Finlayson Christopher: Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFinlayson Christopher: Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 24 May 2016. Volume:714;Page:11220. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I move That Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the bill. This is a truly historic day because today after all these years this House will debate Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill for the first time. I warmly welcome to Parliament all representatives of Whanganui iwi. They were here 2 years ago to initial the deed of settlement and now our common goal of bringing recognition to the great Whanganui River has brought us back together.There are a number of people who have been pivotal in reaching this point so it is sad that they are unable to be here. First and foremost I mention Sir Archie Taiaroa. He is one of those key people whom I have acknowledged in the past. We cannot forget that his vision for Te Awa Tupua is why we are here today. He always proposed that the river be addressed first for it is the river that unites the people of Whanganui. There are so many people who have passed on since this process began that I can recognise only some of them this morning. From the trust board I acknowledge Martha Lady Taiaroa; Hikaia Amohia; Joan Akapita; Michael Pōtaka; William or Barney Haami; and Dardanella Metekīngi-Mato. I acknowledge particularly the former board member Waimaria Erueti who passed away in 2011. Her son Kiwa witnessed my signature at the signing of the deed of settlement in 2014. I welcome Kiwa and Waimaria’s mother Evelyn to Parliament and I have to say I am delighted that Kiwa is going to be my Youth MP in July.Although our first negotiations did not come to fruition I acknowledge those who were members of the 2002 negotiating team Piripi Haami and Meena Williams and I also acknowledge the leadership of the collective iwi of Te Awa Tupua whose support continues to be pivotal. Our recent meeting with the leadership of the iwi demonstrated once again that it is the river that brings us together and I look forward to working with the iwi to implement the framework for of course there is a lot of work to be done.I acknowledge the leadership within the regional and district councils whose support has enabled a settlement that is appropriate and fit for the purpose and I particularly acknowledge the presence here today of Annette Main who has been such a wonderful supporter of this particular exercise. I acknowledge her work as the Mayor of Whanganui—thank goodness she was the mayor when we were dealing with this issue. I acknowledge the lead Whanganui iwi negotiator Gerrard Albert who led the negotiations and is now leading his people in the post-settlement world. I pay particular respect to John Maihi and Te Tiwha Puketapu.I acknowledge the Office of Treaty Settlements and all the key agencies that have worked so very hard on this issue. I particularly want to thank John Wood my chief Crown negotiator for his outstanding work. He is a great New Zealander. I particularly want to make a special acknowledgment of Amber Duncalfe. Amber was an official from the Department of Conservation. Sadly she passed away late last year but I welcome Amber’s parents and sister to Parliament. She had a key role to play within the negotiating team for both the Whanganui River and the Tūhoe settlements and she was and remains greatly respected by the negotiators for the work that she did. She made a lasting contribution to the innovative inclusion of conservation and natural resources within Treaty settlements.Finally I welcome back to the House the great Tariana Turia. She is here for the first reading of her iwi’s bill. She secretly loves it when I call her great.Kelvin Davis made a very valuable contribution to the previous debate and I was particularly intrigued by his comments about what he tells those people who moan about Treaty settlements. He tells them to learn something about the facts. Of course he is absolutely correct not only in relation to the previous debate but also in relation to this one because it is very important for all of us to understand the facts here.The constant position of Whanganui iwi for well over 150 years was that they never willingly relinquished possession or control of the Whanganui River and all things that give the river its essential life. For generations they have pursued justice in respect of the river. Their claim has been persistently maintained and advanced since the first petitions to Parliament in 1873 and 1887. Numerous further petitions and submissions followed over the next 125 years. The endless quest for justice was brought home to me when I saw the long list of legal counsel who have supported the iwi in their cause beginning in the Native Land Court in 1938 with the late Chief Judge Morison and continuing today with the likes of Jamie Ferguson Peata Williams and so many others. I particularly want to place on record one of their counsel the late George Barton who represented them in the Court of Appeal it was as far back as 1962. George was a very close friend of both Jamie Ferguson and mine and a great New Zealander.The Wai 167 claim was filed by members of the trust board on behalf of all Whanganui iwi in 1990 and was heard by the Waitangi Tribunal in 1994. Progress was made in 2011 and in 2012 when the Crown and Whanganui iwi signed two important documents. The record of understanding and the Tūtohu Whākatupua set out the key elements of Te Awa Tupua upon which these negotiations have grown. On 5 August 2014 the vision was realised when we signed the deed of settlement at Rānana on the banks of the river. The signing came after Whanganui iwi carefully considered the settlement package and voted overwhelmingly to support it. In addition all those who look to the river have expressed their support for the settlement. I thank them for their support and I acknowledge Sir Tumu here today. Since that memorable day the Crown and the iwi have continued to work together to refine the deed of settlement into the Te Awa Tupua bill. It has been a long road to its introduction and at times it has not been easy. However I am proud that the bill we are debating here today is practical it is workable and it provides a platform for the Crown and Whanganui iwi to move together in partnership.The redress provided for in the bill has both novel and exciting aspects and I can barely touch on them in the available time. The river is going to be recognised in law as Te Awa Tupua an indivisible and living whole from the mountains to the sea incorporating its tributaries and all its physical and metaphysical elements. The Crown will no longer own the riverbed but the Crown will still have a role to play and we have developed this concept of the role of Te Pou Tupua where both the Crown and iwi will appoint two guardians and that will be the face of Te Awa Tupua and will symbolise our partnership through the Treaty. This is an exciting project for both the Crown and iwi and to support it there will be a $30 million contestable fund to support activities to promote the health and well-being of Te Awa Tupua. There are numerous other aspects of the bill that will need to be considered very closely by the committee. Finally the settlement includes the payment of $81 million to Whanganui iwi in recognition of the settlement of their claims to help advance the future health and well-being of the river and its people.There is so much more that one could say about the bill but I am getting that look so Mr Assistant Speaker I commend the bill to the House.