Coffey TāmatiTĀMATI COFFEY (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. Just to note the sincerity that seemed to come through from the previous speaker the Hon Simon Bridges and then the very bold comment about stopping the gravy train just kind of took all of the wind out of everything that he was trying to say about how deeply he felt about the situation how aggrieved he was but how we just need to get off the gravy train. So if you ask me the people of Ahuriri should probably take that last contribution with a grain of salt.Anyway this is the second reading of this bill and it did start some time ago. The Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill was referred after the first reading on 12 March 2020; the closing date for submissions was 22 May 2020. In there as well we must note that the country was side-tracked by the COVID pandemic which took over everybody's lives. But despite that submitters still managed to get their submissions in so that they could be heard. There were 34 submissions that were gathered through from interested groups from stakeholders from individuals and the select committee of the time in the 52nd Parliament heard oral evidence from nine submitters both across Napier and here in Wellington. The official advice came from the good people at Te Arawhiti. And can I just take an opportunity to thank those members of the committee: Rino Tirikatene Marama Davidson Joanne Hayes Harete Hipango Matt King Adrian Rurawhe and the honourables—the Hon Nicky Wagner and the Hon Meka Whaitiri. Now the whole committee heard those submissions they went through the bill and the issues that the Minister brought up were noted—mainly issues around the elections of the trustees on both the trust and also the earlier mandated entity: the incorporation.Now there might be a bit of confusion so I need to make sure that I get this quite clear. The mandated entity was the Mana Ahuriri Incorporated the post-settlement grievance entity was the Mana Ahuriri Trust. Now some of the submitters had issues with both and said You need to have regular elections. You haven't had a rotation of elections of trustees in quite some time." So there was that that was thrown into the mix during their submission hearings. Into that as well came the mediation that happened with one of our QCs Colin Carruthers who was appointed to review the results of one of the ratifications that happened. In there they talked about how of the 1433 eligible voters actually only 27 percent of them participated in that process. That led to a few questions being asked about the validity of that process; it led to the QC coming in. He recommended that the Minister apply his usual criteria to the result on the basis that the process and the result don't contain significant risk of challenge.Further concerns were raised by the Ahuriri Hapū members and Sir John Clarke was then appointed to undertake facilitation with hapū members trying to reach an outcome whereby things could be moved forward. The outcome of that facilitation was that all members wanted the bill to be introduced to Parliament and for elections of the trustees to be held. The Minister accepted the ratification based on that outcome and facilitation process. And you heard from him just earlier talking about how the trust provided the Minister with an agreement to hold those elections prior to the enactment of the legislation and the Minister then introduced the bill. He then introduced it confirming that he wouldn't progress to the third reading until full elections have been held.And I thank my colleague the MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti the Hon Meka Whaitiri for noting that process; that the election of trustees is under way and they have had considerable interest in making sure that those appointments took place. So that is in train. I echo the calls of my colleague for those hapū members that are thinking they might want to get involved in this process to make sure that you apply if you have the accurate whakapapa to get involved and make sure that you vote and make sure that you return your forms as well in that process so that we can have confidence in this whole bill going through and the right people sitting at the right table at the right time.Insert into this whole conversation the Waitangi Tribunal urgent inquiry which has happened as part of this process. So there was the urgent inquiry. The Waitangi Tribunal agreed to hear it. The flag was raised by Ngāti Pārau by Ngāti Tu by Ngāti Te Ruruku and their concern was that the Crown had breached the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi because the mandated entity hadn't held those elections and it hadn't established a proper mandate. Also there were other concerns which have been detailed by some of the members so I won't go into it but the tribunal recommended again that the bill be introduced and also that the Crown pay for the cost of the elections which I've just said are going ahead.One of the other issues that was brought up in the submission hearings were about the concerns about the accuracy of the bill's description of the historical events that took place at Ōmarunui. Now the historical account in the deed of settlement was signed off but we understand that through the drafting some of those claimants—especially the ones that I just mentioned—were unsatisfied with the historical account. They wanted to make sure that the actions of their hapū of their tūpuna were actually recorded in that historical account. So to resolve the issue the Crown engaged in negotiations with the hapū to record to set out their varying perspectives of the events that unfolded at Ōmarunui in agreement that once signed both of those accounts would be published on Te Arawhiti's website. And the committee then decided that the development of those agreements appropriately addressed the concerns raised by submitters and didn't recommend amending the bill's provisions.So this has been through a very lengthy process and I'm sure that the people of Ahuriri Hapū would be very encouraged to know that this is going through the House with support from members all around the House. I look forward to the big day. Of course the second reading is often not as substantial as the first and the third readings which is why as I look up into the gallery we have no members from the hapū here to listen but hopefully they are either watching from home or they'll be watching this at a later time on demand and hopefully they will have reassurance that members of Parliament have considered the submissions that got presented and are looking forward to being able to mark the occasion alongside them when they come in here for the third reading. So with that said I commend this bill to the House."