Little AndrewNGĀTI RANGITIHI CLAIMS SETTLEMENT BILLSecond ReadingHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I present a legislative statement on the Ngāti Rangitihi Claims Settlement Bill.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ian McKelvie): That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the parliamentary website.Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I move That the Ngāti Rangitihi Claims Settlement Bill be now read a second time.E ngā mana e ngā reo e rau rangatira mā tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.[To the authorities to all the voices and to all the esteemed leaders greetings one and all.]It's my honour to support the second reading of the Ngāti Rangitihi Claims Settlement Bill. Firstly I want to acknowledge the members of Ngāti Rangitihi who haven't been able to travel to the House this time—as would normally happen for any reading of a Treaty settlement bill—but because of the COVID restrictions they'll be watching this second reading online and I want to acknowledge those who are doing so. I want to also acknowledge the members of Ngāti Rangitihi: their resilience their energy their tenacity and their drive which has brought us here today at this second reading; one step closer to closing out their settlement legislation and for them to face their future. I also want to take time particularly to thank the Ngāti Rangitihi negotiation team and Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust who've shown extraordinary dedication to their work. Their ongoing commitment to achieving a fair historical Treaty settlement between Ngāti Rangitihi and the Crown is greatly appreciated.This bill reading brings us one step closer to bringing effect to the deed of settlement between Ngāti Rangitihi and the Crown which was signed at the Rangitihi Marae in Matatā on 5 December 2020. The deed of settlement settles historical Treaty of Waitangi claims relating to Ngāti Rangitihi and comprises historical redress that records the Crown's breaches of the Treaty and the past injustices the Crown inflicted on Ngāti Rangitihi; the Crown apology for historical Crown acts and omissions in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles and the resulting pain caused to Ngāti Rangitihi; cultural redress acknowledging connections to land and resources of significance to Ngāti Rangitihi; relationship redress building new connections with the Crown local authorities and other groups; and financial and commercial redress providing a strong economic base for the future.After its first reading on 22 June last year this bill was referred to the Māori Affairs Committee. The committee called for submissions between June and August 2021 and received 20 written submissions from interested groups and individuals. They also heard seven oral submissions. Firstly I want to thank the committee for swiftly considering the issues raised in submissions and I want to acknowledge the hard work of that committee which is greatly appreciated. I also want to thank all those who took the time to share their kōrero with the Māori Affairs Committee. The committee reported back to the House on 17 December last year and recommended that the bill be passed with a small number of technical and minor amendments.The committee's report was focused on key issues raised through submissions. This was primarily around concerns about the cultural redress sites being offered to Ngāti Rangitihi in the Tarawera region and disagreements between ownership rights with Tūhourangi and Ngāti Rangitihi for the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. I acknowledge the committee's position that the Crown has engaged with Tūhourangi and has considered any effects that redress will have on them. Tūhourangi are close neighbours to Ngāti Rangitihi and both have continued to work together in great spirit throughout negotiations. The bill enables the on-transfer of sites from Ngāti Rangitihi to Tūhourangi.Finally it's the Crown's sincere wish that Ngāti Rangitihi settlement will restore the Crown's honour and atone for the past injustices it has inflicted on Ngāti Rangitihi. Although no settlement can truly ever make up for this wrongdoing or compensate for the hurt Ngāti Rangitihi has endured the Crown hopes that this settlement will be a starting point of a new strengthened relationship between Ngāti Rangitihi and the Crown. I look forward to welcoming Ngāti Rangitihi to Parliament for their third reading. Until then I commend this bill to the House. Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ian McKelvie): The question is that the motion be agreed to.