indiscriminately killing non-combatants and looting and destroying property; breaching the Treaty by confiscating land in which Maniapoto had interests unfairly labelling Maniapoto as rebels and failing to provide for refugees entering the Maniapoto rohe; and failing to protect Maniapoto tribal structures from the operation and impact of the Native land laws particularly the individualisation of tribal lands which led to massive alienation of the tribal lands Maniapoto had cherished for centuries. No settlement can ever compensate for the mamae that Maniapoto have endured for many generations. It is my sincere hope that this settlement will lay the foundation for a positive aspirational future for the people Maniapoto whether they be in Te Rohe Pōtae / King Country in and around Te Kūiti Ōtorohanga Te Awamutu or wherever Maniapoto whānau may be.There is a point that we do wish to seek more clarification from in this bill. However as I noted in the outset National supports this settlement to select committee and there are some questions which we wish to clarify there. In particular the recognition of marine interests 20 miles out into the exclusive economic zone which is provided for in Subpart 9 and specifically clause 124 of the bill. The provisions of the Maniapoto Claims Settlement Bill relating to rights to the exclusive economic zone appear to be the most comprehensive to date and from my research it appears that other previous settlement legislation has granted some measure of rights over the exclusive economic zone where it overlaps with iwi's rohe moana. However this is quite comprehensive. This clause 124 has implications which at this point are unclear and potentially wide ranging and the National Party will be seeking clarification at the select committee process on the meaning of that clause and how it impacts on other interested parties in that area. So I look forward to engaging with colleagues on the Māori Affairs Committee to seek clarity on the meaning nature extent and effect of this provision. I would conclude my speech by saying that it is not possible to fully compensate Maniapoto for the loss and prejudice that they have suffered. However I hope that this settlement will forge a new relationship between the Crown and the Maniapoto iwi and will be a real catalyst for positive change for present and future generations of Maniapoto. My colleagues and I look forward to being able to support this legislation through the House.