Anderton Jim: Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Anderton Jim: Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 24 March 2010. Volume:661;Page:9787. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Leader—Progressive) 
: 
 Under the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004 Maori were promised two specific commitments by 2014. The first was 20 percent of all new space from 1 January 2005. The second was the equivalent of 20 percent of pre-commencement space—that is aquacultural space—that would be approved between 1992 and 2005. As Minister of Fisheries from 2005 to 2008 I commenced a review of how the Crown could settle its pre-commencement space obligations to Maori as required under the settlement Act. The Ministry of Fisheries prepared a consultation document which was released to iwi beneficiaries and the review addressed the progress of the settlement to date. More important it provided a plan of how the Crown intended to implement and fulfil its pre-commencement space obligations under the settlement. 
It was clear that just about everyone could see that the Crown would not be able to deliver space by 2014. Maori were not separate from the group who saw that very clearly and many of them were of a mind to try to settle so that they could move on with development areas both in aquaculture and elsewhere that would enable them to fulfil their obligations to the members of their own iwi and hapu. 
The agreement encompassed in the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill today signals the commitment of Governments—both the previous Labour-Progressive Government which commenced this process and the current Government which has continued it and deserves congratulations on that—to ensure that aquaculture in New Zealand and the current completion of Treaty settlements can continue to make progress both in general terms and in particular cases. 
As the then Minister of Fisheries I sent an invitation to iwi requesting a proposal for an early settlement of the Crown’s pre-commencement space obligations. That invitation was issued after listening to iwi who wanted me to consider a regional settlement. Iwi responded in kind to that invitation and have worked tirelessly—and they deserve our congratulations and our thanks for that—together with officials from the Ministry of Fisheries who also remain remarkably unacclaimed by the country in general and who deserve our thanks as well. Together they worked to produce the agreement that is embodied in this bill. 
The agreement and subsequently this bill mirror both the desires of iwi for the settlement and the direction of the Crown’s plan to settle Maori aquaculture issues. The agreement that is in this bill provides for a payment of around $97 million for a full and final settlement of the Crown’s current pre-commencement space obligations in the Coromandel and the whole of the South Island. This agreement has been possible only because many iwi have found a way to work constructively together to reach a settlement both with the Crown and with each other. All those in industry and Government who participated in this agreement and the bill that has resulted deserve our thanks and our congratulations on the way in which they have worked. The ability of all parties to reach a significant milestone in such a short time is testament to the commitment that has been shown by all involved. It would have seemed almost “mission impossible” just 2 or 3 years ago to think that today we could be putting this bill through the House. 
The agreement and the bill mark an important stage of the Maori aquacultural settlement and it covers most of New Zealand’s highest-value aquaculture development including the Hauraki Gulf the Marlborough Sounds and the Tasman regions as well as the rest of the South Island. The bill reflects the goodwill that has been shown by both the previous Government and the current Government and by iwi to work together to settle a Treaty claim and bring certainty to all parties. The iwi representatives and their officials in Te Ohu Kai Moana should be commended for their contribution to this settlement. The early settlement will assist iwi and the aquaculture sector in their future endeavours to grow the aquaculture industry which in my view and in the view of many others is an important element of New Zealand’s future growth and progress. 
Aquaculture is of course a growth industry. It has great potential for employment and investment opportunities for Maori and I am sure I am joined by all my colleagues in this Parliament in wishing them well in their endeavours.