Ririnui Mita: Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee 
Ririnui Mita: Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:655;Page:5038] 
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Labour) 
: 
 I thank the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson for his opening comments on the Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill. I also highlight to the Committee that we are approaching Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori and pronunciations are very important. I thank the Minister for his understanding of the issues that the select committee had to deal with in terms of the opt-out clause. Although I do not want to give a historical overview of how that situation came about I say that the Maori Affairs Committee was very strong in pointing out that the opt-out clause should not be seen as setting a precedent for future claims. I know that the Government is now considering regional approaches to Treaty settlements. A continuation of that type of opt-out option would not only delay future negotiations but also may derail future negotiations particularly where mandates are very difficult to obtain. So I congratulate the Minister. 
We are talking about Part 1 of the bill which is pretty straightforward. As members will probably agree the previous Government did a considerable amount of work to bring this settlement legislation to the House. Part 1 gives legal effect to the deed of settlement. In saying that it is important to acknowledge the work of the officials Darren and Margot and the difficulties they had in continuously going back to the Taranaki Whanui negotiators putting a position to them and returning to the select committee to explain what the claimant community was thinking. The select committee also had difficulty in coming to a conclusion on that particular matter. 
It needs to be acknowledged that the Taranaki Whanui negotiators met with the Crown and the former Minister the Hon Margaret Wilson as early as 2000 in order to begin negotiations. Having said that it is important to acknowledge that prior to that time Taranaki whanau had been dealing with a former National Government in an attempt to get the opportunity to put their claim before the Crown. I think that some of the steps may have been made back then. To be more direct in 2000 when the Hon Margaret Wilson took up the portfolio huge strides were made in terms of advancing this particular claim. Her successor the Hon Mark Burton also continued the struggle and took on many of the challenges. Real progress was made when the Hon Michael Cullen picked up the Treaty negotiations portfolio—as well as being the Minister of Finance and the Attorney-General. It became a much simpler task to make progress on. 
As the debate goes on in the Committee stage of this bill members will find that the Opposition will offer very little resistance to its passage but we will be seeking clarification from the Minister on a wide range of issues concerning this legislation. It is important that the Minister has a thorough understanding of the issues at hand. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: Why didn’t you do it in the select committee? 
Hon MITA RIRINUI 
: I hear that little interjection from the chairperson of the Maori Affairs Committee the former Minister of Maori Affairs—thrice removed—the Hon Tau Henare but I will shift from him to his colleague Hekia Parata who made a tremendous contribution to the Committee stage of this bill. I note that she is no longer with us; I am wondering why as we miss her contributions. I want the chairperson of the Maori Affairs Committee to understand the value that his colleagues bring to the table. It is not all about him although that seems to be his understanding of the difficulties faced at the select committee. 
Tau Henare brought into the debate the member for Tauranga Simon Bridges. Mr Bridges is somebody who is nice and green somebody whom he can manipulate somebody who will shut up when he is told to and someone who will get out of the room when he is told to. Mr Henare tried that on the previous Minister of Maori Affairs the Hon Parekura Horomia. It was a bad move. I cannot describe how that debate ended but it is important that I respond to his interjections because they are not appreciated after his colleague Hekia Parata made such a valuable contribution.