te Heuheu Georgina: Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee 
te Heuheu Georgina: Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:607;Page:4936] 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU (NZ National) 
: 
 I endorse everything that my colleague has been saying. Obviously he is from Taranaki. He is a good old Taranaki boy and is probably more familiar with this issue than I am because I am from another part of the country. Of course our colleague Mahara Okeroa is from there but that goes without saying. I am pleased that Shane Ardern is here in the Chamber this afternoon to add to our support for the bill. 
I just want to comment on clause 15 which contains one of the extremely important provisions in any claims settlement bill. That refers to the jurisdiction of the courts and the tribunal which are henceforth excluded from inquiring into or looking into any of the Ngati Ruanui claims. The reason I want to make a couple of comments about it is that a lot of people outside this House—Pakeha people and some Maori—always have some anxieties. They say it is OK that we are settling a claim but they are concerned that what will happen is that the claimants will come back to the Crown again. I would imagine that the only reason anybody would come back to the Crown again would be that a settlement was patently unfair. 
If we look at the provisions of this settlement we see that the members of the runanga said that while they accept that the Crown can never fully make up for the grievances they suffered none the less there was an acceptance of the provisions of the deed of settlement. However for the benefit of those people who might be listening to the radio broadcast of this debate in the Committee stage I say clause 15 basically states that the settlement of the Ngati Ruanui historical claims effected by the deed releases the Crown and discharges it from all obligations and liabilities in respect of the claims hereby settled. Henceforth no court of law can inquire into or make any findings or recommendations concerning any of Ngati Ruanui’s historical claims the deed of settlement the redress provided under that deed or this legislation and this legislation itself. Clause 16 contains similar provisions in relation to the Waitangi Tribunal. 
Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: I— 
Lindsay Tisch 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I think you mispronounced the member’s name. 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: Mr Chairperson I commend you for the effort you are making to pronounce my name correctly. We have been having a bit of practice at that tonight and we will do some more of that. 
I was making some comments earlier about clause 15 in Part 3. To allay the anxieties of a number of New Zealanders who say to me that they understand this is a full and final settlement but who ask what the bet is that the claimants will come back to the Crown I said before dinner that claimants would come back to the Crown only if a settlement was not fair. In the case of Ngati Ruanui it has basically indicated to us that it understands that full restitution cannot be made for the losses it has suffered but on balance it thinks that this settlement is something it can take and start to build a future on. I was talking earlier about the fact that henceforth the courts and the Waitangi Tribunal are excluded from jurisdiction in terms of the claims that are settled by this deed of settlement and this legislation. 
The Minister may think it is worthwhile to confirm that as well for the benefit of those who are listening to the radio broadcast of these proceedings. As I say it is very important that members of Parliament who support the settlement recognise the importance of giving an assurance to other New Zealanders that we have done our best to provide a settlement to these people that is fair and just in the circumstances. We will set them on a path for the future in that way and minimise any possibility of them coming back to the Crown. In any event that is ruled out by this legislation.