12. Question No. 12—Māori DevelopmentDr ELIZABETH KEREKERE to the Minister for Māori DevelopmentQuestion No. 12—Māori DevelopmentDr ELIZABETH KEREKERE: Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare. Ko tēnei te rā whakamutunga ka kōrero i tēnei Whare ko te rā whānau hoki o tōku matua kua whetūrangitia.[Thank you Mr Speaker. This is the last day that I will speak in this House; it is also the birthday of my late father.] So on this last day speaking in this House I acknowledge the birthday of my late father Karauria Tarao Bison" Kerekere.12. Dr ELIZABETH KEREKERE to the Minister for Māori Development: Does he support the principles contained within the preamble of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993; if so does he believe Māori should have control over Māori land?Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister for Māori Development): Tuatahi me mihi ki a koe e te whanaunga mō tō kōrero ataahua inanahi tēnei te mihi ki a koe. With respect to your pātai yes absolutely tautoko.[Firstly I acknowledge you my relative for your beautiful speech yesterday I acknowledge you. With respect to your question yes absolutely I support.]Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: Does he agree that ending perpetual leases on Māori land like that of Tina Olsen-Ratana and her whānau in Tokomaru Bay would reaffirm the protection of rangatiratanga embodied in Te Tiriti o Waitangi?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Yes I think I agree with that too. Perpetual leases are a complex issue that has been ongoing for many years. Many of the Māori members have been—and I think some of the Opposition too—involved in this. Perpetual leases which make up Māori reserve lands have been the subject of much scrutiny and debate over their more-than-120-year existence.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Labour and the Greens blocked reforms.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Shush up Gerry. Māori reserve lands were created by legislation from the late 19th century. Under legislation these lands have been subject to conditions that were imposed without the agreement of the Māori owners. In '97 and '98 significant reforms were made which saw the owners of Māori reserve land leases receive compensation for their past losses and also changed the arrangements on leases to move them to a more commercial arrangement. I acknowledge this kaupapa. It's a very heavy kaupapa and something that I think we do have to deal with but unfortunately there are so many other kaupapa that this Government has dealt with over the last six years like increasing the funding for Māori. We had a National Party who gave Māori crumbs we've made record investment in terms of Whānau Ora setting up a Māori Health Authority and doing so much for the Māori nation. But I mihi to my whanaunga over there for this pātai. It's certainly a challenge we need to take up.Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: Does he agree that supporting the collective vision of Te Waimana Kaaku o Tūhoe to put houses on their whenua would represent protecting rangatiratanga of hapū as identified in Te Ture Whenua Maori?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Well again I have to agree with the member there. Minister Peeni Henare I think has managed that situation very well over the last year or two after the member herself had brought the kaupapa in front of the House. We mihi to her for her challenge to us because that's what it's all about and the member has done it in a very good way. We are aware that some of the parties in Waimana Valley are seeking to develop their land. I understand that there are matters that are being worked through relating to representation between the respective governance entities and representative bodies present in that area. I would expect those matters would be best resolved amongst themselves because you have whanaunga I suppose working and competing against each other. But I know Minister Henare as I said handled this and managed this well with Matt Te Pou at the time.Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: What does he say to Māori landowners who want to put houses or build businesses on their whenua but are prevented from doing so when Te Ture Whenua Maori does not require ahu whenua trustees to abide by the will of Māori landowners?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Ahu whenua trusts are established to govern land and they're usually established to operate for the benefit of their beneficiaries which would comprise the broader Māori owner group. I understand that ahu whenua trustees are required to abide by the terms of the trusts which are set by the Māori Land Court on behalf of beneficiaries. Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 provides processes to change the terms of the trust and the trustees through the Māori Land Court at the beneficiaries' request.Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: Will the Minister agree to—and I quote—"provide urgent resourcing to the Māori Land Court to enable the court to deliver their full purpose to provide service to owners of Māori land as set out in Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 as recommended in Outrage to optimism: Report of the Ministerial Inquiry into land uses associated with the mobilisation of woody debris (including forestry slash) and sediment in Tairawhiti/Gisborne District and Wairoa District" and if so when?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Again I understand the pātai—a very appropriate one. I'm aware of some anecdotal indications that the Māori Land Court may require more resourcing and I understand that the matter has been considered recently. However with respect to the member I'm not the Minister responsible for that—that responsibility actually comes under the Minister for Courts. But again I thank the member for that pātai. Kia ora."