Whaitiri Meka: Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWhaitiri Meka: Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 09 December 2014. Volume:702;Page:1311. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti):Ā tēnā koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Tēnā tātou katoa ngā mema o Te Whare nei. E te iwi Ngāti Hauā tēnā koutou. Tēnā koutou nau mai haere mai ki Te Whare nei e Te Tumuaki Anaru ka nui te mihi ki a koe.[Thank you to the Assistant Speaker and acknowledgments to us all members of this House. I salute you the tribe of Ngāti Hauā.Welcome and draw near to this House. I acknowledge you greatly Anaru the Head.]Ladies and gentlemen it gives me pleasure to speak in support with all members of this House of the third reading of this settlement bill for Ngāti Hauā. Can I too stand and acknowledge on behalf of the iwi that I represent here: we stand in support and acknowledge the significant day of the passing of this important legislation. I want to say that in the earlier contribution I made to the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill I forgot to acknowledge my ancestry to Māhinarangi. So I stand here as an uri of Māhinarangi also to acknowledge those who have travelled far to support this important piece of legislation going through today. It is a day of remembrance. It is a day to rejoice. It is a day to reflect. I know from being before coming into Parliament a negotiator for my Rongowhakaata people that it is a huge commitment.When I look at each Treaty bill that comes through the House there is always a point of difference with each and every one of these settlements. I have heard some great contributions in the House today starting with the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations about this being the fastest settlement in history—like the fastest gun in town—at 7 months. When I was negotiating—I was one of four negotiators for our own iwi—that was our plan: to negotiate within 1 year. So you had 7 months; we took about 7 to 8 years. So I want to acknowledge your commitment. Some people may think that the haste in which you settled means there may have been some corners cut but I see the positive side of your settlement and that is one that was carried out on the basis of a very good strategy and a very good plan.Like other members in the House have said unification kotahitanga is critical. Those who know me know I am a planner from way back. I cannot operate without a plan otherwise I get lost. So for you to achieve settlement to a point where you are happy with it after 7 months is I have got to say—from my reading of it—because you have done your homework. You have done your research. You have gathered your people together and you had a clear strategy and a plan to get to the end point. So I want to acknowledge Ngāti Hauā and the negotiators who led that negotiation on your behalf for not only developing your plan but for sticking to it.Can I acknowledge of course the Minister Christopher Finlayson for his work in bringing us to today. He is a man of his word. He is a practical man. When he says he wants to do something he will do it so I do want to acknowledge the Minister for his work there. I acknowledge his officials of course and the Māori Affairs Committee which saw the passage through at the pace that you obviously wanted to achieve so I want to acknowledge all the officials who worked on it.We are getting to the Christmas period but I know for the good people of Ngāti Hauā that this ends many many years of hard work but again opens the commitment to many many years going forward. I look upon you all—and I look at those who are not here but are at home probably listening to this broadcast—and think about the vision the aspirations that you have for your people. When I see the rangatahi and tauira in the gallery it is about their future.I do hope that historical accounts of this settlement bill and all settlement bills become an automatic part of our national curriculum throughout our schooling system. That is something that we need to take on in the next generation—around how chequered our past and the history of this country is and to keep the stories alive. For the Ngāti Hauā uri it is important in your rohe that your stories your histories and the commitment of your tipuna to bring us to today are never ever forgotten.Otirā e te iwi huri noa tēnei te mihi maioha tēnei te mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa. Tēnā koutou tēnā koutou ā tēnā tātou katoa.[But at the same time I acknowledge and salute you the tribe and us all lovingly and affectionately throughout. Thank you.]