Wall Louisa: Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWall Louisa: Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 07 May 2014. Volume:698;Page:17661. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]LOUISA WALL (Labour—Manurewa): Tēnā koe Mr Assistant Speaker. E ngā mana e ngā reo rau rangatira mā ngā whānau o Ngāti Hauā tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa. I too have been looking through quite a bit of history and documentation around Ngāti Hauā and how we have come to be where we are today. What struck me was that in 1865 Wīremu Tamihana signed Te Maungarongo which was the covenant of peace. I think what I have felt today is that covenant of peace that is part of your entire settlement process. So I want to acknowledge that. I want to acknowledge that tikanga. I want to acknowledge that tupuna and the influence that he has and continues to have over how Ngāti Hauā conduct their business. I think within the context of Treaty settlements that is an incredibly empowering Ngāti Hauā trait that should be recognised because I think it is the manner in which we conduct ourselves that defines who we are as a people and also provides the context and the platform for how we then move into the future. So I congratulate Ngāti Hauā on the second reading of the Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill.I congratulate our Māori Affairs Committee and also this Parliament for prioritising these Treaty settlements. The reality is there are 25 more sitting days I think before the House rises on 31 July and then we enter what will be an interesting election phase. But what this Parliament has done is prioritise our Treaty settlements. So we are hopeful that you will have your third reading before this session of Parliament concludes. I want to pay tribute to all the work that you have done.I am particularly interested in the joint committee that will be established with the Matamata-Piako District Council. It has a specific kaupapa which is about the management of the aerodrome at Waharoa. But what I am hoping that that opportunity provides is a more sophisticated conversation about Ngāti Hauā’s role within the operation of the council. This is an opportunity for the council and Ngāti Hauā to work constructively together within a partnership framework. I think that as we move into the future the conversation about mana whenua representation on our local councils is of this time. I think it is opportunities such as this that will provide opportunities in the future that continue to embed Ngāti Hauā’s identity and their status and alsoopportunities to take all of our Māori values and beliefs into how we prepare and plan for the future of our rohe. It is something that we on this side of the House are concerned about.It is about constitutional change. It is about constitutional recognition. A lot of the Treaty settlements have statutory recognitions. This is one such recognition because what it does is embed your status within your rohe and within the context of a governance aspect of how our country will be governed going into the future. So I will look with interest.I think this is another one of those areas where the implementation of legislation and this new entity that the Office of Treaty Settlements has established will provide more of an opportunity for Ngāti Hauā and for other iwi around the country to have more of a formal say. It is based on our status. So I am excited about that aspect.I am not going to speak for much longer. I regret that I had to move from the Māori Affairs Committee. I do want to acknowledge our chair the Hon Tau Henare and all other members of our Māori Affairs Committee because we do work hard. In fact I think if we looked at the number of bills that have been through the Māori Affairs Committee in this term we would see that that committee has been the most productive select committee. Therein the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations has been the most productive Minister. I think what you see is normal practice across this Parliament and that is that we have consensus around Treaty settlements. For us it is about moving forward positively and productively and trying to realise the partnership that was envisaged when some of us signed the Treaty. It was about not losing who we are not losing our responsibilities as Māori but how we can now work constructively in terms of our country Aotearoa New Zealand.So I wish you safe travels home but more important I look forward as you do to the third reading of your settlement legislation in this celebration and the opportunity to recognise all the leadership all your tūpuna both past and present who have brought us to this point in time. Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.