Mahuta Nanaia: Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMahuta Nanaia: Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 20 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3486. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato): E tika ana me tāpiri taku mihi ki tērā rangatira rongonui tērā tōtara a Ērima nō reira e te rangatira moe mai moe mai rā.[It is fitting that I add my tribute to that well-known leader and tōtara Ērima; so to you revered one sleep rest there.]I would like to also support the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage’s acknowledgment and recognition of the former board member the late ĒrimaHēnare and his contribution not only to the Waitangi National Trust Board but also in other fields as a contribution to New Zealand’s history. Nō reira e te rangatira e kore e mutu ngā mihi ki a koe [Consequently my tributes to you esteemed one will never end].The Minister has covered much of the consideration of the Māori Affairs Committee but I thought it would be useful to share some of the considerations of the select committee when we made the changes that were referred to. Much of the history with regard to the gift of lands and the establishment of the trust board was leaned upon to consider the submission request certainly of Arapeta Hamilton and the recommendation that thought be given to equity of representation of family members. I want to draw the attention of the House to Vernon Reed’s history and recollection of the Bledisloe gift because that is the basis upon which we thought it would be only fair to consider the addition of Māori family members of those stated.For those who are history buffs I would call on your own thoughts surrounding the way in which members were added to this particular board. Indeed in a brief way Henry Williams and Tāmati Waka Nene were the first named representatives on this board and then Edward Gibbon Wakefield was added and then that fell to identified representatives Hone Heke Maihi Kāwiti and Pōmare to be included. What was not factored into the process was that for the four Māori whānau one representative actually had to give voice to those interests whereas for the other whānau each family member was able to have a representative of their own. I have heard the Minister say that a transparent process should occur for the selection of those members and I am sure that the current convention of those four Māori whānau to select their representation has some process to it. Far be it from me to try to articulate that but the point should be made that there would be—certainly within those family members—an agreed way to be able to select their particular member.Of more interest and note I think in our deliberations was the submission from the board. The board appeared keen in its submission to ensure that the future thinking about the way in which the Waitangi National Trust Board conducts its business and affairs were within the frame of modernising the scope and power. So we welcome—certainly as a select committee—the indication from the Minister that there will be a review. In fact when the Minister appeared before the select committee to answer some of the questions that we had in our own minds around clarity for the review we were heartened to know that a broad review would take place that there would be consultation with the board and that it would be in quite a defined time frame although no reference was made to urgency on the legislative timetable. We know how these things work Minister. So that was a very comforting kind of response. However that said we did continue to believe that it was within the scope of the bill to include representation of the Māori members and that is how we have reported back on this particular bill.We also believe that some of the powers that were identified by the board’s submission were useful to raise in this House as well. The board wanted practical things: powers to manage and protect the trust’s assets into the future. That would be a part of the modernisation process. It stated that it was important to consider the scope of the trust to be able to borrow to remove some of the lease restrictions that were on it and to include further provisions relating to the management and utilisation of the forestry block in the Waitangi endowment land. For my part in reading the submission and trying to understand the current operating limitations perhaps of the board I thought that these were all very genuine useful suggestions and they could be picked up in the review that the Minister has committed to.One of the things that the board raised in its submission was the ability to increase penalties for offences and breaches of by-laws. I did not kind of pursue a question line along this frame but it seemed to me that if it had asked for it it might well be something to consider going forward.We did ask the question as we considered the two particular land blocks that are associated with the trust—firstly the forestry block and then the endowment block—as to whether any of these two pockets of land were subject to Treaty settlements. In relation to the forestry block we were informed—and officials had this contained in their advice—that this is solely private land and it would not be subject to settlement. However there is a potential for the endowment block being subject to settlement because it is actually owned by the Crown.Can I say for my part given that the original Bledisloe gift was for the benefit of New Zealand the Bledisloes have done our country a great service to ensure that the document that defines our country the Treaty of Waitangi and the place for where those celebrations can occur should be something that we can continue to support in the spirit of what the Treaty represents for this country. It would be a sad day if the transfer of the endowment was handled in a transactional manner that did not take account of the significance of Waitangi as the place where our founding document was signed. So I place that on the table. Maybe it is something that will be debated at some later time and in another type of debate.Can I say that we are really privileged at the Māori Affairs Committee to have the kinds of conversations and debates that require us to pursue with some diligence the issues that would in other select committees divide a committee—divide the views of committee members on a number of things—but that did not happen in this particular instance. Where we felt that there was some tension around expanding the membership in front of a review we took time to consider what we were trying to achieve here. Can I say in the spirit of our committee that we have basically landed on the fact that it is about equity of representation. Yes perhaps the board is a large board. Yes perhaps it could make decisions round the table somewhat lengthy. However the spirit of the decision making at this particular board I would hasten to say is probably a little bit different to that of some other boards.On that note in relation to the decision around shortening the time of service of the members on the board to a maximum of three terms we had some further discussion on this and this may also come up in the review. Certainly in relation to the membership of the Māori members where mana is recognised and where the contribution of service is recognised often it is a lifetime appointment and nothing an individual can do can get them away from that. So although in this particular change to the bill there is a stipulation of a 3-year maximum term I would much rather think that in the review this may be one of the issues that will be revisited based on how representation over time has conducted itself in the best interests of the people of Māori but certainly in the spirit of the Waitangi National Trust Board to ensure that our overall interests as a country can be represented on this particular board.I am looking forward to the opening of the new centre. I am looking forward to continuing to see young people go to Waitangi as a part of their national education programme about the history of our country just as I enjoy going to Anzac ceremonies and seeing that particular day celebrated in the way that can make us proud as New Zealanders. Kia ora tātou. We support the bill.