O'Connor Damien: Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Ngāti Kuia and Rangitāne o Wairau Claims Settlement Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeO'Connor Damien: Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Ngāti Kuia and Rangitāne o Wairau Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 16 April 2014. Volume:698;Page:17420. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR (Labour—West Coast - Tasman): Kia ora Mr Assistant Speaker. It is indeed a great honour to be able to stand up and speak to a Māori settlement bill the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Ngāti Kuia and Rangitāne o Wairau Claims Settlement Bill. I guess there might be many in the gallery asking what this white Pākehā boy from the West Coast is doing. I am the proud representative of the top of the South Island the West Coast - Tasman electorate and have been for some time and I have had many dealings with Ngāti Apa and the other iwi groups over many issues for many years. I want to acknowledge and applaud the efforts to get to where we are today.I would like to go back and acknowledge that perhaps it was these three iwi groups who in fact sparked the movement that led to I guess the existence of the Māori Party. That was around the seabed and foreshore. It was a difficult time particularly for Labour but the fact is that this iwi group had nowhere else to go and they then lay claim to the seabed and foreshore something that was unfortunate. It is no good crying over spilt milk but it has meant that we have moved on the Māori Party is in Parliament and we now have a settlement bill before us that is a just and fair settlement although I am sure there will be people who perhaps think it could have been greater on behalf of the Crown.Can I just acknowledge as a farmer who grew up on the banks of theKawatiri River—the Buller River the third largest in this country—that Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa are the source of that great river. It flows through my veins and the way that Māori speak of it I can understand. I have lived on that river had a business on that river farmed on the river and can appreciate the need to protect it and protect the source of it. It is fair and just that the national park be handed back to Ngāti Apa and Ngāti Kuia along with I think some name changes. The good thing that might occur now is that people like me may be able to better pronounce the new names that may be put on geographical places in the top of the South Island.But I know—and my colleagues have spoken of Labour’s support for the process—that it has been a long and a difficult process. I would like to acknowledge I guess that many of my constituents from the top of the South Island have been on and off planes for a number of years now coming to Wellington to negotiate on behalf of their people. You have done a great job and I hope that this settlement will enable the iwi organisations to use this money to grow opportunities for your people from now and into the future. It is very very important.Can I acknowledge that from a commercial perspective this will allow a new partnership going forward. The fact that now there will be an obligation for proper consultation with iwi is fair and just. There will be issues of aquaculture development of water management and of general development because it is one of the most highly desirable places in the country to live. I accept that. People are drawn to the sun. They are drawn to the top of the South Island. But with that growth come dilemmas of water quality and dilemmas of land use and iwi will now be rightfully consulted at every stage of that growth and development.So it is indeed a great honour to speak to say a few words and to acknowledge the efforts of iwi getting here and to acknowledge the difficult early process for Ngāti Apa and Ngāti Kuia in particular. As I say the seabed and foreshore issue which in hindsight will be recognised as a significant issue that brought Māori together I guess has led to diversity in this Parliament and regardless of our political views on issues has brought Māori to be truly represented in this House. Kia ora.