Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs):Some say that sheis just a fantasyBut I can swearthat she is there.So come along with me…When the night is stilland the moon is clearYou can see Paniaof the reef appearKua tae mai a Pānia kua tae mai a Karitoki kua tae mai a Morimori.Nō reira e ngā hapū o Ahuriri kua huihui mai i runga i kauapa whakanui tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā koutou katoa.[Pania has arrived Karitoki has arrived Morimori has arrived.Therefore to the hapū of Ahuriri who have gathered here in the spirit of celebration greetings greetings greetings one and all.]To those that have travelled all the way from Ahuriri but can't be here in the debating chamber but I know they're on precinct can I extend my warm welcome to them all. It is an absolute pleasure to be the final speech on this third reading of the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill. Can I acknowledge those that may be watching at home. I'm probably going to get a text from my mother that says Stick to your day job." but you know I know she would want to be here but I want to acknowledge all the hapū of Ahuriri that have come along. It is unfortunate we cannot have them here in the debating chamber because it gives that sense of grandeur that Treaty bills absolutely deserve particularly on the third and final reading.Can I too acknowledge those that are not here today. I want to particularly mention Uncle Heitia and Margaret Hīha Ron Toatoa Fred Reti.These were the whānau whose whakaahuas came to the pō'hiri today. So those that are no longer with us I want to mihi to them.I want to also acknowledge all those involved in the settlement: obviously the Hon Chris Finlayson; obviously our colleague the Hon Michael Cullen; and of course the current Minister of Treaty settlements the Hon Andrew Little. The Ahuriri negotiators: I want to particularly acknowledge Piriniha Prentice Barry Wilson Joinella Maihi-Carroll and of course the Te Arawhiti officials and all those—our Māori Affairs Committee colleagues everyone that's made today possible. It has been a long journey and it's not been without its challenges but today is a day of acknowledging the harm and the hurt of the past but also of celebrating and with great expectation what is to come before us.There are two parts particularly that I want to draw attention to in my contribution this afternoon and it is around underscoring Māori land legislation yet again as it appears in this particular settlement and how generous the hapū of Ahuriri were in 1840 when they settled Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu which is the greater Ahuriri-Napier area. In 1851 they allowed the Crown to purchase the Ahuriri Block for £1500. In the mid-1850s tension was created. Māori were killed with the Crown obstinately obsessed with getting more land. In 1865 you had more legislation passed by this House. It introduced the 10-owners rule that led to greater alienation in this particular settlement when in 1870 51000 acres of 54000 acres were alienated under the 10-owner rule. I want to underscore that because I've stood in this House many times to look after the very little Māori whenua we have in Māori hands and here's a classic example in acknowledging this third reading that another iwi not only had their land taken off them but actually their legislation that enabled the guarantees that weren't promised and upheld. That's what we are acknowledging here today.In 1874 more land was gifted to the Napier Harbour Board. In the settlement the Minister talked about shares in the Napier airport. I'm hoping that the Port of Napier will also learn the history of how they came to be and how the Crown enabled them with whenua from the local hapū of Ahuriri.So I want to acknowledge those particular histories of this claim but I'm under no illusion that both the apology and the cultural redress and the financial redress in this settlement of something to the tune of $19.5 million will aid and abet the opportunities that these hapū so well deserve. The gifting and losing of so much land in a key strategic city of the Kahungunu estate—Ahuriri is the gateway into Ngāti Kahungunu. It is the gateway because it's the airport site and it has a port and it also has a railway. This is why it is regarded as strategically in a very important area of the Kahungunu estate. Therefore my message to those in Napier in Ahuriri our business sector our councils: please work alongside these people because they're not going anywhere and now they've got $19.5 million not to mention the statutory acknowledgments over many of our strategic waterways. It makes sense that the people of Napier work alongside them and I'm pleased that the member that just took his seat prior to me getting up Ian McKelvie said that he found no National supporters walking around the estuary of Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu—probably he was looking in the wrong place because there's no whare around there. Maybe he should go up the Bluff Hill—maybe there's plenty up there.But the point being that these people have actually sacrificed—I shouldn't say "these people" because they're my people our people. Our tīpuna have sacrificed significantly to the growth and development of Ahuriri-Napier and it is important in the passing of this bill in its third and final reading that we look forward to the opportunities. At today's 1 p.m. pō'hiri our speaker from our side acknowledged ngā mokopuna o ngā moemoea and I want to leave in my contribution the opportunity for ngā mokopuna of ngā hapū o Ahuriri because this settlement gives the opportunity for the settlement trust in its responsibility to those mokopuna—to share the story of all mokopuna across Ahuriri-Napier of all mokopuna throughout the Ngāti Kahungunu estate to share this important story of what transpired for the people and the hapū of Ahuriri. It is an important part of our history that we must acknowledge and we must share throughout our kura of Hawke's Bay of Ahuriri.So there are opportunities here for all people and I have no doubt that under the new leadership of this trust—I want to acknowledge Tania Eden. I also want to acknowledge the newly appointed chief executive Liz Munroe. I want to congratulate these wāhine toa for the positions that they have taken up but more importantly to lead our people into those opportunities that are quite clearly around and within the Ahuriri area. It is my pleasure and my honour to commend the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill to the House. Mauri ora ki a koutou.Motion agreed to.Bill read a third time."