Finlayson ChristopherNGATIKAHU KI WHANGAROA CLAIMS SETTLEMENT BILLSecond ReadingHon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I move That the Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa Claims Settlement Bill be now read a second time. This bill gives effect to a deed of settlement between the Crown and the iwi which was signed in December 2015 the closing stages of last year. It provides financial and cultural redress and acknowledges the losses suffered by Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa arising from serious breaches by the Crown of its Treaty obligations. I want to as I do always acknowledge the work of the negotiators for Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa my ministerial colleagues and the Government and other agencies that have contributed to this bill.I also want to thank the chair and members of the Māori Affairs Committee for their hard work during the consideration of the bill and for the exploration of the issues that were raised in submissions. The bill was referred to the committee on 13 April this year 19 submissions were received from interested groups and individuals and the committee heard 11 of these at hearings in the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and in Wellington in June this year. The committee reported back to the House on 2 September and it recommended that it be passed with some technical changes to land descriptions. There is one particular matter I want to refer to. In its commentary on the bill the committee noted there were several submissions that asked for Stony Creek Station to be transferred to Ngāti Aukiwa rather than Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa and they wanted it transferred as a distinct tribal entity. Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa who are the mandated negotiators have repeatedly advised the Crown that most marae and hapū have associations with the Stony Creek Station and the adjacent Thomson and Clarke Blocks. For a number of years certain members of the Ngāti Aukiwa hapū within Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa have occupied the Stony Creek Station. There have been numerous attempts to repair the relationship between the iwi and the occupiers and have the occupiers leave Stony Creek. It is vital for the success of the Treaty settlement that the iwi can obtain its major Treaty settlement assets unencumbered and that they work together. The iwi is going to need to redevelop a farm that has been neglected and develop their assets for the benefit of all its beneficiaries. The station and adjacent blocks are going to be vested in the post-settlement governance entity (PSGE) on the proviso that the PSGE is responsible for finalising ownership. The trust deed of the PSGE requires the trust to develop a fair and transparent process open to all members of Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa to review and determine the final ownership of Stony Creek Station no longer than 4 years after settlement date. If the process is not undertaken any adult member of the iwi can apply to the High Court to have the conditions enforced. The second reading brings us one vital step closer to concluding all the work that has been done on this settlement over many years including by Dr Michael Cullen. It is a process where the Crown with iwi has sought to identify what is important to the people of Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa and to reach agreement on redress for historical breaches of the Treaty. I commend the bill to the House.