Little AndrewIWI AND HAPŪ OF TE ROHE O TE WAIROA CLAIMS SETTLEMENT BILLSecond ReadingHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I move That the Iwi and Hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa Claims Settlement Bill be now read a second time.This bill gives effect to the deed of settlement between the Crown and iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa signed near Wairoa on 26 November 2016 just over a year ago. The deed of settlement settles all the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims relating to the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa. The settlement comprises historical redress recording the Crown's breaches and past injustices; cultural redress acknowledging connections to land and resources of significance to the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa; 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.I acknowledge the work of the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa negotiators Te Tira Whakaemi o Te Wairoa and the governance entity Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust. I also acknowledge the work of the previous Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations the Hon Christopher Finlayson whose mahi in this area has been phenomenal and will be a legacy to this House for some time to come. I acknowledge also the Government agencies and local authorities for their contributions to the bill. I'd like to thank the Māori Affairs Committee which considered the bill for exploring the issues raised in submissions and ensuring the bill has been progressed. The bill was referred to the committee on 14 March 2017. The committee received 29 written submissions from interested groups and individuals and heard 17 of these at a hearing in Wairoa on 12 May this year. The committee reported the bill back to the House on 25 July this year and recommended it be passed with a small number of amendments.The committee's commentary on the bill focuses on issues raised in the submissions that were made on the bill. A key issue for submitters was the claimant definition of iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa". Several submissions requested changes to the schedule to the claimant definition so that hapū could be more appropriately acknowledged. Some submitters also thought that some hapū had been left out of the claimant definition because they were not specifically listed in the schedule. During Treaty negotiations the claimant definition was researched negotiated agreed by the parties and ratified by the claimant community. Furthermore hapū that were not specifically listed in the schedule to the claimant definition may still benefit from the settlement provided they fit within the claimant definition at clause 13. The committee accepted this advice.Another key issue for submitters was the historical redress included in the Treaty settlement. In particular submitters expressed concern about the scope of the historical account and the process used for writing the historical account. The historical account is an important element of the settlement as it records the history of the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa's interactions with the Crown and the Crown's actions and omissions that breached the Treaty of Waitangi. It's not a general history of the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa. The committee examined the process used for writing the historical account and were satisfied that this was robust.Finally some submitters considered that the relationship redress for Te Urewera in the form of a partnership with Te Urewera Board was unfair or inequitable. The committee examined these submissions as well as a report prepared by Sir Wira Gardiner on Te Urewera redress. Sir Wira Gardiner's report found that redress in the form of a partnership agreement with the board was in line with the level of the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa's interests in Te Urewera. The committee was satisfied that agreement on Te Urewera redress had been reached after a robust consultation process.The committee did recommend some minor and technical amendments to the bill. These ensure consistency between the bill and the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa deed of settlement and add greater specificity. This second reading brings us closer to the concluding stages of settling the historical claims of the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa and I look forward to talking in more detail at the third reading when we fully celebrate the settlement. Until then I commend this bill to the House."