te Heuheu Georgina: Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
te Heuheu Georgina: Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
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Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU (National) 
: 
 A e aku koroua aku kuia e nga whaea e nga papa e nga tamariki mokopuna tena koutou tena koutou tena tatou katoa. 
[ 
So to my elders men and women aunties and uncles children grandchildren greetings to you greetings to you and greetings to us all. 
]  
I am very proud once again to be here in this House when such a unique settlement comes to pass. And of course I should raise the issue that my children and my grandchildren—hopefully one day—are likely to benefit from this settlement. But it is not that obviously that makes me proud. It is that the iwi of the central North Island have finally stepped up to the plate and that with great leadership shown on both sides—on the side of the Crown and of the iwi—we come to the third reading of the Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill. 
It is a unique settlement and deserves to be recognised as such. It provides a platform for a new approach I think to other Treaty settlements that are iwi-based but may in some certain circumstances span several iwi and that is why the settlement is unique. It spans several iwi in the central North Island in this case. It brings them together over an interest that concerns them all and as Dr Cullen has rightly said it is limited in that respect to the assets under the Crown Forest Assets Act 1989 and in that the historical settlements of each of the iwi involved in the collective are still to be addressed—that is the next part of this big job that faces an incoming Government. 
I take on board the comments that Dr Cullen made about the momentum that has been generated on Treaty settlements in the last wee while. If both sides of the House are committed to an earlier settlement of all historical claims rather than a later one and although we have different dates in mind National certainly appreciates the fact that the momentum that has been generated must be picked up by an incoming Government after the next election. National members certainly give our undertaking that we will do that and we recognise clearly that something that takes so long for both the iwi and the Government to get to deserves to be kept moving at pace. We will certainly do that should we be privileged enough to take the reins of power after the election. 
This settlement addresses only claims that relate as I have said already to the Crown forest licensed land in the central North Island and had its genesis in the Crown Forest Assets Act. It brings together into one collective several iwi or tribes. They are Ngai Tuhoe Ngati Manawa Ngati Tuwharetoa Ngati Whakaue Ngati Whare Raukawa and the affiliate of Te Arawa—the House has just passed their claims settlement bill—and with the option for Ngati Rangitihi to be brought into the collective if that is desired by them and if it can be achieved. The option is certainly there; that is a unique aspect as well. The coming together into one collective is unique; an achievement not to be lightly passed over. Those of us who are involved in matters such as this know how difficult it is for iwi to come together even though there might be whakapapa relationships that span across all of them. This particular group of iwi have endeavoured to reach some kind of accord for some time—over a decade—so it is no mean feat that finally they have come to the table. They have managed to conclude a settlement and as I say with energy on both sides and commitment and a certain passion and real leadership that settlement has been achieved. 
This bill makes provision for the vesting of the central North Island Crown forest land and the transfer of accumulated rentals in that land to an iwi holding company and that company has a huge responsibility facing it. It will enable those assets to be allocated to the iwi named in the settlement in terms of the land claims. The bill sets out the principles and processes by which the allocation of the lands is to be achieved. That is also a unique development and that is set out in schedule 2. It is a tikanga-based resolution process for the central North Island forest lands which as I say is something new in regard to land and is also unique in that not only was the settlement proposed by the iwi but also this resolution process which basically calls upon the iwi themselves to take steps to share or allocate the land according to mana whenua generally speaking. The Government has no role in that and that is to be commended. Quite frankly no one outside of the iwi concerned will have a better appreciation of how land should be allocated other than the iwi itself. 
This legislation presents great opportunity but also great responsibility. We were in the Committee stage on this bill yesterday and some comments were made about the responsibility that will pass to the iwi in making sure that fair processes are employed and that fair outcomes are achieved and that there is a record of the proceedings that will progress the allocation of the lands. In the end we want to ensure that future generations will be satisfied that these things were done well they were done properly and that there will be no need for anybody to question in the future any of the outcomes. I commend this bill. It is a unique and absolutely wonderful development but as I say it will take great leadership to ensure that allocation proceeds on the basis that everyone will accept not just now but into the future. 
The other thing that is unique and I have mentioned it already is that the iwi themselves brought this proposal to the Government. My hope is that in other regions groups of iwi still to settle will see this bill as a basis that might be helpful for them. Indications from colleagues on the other side of the House and particularly from the Hon Mita Ririnui yesterday are that other regions other iwi are already looking to see whether they can come together in similar collectives to settle interests that are common to all of them. If that is the case if this bill has been a springboard for that kind of development in the Treaty settlements process then all the more reason why this claims settlement bill is so significant. For that alone I congratulate the iwi. Even though this is my family sitting in the gallery too often we do not give each other credit where credit is due and I want to do that now and do so now— 
Pita Paraone 
: That’s what true whanaungatanga is. 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: Thank you. It is a wonderful development and if we can keep the momentum going with those new initiatives then I can see very clearly that we can look at a day quite soon when historical grievances can be put behind us. 
This is a great day not just for the iwi of the central North Island but for New Zealanders. I am proud to be part of a country that has developed a process that genuinely addresses historical grievances of the indigenous peoples. Today the House will deal with five settlements bills so this is a very neat day particularly for Maori MPs in the House. It is a privilege to be here. It is a great day for the Parliament. It is a day when we can be assured that the honour not only of the iwi but also of the Crown is being restored. As I say I am very privileged to be part of that process. No reira tena koutou tena koutou tena tatou katoa.