Ririnui Mita: Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee 
Ririnui Mita: Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:655;Page:5055] 
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Labour) 
: 
 I begin by thanking the Associate Minister of Maori Affairs Georgina Te Heuheu for her contribution to Part 2 of the Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill and in particular her recollections in terms of the history of Pipitea Marae and how that particular taonga accommodated the many Maori who decided to come to Wellington—an unknown city—from far away places usually rural areas to have the opportunity to work here. The role that Pipitea Marae and its whanau played in making those people feel at home is really important. 
We have come to an area of the bill that speaks about the substance of the settlement. Part 1 was about giving effect to the deed of settlement the interpretation and miscellaneous matters and it is important that we have a robust discussion around that. But when we talk about what cultural redress means to Taranaki Whanui it becomes very difficult to speak about their emotional attachments to those particular areas. I heard it mentioned last evening in the House by the Minister during the second reading that there are particular areas in the cultural redress that are of cultural or important significance to Taranaki Whanui. But I am of the view that the whole 271000 hectares of the lands that were confiscated from them is of importance as well—more so. Earlier on the Hon Tau Henare rightly mentioned the difficulty in trying to put a figure around the level of loss. No one in this House would be foolish enough to even attempt to do that. But Taranaki Whanui through the negotiations have identified a number of areas that they wish to have returned as part of cultural redress. Certain protocols over those reserved areas also needed to be included in the bill. 
It is important at this point in time to acknowledge the expertise of the officials. When they put the bill together they were very very thorough in ensuring that the protocols could be enforced and that Taranaki Whanui having faced considerable difficulty in getting those areas included in the settlement should not be in the position where their interests in those reserved areas are nothing but words on paper. In fact the bill ensures that the Crown complies with the protocols and if that does not happen then there is action for the trustees of the settlement to take to ensure that the Crown does comply. 
I noted the contributions from the Minister when talking about the rohe of Taranaki Whanui. It is interesting when walking down Lambton Quay to look down on the footpath. From time to time we can see bronze plaques that describe where the water level was when Taranaki Whanui occupied that entire area. That was the beginning of the foreshore and seabed line and when they occupied that area they enjoyed many customary rights particularly over their fisheries. I am glad to see in the protocols that there are also protections of their customary fishing interests. As we all know Wellington is a popular place for the gathering of mataitai or kai moana or seafood. I know that it is of concern to Taranaki Whanui here in Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara that often those resources are pillaged and plundered even for commercial gain. From time to time we see a number of illegal poachers—I am sad to say that many of them are Maori—prosecuted for breaches of the law. Quite often we see a breach of the law as a crime against the State but Taranaki Whanui have a different opinion.