Mackey Moana: Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
Mackey Moana: Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:678;Page:1540] 
MOANA MACKEY (Labour) 
: 
 Ko Hikurangi te maunga ko Waiapu te awa ko Ngati Porou te iwi. Tena koutou tena koutou tena tatou katoa. 
[ 
Hikurangi is the mountain Waiapu is the river and Ngati Porou are the people. Greetings and acknowledgments to us all. 
] 
I am extremely proud to be a member of this House on this historic day of the passing into law of the Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill. This bill recognises and addresses those grievances and settles the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngati Porou which are significant and longstanding. The historical grievances are the direct result of the Crown’s failure to respect Ngati Porou’s rangatiratanga. The Crown-imposed significant land tenure reform on Ngati Porou has meant that the East Coast does remain one of the most socioeconomically deprived regions of New Zealand despite the significant efforts and achievements of the people and the runanga of Ngati Porou thus far. Although it is not possible to fully compensate Ngati Porou for the losses and grievance suffered as the Minister of Maori Affairs has said the redress in this bill seeks to recognise the longstanding cultural and spiritual association that Ngati Porou has within our region.  
This Treaty settlement is—in true Ngati Porou style—innovative strategic and at all times carried out with the famous Ngati Porou modesty. It includes the vesting of sites of cultural and historical significance a strategic partnership over public conservation lands a financial settlement a relationship accord between Ngati Porou and the Crown and much more. But as others have done I want to particularly mention the inclusion of recognition of Ngati Porou’s military service. No family has been left untouched by the enormous contribution Ngati Porou men and women have made to the military efforts of Aotearoa and I want to acknowledge them today. But what we must ensure is that these strategic relationships and partnerships are real and enduring and that they do not disappear or fade away after an initial burst of enthusiasm on behalf of the Crown and its entities. But I am confident that the Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill will provide the base for a continuing productive and mutually respectful relationship with the Crown.  
I want to acknowledge the work of Te Haeata the subcommittee responsible for the supervision of negotiations and the work of the negotiating team. Te Haeata is indeed an appropriate name given the new dawn this Treaty settlement heralds for the people of Ngati Porou and I look forward to the continuing cultural and economic renaissance of Ngati Porou following this settlement. It is important to acknowledge the work of Te Runanga o Ngati Porou thus far. As part of the post-settlement process the runanga will also pass over $50 million worth of agricultural social and cultural assets built up from practically nothing over the last 25 years. Collectively these assets already employ 300 people in our region. And as a scientist I welcome the work that is under way on post-settlement initiatives. These will potentially include firstly a science technology and innovation unit to work with universities to find more efficient and profitable ways of managing farms aquaculture and fisheries and to turn round the historical relative underperformance of Maori assets. Maori in general and Ngati Porou in particular have found it very difficult to access mainstream research funding from central government. Government science and innovation strategy documents do not acknowledge the particular needs and interests of the Maori economy. Changes need to be made to ensure Maori applicants’ equitable access to mainstream science and innovation funding not just small carved-off specialist pots of money.  
They also potentially include the development of a science syllabus which will prepare students for work for the tribe in the future. They include the establishment of a school of excellence focused on tikanga and reo and an associated sporting academy. And they include housing and alternative education initiatives. These are all initiatives that will make a significant difference to the economy and to the people of Ngati Porou. I note that an online poll on the www.tehaeata.co.nz website shows that 74 percent of respondents said employment should be the priority for Ngati Porou. So I particularly welcome the comments from the Te Runanga o Ngati Porou chairman Dr Api Mahuika when he reaffirmed that post-settlement decisions will focus on people not just the financial bottom line. As we grow our assets and our economic activity we are going to need the people with the skills to look after those assets. And I could do no better than to read this quote from Dr Mahuika: “We have to develop ourselves at home because if you can’t keep the home fires burning and if you can’t keep the sentiment of your people and the tikanga that they belong to—then you lose them … and we don’t want to lose them because they are the repositories of our history our knowledge our tikanga and our reo.” Kia ora uncle. We must do everything we can to give our young people opportunities at home not in Australia.  
I want to mention one last thing. Today is a significant step forward for the relationship between the Crown and Ngati Porou. But that relationship is holistic and not limited solely to Treaty settlement processes. The Crown must treat the relationship as one of ongoing mutual respect in practice as well as in word and in regard to recent activities and processes embarked upon by the Government in relation to oil and gas exploration off the East Coast the Crown fell seriously short of its obligation under that relationship.  
So it is an honour to speak today. I want to congratulate all those who have worked to get us here today especially the many who are no longer with us. Today marks a new dawn for the people of Ngati Porou. Kia kaha. Kia manawanui. Tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou. Kia ora mai koutou katoa.