Horomia Parekura: Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Horomia Parekura: Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
[Sitting date: 18 July 2012. Volume:681;Page:3715. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rawhiti) 
: 
 In beginning I want to reiterate what the Hon Tariana Turia said and recognise the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations presently Chris Finlayson for the effort he has put in and also the Maori Affairs Committee which I am lucky enough to be part of led ably—most of the time—by Tau Henare. I also want to recognise people like Michael Cullen who are not here and the officials. It is also important to give congratulations and thanks to Awhi Awhimate and Te Ariki Morehu—Te Ariki has been a long proponent of getting towards a finishing date and I know that he would look forward to this—and Morris Meha Neville Nepia and the Ngati Makino Heritage Trust. The journey for Ngati Makino has been particularly long. The terms of negotiation were originally signed in 1998 and then the Crown withdrew from negotiations with Ngati Makino and did not re-engage with Ngati Makino until 2008. I commend all officials and Ministers involved over a period of time for getting to that point. It is also appropriate to recognise the contribution of those people outside of the core group who have worked hard to get this Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill to where it is today. 
This bill spells out one of the tortuous journeys that a people—iwi Maori—have had to suffer right from 1863. The war between the Crown and the Kingitanga was something that brought tension to the region and certainly the Kingitanga was strong in its views and why it was holding to its beliefs. It did create a bit of a split in Ngati Makino where some sided with the Kingitanga and some with the Crown. But through the years there was conflict and in 1865 when the Crown sought those responsible for some of the killings in the war Ngati Makino certainly suffered. The Crown deemed that certain tribes had been in rebellion and confiscated approximately 448000 acres of land in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. From that point on Ngati Makino certainly suffered severe disadvantage. 
They went through other stages when they preferred to lease the land that the Crown finally gave them and they got into sales but there were also huge debts placed on them in relation to survey costs. The accruing charges became so enormous that they sold land on to wipe the bills. Those sorts of actions were unnecessary and unfair and now we get to this stage of putting right that past wrong and certainly the Minister needs to be commended for his effort. By 1900 Ngati Makino was virtually landless. Nevertheless the Crown compulsorily acquired further Ngati Makino lands and the public lands that forestry was put on to and it encouraged those members from the 1920s to work on those public lands. So a lot of the Ngati Makino people then moved in the 1940s 1950s and 1960s to be involved in a lot of the labouring that was made available on these big Crown estates. It is certainly exciting and encouraging to see parts of the settlement trying to put some of that right. 
The bill records the settlement package which comprises a historical account an apology and cultural and commercial redress including the transfer of eight sites of significance to the Ngati Makino Heritage Trust and a whenua rahui classification over 256 hectares of the Lake Rotoma Scenic Reserve which provides for the Crown to acknowledge Ngati Makino values in relation to the area. It includes relationship redress including protocols with the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage and the Minister of Energy and Resources. Again in most of the journeys of these bills and discussions I encourage the Minister to take an active role in ensuring that those Government agencies and those Ministers live true to the word in the settlement because at times I think it has let slip for a host of reasons. Minister I would again encourage you to make sure of that because it is important to them. There is the $1 million already paid for the Ngati Makino marae restoration and revitalisation the half a million dollars already paid to assist with identification in remedy of the social services needs and the $9.8 million plus interest accruing from the date of the agreement in principle and the purchase of the balance of the Rotoehu West Forest licensed lands. 
The Maori Affairs Committee has examined the bill and heard from submitters. Although some submitters opposed the settlement it was recommended strongly that it be passed with amendments including that first it provides for the New Zealand Conservation Authority or a conservation board to have particular regard to Ngati Makino’s values and protection principles. 
This is one of the settlements that has been long overdue not just because of the period of time and history but also because of the way that the Government at certain periods has tried to sidestep putting right the wrong. Today we certainly join in supporting this bill from our side of the House and look forward to the finality next Thursday.