Mahuta Nanaia: Mauao Historic Reserve Vesting Bill — First Reading 
Mahuta Nanaia: Mauao Historic Reserve Vesting Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:644;Page:13935] 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Customs) 
: 
 I rise to take just a very brief call also on the Mauao Historic Reserve Vesting Bill. I support the bill’s intent and I support its being sent to the select committee. There would have been a time in New Zealand’s history when Mauao would have been known only as Mount Maunganui which is tied to the shackles of our colonial past but this bill certainly signals a new way forward. The bill should be supported. The intent with which those people who want to see the restoration of the maunga back to iwi happen should be supported. The bill should also be supported because there is clearly an intention to maintain a link with everybody who now sees Mauao as their maunga not just the iwi of Ngai Te Rangi Ngati Ranginui and Ngati Pukenga but also the people of Tauranga. This is a model of what is perhaps possible.  
Some of the members who spoke before me pointed to the issue of what the benefit would be of giving back a maunga in fee simple title when the management still rests to some extent with the local authority. I will tell members what the benefit is. Partly the benefit is to ensure that iwi are now a very critical part of the management of Mauao. The other aspect is that it locks in a long-term relationship with the local authority no matter who the people around the council table of the day are and it enables iwi to say: “This is what we want to see happen with our maunga.”  
The other benefit which is made clear by the very nature of the name of this bill—the Mauao Historic Reserve Vesting Bill—is that the identity of that maunga within that rohe will now be forever known as Mauao. I think the benefits of that when leveraged by iwi will be realised in the tourism sector because now more than ever before it is not just our clean green image that is well recognised in terms of our identity throughout the world but also the living landscapes that exist and the stories we have within our areas. So people will want to know about Mauao. Just as people know about the volcanic cones in Ngati Whatua land and now a whole industry shares the history of Tamaki-makau-rau with all visitors—New Zealanders and international visitors—so too can the opportunity be for Mauao. Therein lies the benefit of vision.  
I certainly support the intent of local iwi to see their maunga returned and vested in them. Clearly recognition of the mana of Mauao within the district will be realised in current-day opportunities and certainly tourism is one part of that. More critically the opportunity to leverage a long-term relationship with local authorities in the long-term management of Mauao is something that we will continue to see realised as a result of this bill.  
I applaud the hard work and effort of the local member Mita Ririnui and also the Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia for bringing this bill to the House. In spite of the assertion by Tau Henare that the bill has come forward all of a sudden I say that no this bill has taken some time and people have had to get their minds around it. What does it really mean? Is it of benefit or is it not? Is it something that will realise opportunity or will it not? Those types of things take time and really in the sense of good faith both the Minister of Maori Affairs and the Associate Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations have taken a coordinated approach to ensure that they are working in sync with the people who are really set to benefit from this.  
I say to the people of Ngai Te Rangi Ngati Ranginui and Ngati Pukenga that they have set a fine model. It is our role along every part of the way to ensure that that can be realised. I see future opportunities and potential models for other iwi but it could be something else. We should always uphold the principle that where there is greater benefit to the broader interests of all New Zealanders then surely we should support that. I would hate to see people make politics of it at this stage of the process and I would like to see full support for the intent of this bill. Tena koutou katoa.