Chhour KarenKAREN CHHOUR (ACT): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a pleasure to stand and take a short call on the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua Claims Settlement Bill. I've stood a few times when it comes to settlement bills and stated that these are not really my areas of expertise and my understanding of the processes is very limited. But what I do understand is that they are a necessity to help people move forward and have a better future. So ACT is supportive of the settlement processes.I would like to just put forward my admiration at the absolute commitment that the elders and the generations that came after have stood firm and fought for what is right and I hope today when this settlement is full and final that you can stand with pride and say that we have done right by those who have passed and those who are to come. And I hope that that is a possibility after today. This bill addresses in good faith the repeated breaches of the Treaty by successive Governments. Governments in the 19th century failed to ensure that the core lands of the Wairarapa Māori were protected. An especially egregious breach was on property rights and the rangatiratanga guaranteed to them under article 2. Wairarapa moana an important source of food for Wairarapa Māori was taken from them. Wairarapa Māori fought through the courts and the political system to have the roles put right. But a deal between the Government and Wairarapa Māori for compensation of Lake Wairarapa was not honoured and that is not good enough and that needs to be addressed. It needs to be stated here that that was not good enough and I hope that the apologies that you're hearing today from those of us here are helpful for you to move forward.The Ngāti Kahungunu settlement trust or the settlement trust and the Government began negotiations a long time ago and I'm actually quite hurt myself seeing how long this process has taken. I think I have stated a few times that when you're a victim and you've been wronged having to go over and over and over how you've been wronged can actually be harmful and hurtful in itself and each time we are re-traumatising ourselves with the stories of the past and with that hurt. I really really want to stand here—and it may not be my place—and say I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. You should never have been put through that and I hope that some peace can come from this."Now the settlement process started and both parties deserve credit for negotiating good faith in the beginning. And from what I understand a settlement deed was agreed to in 2018. A majority of the tribe agreed and voted and agreed upon that but unfortunately some groups did not agree and sought their own settlements from my understanding. But as a result of this a new settlement was negotiated and there was an increase from the $93 million to $115 million and an offer of a further $5 million for enhancements of the lake's environment and this was ratified again by the majority of the settlement trust members who voted.So today I would just like to say I kind of find that the courts process that has happened recently—ACT finds it to be quite unhelpful because we want to in good faith make sure that we can move forward and we can allow Ngāti Kahungunu to take ownership and control again over their futures and not have to worry about this carrying on and on and on and re-traumatising this generation and future generations to come if it continues. So I would like to just finish by saying if this settlement has produced an apology we must have an apology from the Crown for the breaches cultural redress and protocols with the local government a return of a number of blocks of land in the Wairarapa including the Remutaka summit and blocks of Lake Wairarapa. More than $115 million and other redresses not in the bill—and I'd just like to say hopefully the people sitting here today and listening today can agree that this was made in good faith and I wish Wairarapa and Ngāti Kahungunu a blessed future for your next generation and generations to come. And I know that the future will be bright. Thank you."