Sharples Pita: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Second Reading 
Sharples Pita: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6714] 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker tena tatau e te Whare. Tena koutou kua hara mai nei ki te tautoko i tenei ahuatanga i tenei rangi tena tatau. 
[ 
Greetings to you Mr Speaker and to us the House. Greetings also to those of you who have come here today in support of this matter greetings to us 
.] 
I move  
That the Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill be now read a second time 
. I am grateful to the Maori Affairs Committee for its work in considering the bill and for its report on the bill and I acknowledge all the submitters who participated. There can be no doubt that the subject of the bill has captured the hearts of many a tourist historian archaeologist and writer. The brilliance of the geothermal landscape; the legacy of the late guides Sophia Hinerangi Rangi Dennan and the more recently departed Bubbles Mihinui; the mighty Pohutu Geyser; the unique fact of approximately 500 hot springs; and the spectacular displays of geothermal resource are all features that make Whakarewarewa a living thermal village that is on a par with the natural wonders of the world. 
A debt of nationhood is seen in the bill which finally gives effect to the deed entered into by Ngati Whakaue Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao Te Pumautanga trustees and the Crown. The deed entered into on 5 August 2008 transfers three areas of recreational reserve lands—the Southern Arikikapakapa Reserve and the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs Reserve which together make up the Whakarewarewa Valley land and the Roto-a-Tamaheke Reserve—to the iwi of Ngati Whakaue and Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao. The reserves have the status of recreation reserves and are currently administered by the Ministry of Tourism under the Reserves Act 1977. 
I emphasise from the start that the bill is not part of a Treaty settlement. It was deemed appropriate for the Minister of Maori Affairs to progress the proposal outside the Treaty settlement framework because it was considered to strengthen the Crown-Maori relationship generally and it was not providing any settlement redress to Ngati Whakaue. 
I spoke earlier about some of the distinctive history attached to the area. The leadership of Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao and Ngati Whakaue approached the Government back in April 2008 with a proposal to vest the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs and the Roto-a-Tamaheke Reserve into a new joint trust once they had transferred to the affiliate Te Arawa Treaty settlement entity. But there is a particular story that I must tell which helps to explain something about why we have come to this point today. In order to do so we must travel back to the decade between 1883 and 1893 when the Whakarewarewa Valley was subject to no less than three Native Land Court hearings. The absence of fairness and transparency in the courts processes in establishing ownership over lands held according to Maori custom is now generally accepted. Suffice it to say history reveals that the court originally established that ownership was to be shared by the hapu of Ngati Wahiao and Ngati Whakaue. 
Halfway through this time a remarkable event occurred. The eruption of Mount Tarawera brought forth a torrent of mud ash and steam. A series of violent earthquakes occurred and the settlements of Te Tapahoro Moura Te Ariki Totarariki and Waingongongo were either destroyed or buried. In the wake of the eruption Tuhourangi evacuated from Mount Tarawera and were welcomed into Whakarewarewa where they settled and married into Ngati Wahiao and remain there to this day. 
Yet the outcome of the Native Land Court hearings continues to be hotly contested by the iwi parties today. As a consequence of the court’s decision the land surrounding the village passed into Crown ownership. But despite the Crown’s administration of these reserve lands initially by the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts and more recently by the Ministry of Tourism the whenua itself has never ceased to hold immense significance to the iwi. It has always been and always will be central to the identity of Ngati Wahiao Tuhourangi and Ngati Whakaue. 
Today I remain absolutely confident that all iwi and mana whenua interests in the reserves will be able to participate in the arrangements for their management and allocation in the future. The recently concluded facilitation process conducted by Te Ururoa Flavell and John Clarke—whom I acknowledge for their hard work—and the staff of Te Puni Kokiri allowed iwi and mana whenua to discuss future management. I am pleased to hear that the four koromatua whakapapa lines will be the basis for mana whenua settlement. 
The Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill supports cultural identity in so many ways including the fast-emerging trend of iwi management of critical cultural assets self-determination by Maori over the activities undertaken on and around the iwi kainga and the accompanying realisation of tino rangatiratanga. 
This bill also reflects the fact that the iwi parties have agreed to initiate a process after the bill becomes law that will allow iwi to determine the allocation of mana whenua interest in the land. The bill itself does not provide for this process to occur; this is a matter for iwi parties to determine. I understand that this process will be undertaken in accordance with tikanga. The mana whenua process may result in the reserves being administered by the hapu in whom the Native Land Court originally established ownership. This is exactly how it should be because at the end of the day mandating and management issues are always the domain of iwi and hapu to sort out. We all await the results with great interest. 
I remind the House that many of these issues have endured over generations and no doubt will continue to be the subject of debate amongst the people. I think that a comment from Ngati Whakaue might apply more broadly to all hapu and iwi implicated in this bill: “Hei aha noa ake i mate ai au ka tipu aku pakarito. It does not matter if I die; I am survived by my descendants.” We know that matters of land ownership and tino rangatiratanga are the issues most passionately contested jealously guarded and vigorously upheld by the people and they will continue to be so after this bill has passed. However I am absolutely confident that the iwi have the capacity within themselves to manage the mana whenua process in a way that reflects their tikanga and enhances the taonga associated with this land. There is no one else better and no one more capable than tangata whenua to manage their own whenua and the taonga associated with that whenua. 
I note that the iwi have agreed to maintain the reserve status which creates an ongoing relationship with the Minister of Conservation. It is a manifestation of their rangatiratanga their noble commitment to the Crown-iwi relationship; I am humbled by their graciousness. 
He tika tonu te whakamihi ki nga kaumatua o nga iwi nei kua ngaro i te kitenga kanohi. Moe mai ra e koro ma e kui ma i te po. Ka mihi hoki ki nga uri e whai tonu ana i nga moemoea o o ratau kuia o o ratau koroua mo te whenua tipuna nei. E hika ma tenei ka whakatutuki haere i te kupu a te Karauna i ki ai no koutou tenei whenua ma koutou e whakahaere. Kei te whakamihi au ki te wahanga o tenei pire e ki ana ma koutou ano e whakariterite te mana whenua i runga ano i o koutou tikanga. Kia kaha ki a koutou. Tenei ka tuku i te pire nei ki mua i te aroaro o te Whare.  
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
I 
t is appropriate to acknowledge the elders of those tribes who have departed this life. Slumber there in the night ancient menfolk and womenfolk. I also acknowledge the descendants who are giving life to the dreams and aspirations of their old womenfolk and menfolk for this ancestral land. People this fulfils and gives effect to the commitment of the Crown that this is your land and it is for you to administer. I acknowledge the section of this bill that states that you the people alone will determine authority over the land according to your customs. Be strong in your endeavours. 
] 
I commend this bill to the House.