Carter DavidRt Hon DAVID CARTER (National): Madam Deputy Speaker thank you. Tēnā koe. Can I start by acknowledging the elders of Ngāti Porou in the gallery today and particularly Selwyn Parata who I know has stepped into the role as chairman of the rūnanga following the very sad passing of Dr Api Mahuika.I don't claim to know much about this legislation. As I was listening to the Greens' contribution I realised that of all the select committees around Parliament the only one I've never sat on at any occasion even on a temporary substitution basis is the Māori Affairs Committee. But I do want to take the opportunity of acknowledging what was said by many speakers and particularly the Hon Chris Finlayson about the complexity and the history of this legislation. I also refer to my good friend Nuk Korako and his comments to me that this legislation followed directly from the seabed and foreshore legislation—that unfortunate legislation passed by the Helen Clark Government some years ago that caused quite a lot of angst to many many iwi around the country.I do want to take this opportunity of acknowledging the huge contribution that the Hon Christopher Finlayson has made to this particular legislation and also to numerous Treaty settlements over many many years. Very sadly for this House Mr Finlayson will give his valedictory speech to the House in two weeks' time and regardless of political affiliations I think every member of this House would acknowledge the huge contribution he has made particularly as Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations with the settlements he has progressed through this House and also as Attorney-General. In fact I read some very interesting comments recently by the Rt Hon Winston Peters when he claimed that the Hon Chris Finlayson was indeed one of the greatest legal minds in the Commonwealth. Now for most that should be a real badge of honour but coming from Mr Winston Peters I'm not sure that it is.My final words would be to acknowledge the late Dr Api Mahuika. I had the privilege of working with this gentleman on a number of occasions when I was Minister for Primary Industries. He was a man of absolute integrity a man of huge stature and a man absolutely dedicated to delivering to the people of Ngāti Porou. I think Māori have a wonderful word that describes this man: he had mana. Of all the people you meet throughout your life there are some people who impress you significantly and you carry with you for the rest of your days. That particular impression of that man Dr Api Mahuika would have been one of those people who had a huge impact on me.I treasure the time I travelled on a couple of occasions to Gisborne to the East Cape looking particularly at those issues associated with the East Coast forestry project—the project initiated immediately after Cyclone Bola as they now move to the second cycle of that. We also visited there looking at opportunities that the iwi might get particularly in the primary industries sector around forestry around agriculture and around fisheries and I hope the passing of this legislation will give the opportunity for that iwi to take more opportunities for economic development for the people of Ngāti Porou.Can I close Madam Deputy Speaker by just referring to this book: Ngati Tama Toa: The Price of Citizenship. It's a history of the Māori Battalion from 1939 to 1945. The reason I mention that is I still remember the day Dr Api Mahuika came into my office and presented this wonderful book to me. He autographed it personally; it's dated 4 May 2012. I haven't yet read it Mr Parata but I intend to make sure that when I finally leave this place that book goes with me as a great treasure and when I have more time to read this wonderful story about the contribution of the Māori Battalion to New Zealand and New Zealand's history through that World War I'll treasure the opportunity of reading that book and as I do read it I will recall with huge pleasure the person who presented it to me. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker.