Nakhle RimaRIMA NAKHLE (National—Takanini): I rise on this profound occasion an occasion that has been like a mirage in the distance for so many people over so many years. In rising I recognise a history of indescribable pain of unthinkable injustice and of heart-wrenching ignominy for the people of Whakatōhea but also for our nation as a whole. I rise to convey my heartfelt support of the Whakatōhea Claims Settlement Bill in its third and final reading.Allow me to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the gallery today most of whom are part of the wider Whakatōhea whānau including the unstoppable Dickie Farrar chief executive of the Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board the hard-working Donald Riesterer the forward-thinking Danny Paruru—actually I'm not sure if I've seen you today—and the awe-inspiring Matua Robert Edwards. Welcome all of you. Haere mai.I hold the privilege and responsibility of serving on the Māori Affairs Committee chaired by my friend and colleague the MP for Northcote Dan Bidois who isn't here with us today because he's on paternal leave blessed with a little Bidois. Dan took a deep interest and care as we the new Māori Affairs Committee for the 54th Parliament navigated our way through this bill the first we had inherited as a committee. The Whakatōhea Claims Settlement Bill gives effect to the deed of settlement signed between the members of Whakatōhea and the Crown in May 2023. With a population of about 17000 the Whakatōhea iwi is based on the Eastern Bay of Plenty—and I would like to acknowledge the MP here Dana Kirkpatrick for East Coast and of course Cushla Tangaere-Manuel—with a land interest of about 200000 hectares and comprises of six hapū. Each Treaty settlement has its own unique story. The Whakatōhea story spans over 180 years beginning with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on this day May 28 in 1840. Clause 8 of the settlement bill that we are discussing today outlines an agreed historical account and sets the basis for the Crown's acknowledgment and apology in clauses 9 and 10 respectively. The historical account states that by 1864 as mentioned earlier by my colleague Whakatōhea had developed a thriving agricultural economy and had constructed a shipping fleet which was trading prolifically with the growing Auckland settlement at the time.But matters turned horribly in 1865 when the Crown held Whakatōhea responsible for the death of missionary Carl Völkner and proceeded to punish Whakatōhea by declaring martial law and adopting a disgusting scorched earth approach. The Crown's forces looted plundered and destroyed almost all in their midst. They enacted the only cavalry attack in New Zealand's history and the lives of 45 men and women were tragically stolen as a result at Te Tarata Pā. Even reservation was established on confiscated land in Ōpape where many people of Whakatōhea were forced to relocate to. Unsurprisingly the once thriving Whakatōhea economy and infrastructure was effectively destroyed. This is but a fraction of the suffering inflicted upon the people of Whakatōhea. Although there is so much that has taken place in the Whakatōhea plight over 150 years I will bring us to the more recent history for the purposes of this bill. In the 1990s there was an unsuccessful attempt to settle and after much soul-searching within Whakatōhea—and dare I say within the Crown as well—Treaty settlement negotiations began anew under the Hon Christopher Finlayson continued by the Hon Andrew Little and now under the care of the Hon Paul Goldsmith. As I mentioned earlier the bill is the first Treaty settlement that I have been directly involved with and in honesty the process has been one that has moved me deeply and caused me to at times lay awake at night in reflection and contemplation; reflection on how the people of Whakatōhea live and carry on alongside their generational mamae—like two parallel universes existing side by side—and contemplation on the raw emotions that underpinned the submissions on this bill both in support and in opposition.It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge those voices who opposed the progression of this bill in particular Matua Te Rua Rakuraku whose sad but kind eyes I will never forget. When the Māori Affairs Committee travelled to Ōpōtiki in March of this year to hear the oral submissions the depth of emotion behind all of them indeed stirred me. But ultimately I was able to see clearly and I say this with all due respect—that this Treaty settlement is for the greater good of Whakatōhea and that the destination point always was and always will be a brighter future for the mokopuna of Whakatōhea.As I mentioned in my second reading address on this bill the Treaty settlement confers redress in financial cultural and commercial form to Whakatōhea. This settlement in particular is a trailblazer in two ways: first that it confers 5000 hectares of marine space to go to Whakatōhea for aquaculture endeavours; and two that it allows for the Waitangi Tribunal to continue its Waitangi Tribunal district inquiry Wai 1750 pertaining to Whakatōhea and to make findings but not recommendations; two firsts of its kind in a Treaty settlement. I'd like to here acknowledge Glenn Webber Jacob Pollock Jason Pou and Maui Hudson for the mahi they did in facilitating these innovative solutions.Whakatōhea is engraved in my heart for many reasons but mostly for showing me what forgiveness can look like. And here I'd like to acknowledge Dr Te Kahautu Maxwell who I first witnessed many years ago at a Waitangi Tribunal on expressions of mana wahine in traditional Māori society. I was captivated actually. I asked my friend Anne Kendall: Who is this gentle man?" I'd like to quote you Doctor because your submission helped with the struggles I was facing in terms of listening to the different submissions. This is translated: "Allow te Whakatōhea to again stand in nobility. Allow te Whakatōhea to again be warmed by the rays of the sun like te Whakatōhea has been waiting to do for 157 years. Allow te Whakatōhea to again be te Whakatōhea. Do not forget I will never forget the mistreatment of the Crown of myself of te Whakatōhea not ever but allow te Whakatōhea to enter into the world of light to rejuvenate te Whakatōhea to cure its ailments to return to me my health my soul my sovereignty". Thank you Whakatōhea for your manaakitanga for your lessons and for your aroha. I honestly pray with all my heart that you can go forward into that brighter future that Dr Maxwell spoke about. I commend this bill to the House."