Mooney JosephJOSEPH MOONEY (National—Southland): It is a pleasure to rise as the member of Parliament for Southland and the National Party spokesperson for Treaty negotiations in support of this legislation at its final reading. Ngāti Maru iwi he rā tino nui tēnei mō koutou koutou te kaha me te manawanui. Nō reira e rau rangatira mā tēnei taku mihi atu ki a koutou. Tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.[To the Ngāti Maru tribe this is a very important day for you you of strength and patience. Therefore to the many chiefs this is my greeting to you. Greetings greetings to you all. Greetings to one and all.]It was a true privilege to meet a number of you this afternoon and to the elders leaders and members of Ngāti Maru who are witnessing this auspicious moment either here within Parliament or from their homes or wherever in the world they may be I extend a very warm welcome this afternoon. As we near the final stages of this bill's journey through this House I acknowledge that the signing of Ngāti Maru's settlement which took place in February has been a long time coming for iwi who have been in negotiations since the late 1980s. This bill completes the settlement process which began under former Treaty negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson during the last National-led Government and I wish to acknowledge Minister Andrew Little who has laid the settlement to its final conclusion here in the House today. I also extend my gratitude to the settlement negotiators for the Crown and for Ngāti Maru who worked tirelessly to shape an agreement that we all hope heralds a brighter future for present and future generations of Ngāti Maru.As I noted at the first reading of this legislation: with every Treaty settlement bill we as the House of Representatives turn our gazes in three directions. We look to the past reflecting on traumatic histories and legacies that are very much a part of our story as a nation and need to be acknowledged. We reflect on the present moment acknowledging those injustices and through redress we seek to make right the wrongs of the past. Finally we look to the future trusting that a re-forged relationship between the Crown and tangata whenua lays the foundation for our best days which lie ahead. The historical account contained in this bill catalogues the extensive loss of Ngāti Maru lands reduced access to mahinga kai and other natural resources and the erosion of tribal structures and cohesion during the 19th and 20th centuries which negatively impacted on all aspects of Ngāti Maru life and severely limited the ability of the tribe to participate in the development of the Taranaki region. Ngāti Maru have continued to suffer from the effects of poverty unemployment poor housing and diminished physical and spiritual health as a result. Ngāti Maru calculate that by 1920 more than half of their people had no surviving children. Many Ngāti Maru were forced to leave the district in search of employment resulting in further damage to their community. This intense sense of loss and disconnection within Ngāti Maru whenua and whakapapa is hauntingly expressed in the lament Maru hāhā hāhā te whenua hāhā te tangata." Maru of extreme loss and breathlessness. The land is deserted. In this bill the Crown acknowledges and apologises to Ngāti Maru for its acts and omissions which breach the Crown's obligations in the Treaty of Waitangi and for the damage that those actions caused to Ngāti Maru. These include acknowledgments relating to the wars in Taranaki in the 1860s the Crown's confiscation of approximately half of Ngāti Maru rohe its imprisonment of Ngāti Maru men without trial following their participation in protests initiated at Parihaka regarding the confiscation of Taranaki lands and its subsequent invasion and destruction. The legislation also includes an acknowledgment that the Crown failed to ensure that Ngāti Maru retain sufficient land for their present and future needs and that it failed to protect their rangatiratanga. Ngāti Maru will receive financial and commercial redress valued at $30 million. Cultural redress includes the vesting of 16 sites of cultural significance including the Purangi Domain and Tarata Domain. No redress can ever fully compensate for the wrongs of the past. However we hope that this settlement will allow Ngāti Maru to realise their aspirations for a vibrant economic and cultural future and restore a relationship between Ngāti Maru and the Crown based on mutual trust respect and cooperation. In closing I would like to share words which are very appropriate for today's proceedings. Tēnei au e te motu ko te kī mai a te ao nei kia hoatu ōna hara ki te rangi hao tina haere mai te taonga. It means "Here I am. The world instructs us to release the burdens of the past to the cleansing winds. Bring forth the blessings and opportunities of the future." Tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa. I commend this bill to the House."