Sharples Pita: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Sharples Pita: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:658;Page:7567] 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I move  
That the Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill be now read a third time 
. Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker Roy. Tena tatou katoa e te Whare. Tena koutou e nga uri o Te Arawa waka kua hara mai nei ki te tautoko i te whakaturetanga o te pire nei. Na reira nau mai hara mai ra koutou. 
[ 
Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker Roy and to us all in the House. Greetings to you descendants of the Te Arawa canoe who have come in support of the passing of this bill into law. And so welcome welcome. 
] 
This bill gives effect to the deed entered into by Ngati Whakaue Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao and Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa trustees and the Crown to transfer the Southern Arikikapakapa Reserve the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs Reserve and the Roto-a-Tamaheke Reserve to Ngati Whakaue Tuhourangi and the koromatua o Ngati Wahiao. 
We often say: “Ko Papatuanuku te matua o te tangata.” That literally means: “The land is the parent of the human race.” Our love for our whenua is likened to the love we have for our mothers. At birth our whenua is returned to her; at death we are reunited with her soil. Therefore it is only fitting to reflect on two who have so recently returned to the soils of their whenua. I am referring to Arapeta Tahana the former chair of Te Arawa Lakes Trust board and Sir Howard Morrison of Ngati Whakaue. The legacy of these two leaders will continue to be felt in this bill and it is only right that we honour their vision and their unique contributions as we mark this historic third reading today. Haere ra korua otira nga mate katoa o Te Arawa waka o te motu whanui. Moe mai ra koutou i nga manaakitanga o te wahi ngaro. 
[ 
Farewell indeed to you two and to all of the deaths of the Te Arawa canoe and of the nation at large. Sleep there in the care of the place of the departed. 
] 
I say from the outset that at the heart of this bill is a special connection to the land: mana whenua. As we know mana over whenua can come to people through succession through the spilling of blood to cement relationships even through the spirit of generosity or as a sincere act of compassion or aroha. Then there are the courts but we do not want to go there. The Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill reflects a unique milestone in that all parties have agreed to initiate a process after the bill becomes law that will allow iwi to determine the allocation of mana whenua interests in the land. The bill itself does not specify how this process should occur. It is a matter for iwi and hapu parties to determine and the process will be undertaken in accordance with tikanga. A key principle we have respected is that mandate and management issues are always the domain of iwi and hapu to sort out in accordance with their tikanga. 
I place on record from the outset my heartfelt appreciation of everyone who has travelled here today to witness this distinctive agreement to transfer these special lands to the iwi of Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao and Ngati Whakaue. Reaching the third reading of this bill has required considerable dedication to the task from all of the parties involved. I acknowledge the commitment of Ngati Whakaue. The bill has benefited from the leadership of Pihopa Kingi and the trustees of the Pukeroa-Oruawhata Trust: Malcolm Short Alec Wilson and also Rawiri Rangitauira. I acknowledge too their dedication in wanting to exercise the tribal responsibility to uphold the expression of manaakitanga to others across the rohe. I thank the representatives of Te Kotahitanga o Ngati Whakaue—Kiri Mitchell George and Eddie Mutu Anaru Te Amo and Hamuera Mitchell—for their patience while they endured the process of passing the bill into law. I thank the representatives of Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao—Anaru Rangiheuea Rangipuawhe Maika and John Maaka—for their role in allowing what was once perceived as an impasse in the Treaty settlement process to become a bridge to unity between the iwi and hapu. I mihi too to Te Maru o Ngati Wahiao who have advocated so passionately over the ever-enduring concerns of participation representation and involvement. 
If the House will permit I will spend some time on an issue raised frequently at the Maori Affairs Committee and in numerous representations to me. We understand how the issue of land cuts to the very heart of the people. This is recognised in the bill which allows for a mana whenua determination process to take place after enactment. This process will allow the iwi an opportunity to sit together and determine who will have the final ownership of which pieces of land. As with the central North Island forest lands this will be done through agreements mediation or if required adjudication. I am optimistic that in the case of Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao the process of the four koromatua whakapapa lines will be a foundation of the mana whenua discussion and they will determine their pathway forward at their own pace and under their own process. Furthermore I am pleased that facilitated discussion provided a guide for that process to happen. 
Implementation of this bill must be in the domain of iwi. It is not for elected representatives of Government to determine how that process plays out. That is the realm of tino rangatiratanga. Some have said we should let the courts decide. I have preferred to leave that to the people. It was the processes and the decisions of the courts that resulted in iwi losing their lands in the first place. There is a history of problems with judicial involvement and determinations over the land that failed to resolve contested rights and led to the alienation of lands to the Crown. I acknowledge the efforts of Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa—Eru George Rawiri Te Whare and the iwi leadership within their realms—in seeing this bill come through to fruition and we recognise their commitment to working through a process that will respect the roles and responsibilities of mana whenua. I have received written communication from the chairman of Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa Eru George that all the respective claimant groups will be actively involved in the process of moving forward. I understand that a hui-a-iwi will be held in the Wahiao whare in Whakarewarewa Village this Saturday to elect a fourth trustee for Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao to the joint trust. This will make a total of four trustees for Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao and four trustees for Ngati Whakaue which is represented by the Pukeroa-Oruawhata Trust and Te Kotahitanga o Ngati Whakaue. I understand that anyone from Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao can participate in the hui-a-iwi which will elect a fourth trustee for Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao following their own process. 
I thank everyone who got us to this point recognising that although there were difficulties to resolve the final formula nevertheless and the process of dissent through koromatua could be the positive mechanism to move forward. I remain confident that all iwi and mana whenua interests in the reserves will be able to participate in the arrangements for their management and allocation in the future. I address the people of Te Arawa who are gathered here today. Ka nui taku hari koa kua eke tatou ki tenei ra e whakahoki nei i te mana o enei whenua ki nga uri o nga kaumatua hai whenua tuturu mo koutou mo ake tonu atu. 
[ 
There is much joy within me that we have arrived at this day whereby the autonomy of these lands is returned to the descendants of the old people thereby ensuring that the lands remain yours for ever. 
] 
This bill is straightforward in its intent. It deals with the technical processes required to transfer ownership of the three reserves in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley to the iwi of the area. However behind the bill as I have alluded to lies a plethora of complex issues related to the Treaty settlement process iwi relationships on the ground and Crown-Maori relationships. We acknowledge that the bill represents a compromise by all involved in respect of the greater interests of the iwi. I was always aware that issues of fairness and justice would prevail in considering issues of ownership. To address concerns I instigated a facilitation process to assure parties that the process was fair and inclusive of all. I acknowledge the assistance of my colleague Te Ururoa Flavell and the guidance of John Clarke in these discussions. 
There is one other matter outstanding—that is the aspiration of Ngati Whakaue and Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao to own the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute Te Puia which is commonly referred to as the jewel in the crown of New Zealand tourism. Now that we have transferred the lands on which this institute sits to iwi it is surely time to continue discussions on this matter. Finally I say that I join with the people of Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao and Ngati Whakaue in marking this historic occasion of the return of their treasured land. Tena koutou.