Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): E te Māngai o te Whare tēnā koe otirā ngā mema katoa o te Whare nei tēnā tātou katoa.[Madam Speaker thank you indeed to all the members of this House I acknowledge all of us.]I'm pleased to take a call in the second reading of the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill. As the Minister—the Hon Andrew Little—outlined what occurred in the Ahuriri region is no different to the wider Ngāti Kahungunu rohe as a whole when two people came together and the description of battle Omarunui is also reflected in the settlement as a recall of the history of the two people coming together and the battles that occurred there and also the tīpuna that were imprisoned with the tīpuna from Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa without trial to the Chathams—all this occurred in this period of time. Like the Minister said I want to acknowledge not only his work but the ongoing work of the initial negotiators of the Ahuriri Trust the seven hapū that make up Ahuriri and maybe for the benefit of members in this House to reflect that Napier is regarded as the gateway to Ngāti Kahungunu—the gateway into Ngāti Kahungunu made up of te Wairoa through Ahuriri down to Heretaunga Tamatea and of course Tāmaki-nui-a Rua and Wairarapa. That's the extent of this particular tribal boundary. In acknowledging the work of Ahuriri Hapū the gateway in terms of the airport and the port is so critical for Ahuriri that we are now bringing this claim for its second reading.But it's not without its challenges and the Minister himself acknowledged those challenges particularly around the elections. It is pleasing to hear—and the member that just spoke before me Joseph Mooney—the acknowledgment of the trust going to elections as the Waitangi Tribunal requested for the progression of this bill. So I'm really pleased as a member of the Māori Affairs Committee that heard the 34 submissions in Napier and nine orals that that was the underlining concern of the people who presented in front of the Māori Affairs Committee—the elections. Now there are nine positions on this particular trust and I think it's really important because that was the sticking point for many of the submissions around the holding of the elections. Can I confirm to the House that we've actually got 16 people running for the nine elections. The names are up on the posts. Everybody that is eligible for Ahuriri the seven hapū are registered will get their voting papers on 2 July and elections will be held on Monday 9 August. So whānau that may be listening to this debate in the House please make sure that you're registered and have your vote. But for the people that are standing can I just acknowledge Maree Brown Rīhi Elizabeth Anne Clarke-Reiri Peter Eden Tania Eden Allana Hiha Beverley Kemp-Harmer Joinella Maihi-Carroll Piriniha Prentice Evelyn Ratima Joe Reti Mike Taane Chad Tareha Marina Toatoa Emma-Marie Uriarau Barry Wilson and Terry Wilson. I don't want to be accused of particularly picking any of those nine; I have mentioned all of them that have put their hands up for standing for this trust. But my underlying message is: whānau be registered and actually vote.This comprehensive settlement ends five of the six large natural groupings of the Ngāti Kahungunu region. Te Wairoa has settled we have Maungaharuru Tangitū that has settled we have Pahauwera that has settled and we have Heretaunga Tamatea that has settled. This was the one that needed to be settled and I'm pleased it's here. And of course the last and sixth group is Tāmaki-nui-ā-Rua Wairarapa.Across the tribal boundaries and acknowledging the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill and we'll go into details in the third reading when I'm sure our galleries will be filled with the seven hapū of Napier the intricacies of this settlement. But it has been a long journey. Members in this House so far have talked about it starting under a former Government the National Government and ending under Labour. But the critical thing—the critical thing—Hon Simon Bridges: The last good Government this country's had. Hon MEKA WHAITIRI: —was the elections and I'm pleased to see that this is being settled on their own accord. And those members over there can yahoo but there has been a lot of fixing up of Treaty settlements started by that side but completed over here. So let's get the record sorted. Let's be clear: if you're going to throw stones then you expect some back.I want to acknowledge Ahuriri Hapū the seven hapū. I want to acknowledge the negotiators that have taken this claim as far as they have gone. And I want to particularly acknowledge the leadership of the chair and the people like Piriniha Prentice and of course Barry Wilson and Joinella Maihi-Carroll who have carried this entire claim—and it is not easy being a negotiator particularly amongst very active people of your own community and keeping them on board. But I do believe that the elections that are being held as we speak are the best way for the people of Ahuriri to progress this bill. So come August we will have a new trust and hopefully before then we'll have the third and final reading of this bill. But can I just say in closing that I totally support the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill. It is overdue and I can't wait for its passage through the House. Kia ora tātou.