Little AndrewNGĀTI MARU (TARANAKI) CLAIMS SETTLEMENT BILLSecond ReadingHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I present a legislative statement on the Ngāti Maru (Taranaki) Claims Settlement Bill. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ian McKelvie): The legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the parliamentary website.Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I move That the Ngāti Maru (Taranaki) Claims Settlement Bill be now read a second time. Ngāti Maru iwi he rā tino nui tēnei mō koutou nā koutou te kaha me te manawanui nō reira e rau rangatira mā tēnei taku mihi atu ki a koutou tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.[To Ngāti Maru this is a very important day for you and your strength and steadfastness therefore to the many chiefs this is my acknowledgment to you greetings greeting greetings one and all.]This bill gives effect to Te Hiringa Taketake the deed of settlement between the Crown and Ngāti Maru signed on 27 February last year. The bill comprises three parts detailing cultural and commercial redress and the Crown's apology redress. This redress has been designed to support Ngāti Maru on their future journey. As kaitiaki in their rohe the natural resource redress included in this bill is essential in enabling Ngāti Maru to fulfil their responsibilities to the natural world. I intend to speak in more detail about the Ngāti Maru settlement in the third reading but for now I acknowledge those Ngāti Maru members who are watching this reading from afar and I pay particular respect to the work and dedication of the Ngāti Maru negotiation team. Through negotiations with Ngāti Maru the Crown has come to learn what friendship and partnership with Ngāti Maru entails. I'm optimistic that this bill contains redress which will support this relationship into their future with the post-settlement governance entity Te Kāhui Maru Trust Te Iwi o Maruwharanui. After its first reading on 6 July 2021 this bill was referred to the Māori Affairs Committee. The committee called for submissions between July and August 2021 and received 35 written submissions from interested groups and individuals. They also heard eight oral submissions through an online forum. I'd especially like to thank those who took part in this process and shared their kōrero with the Māori Affairs Committee. I acknowledge and thank the members of the Māori Affairs Committee who have swiftly and considerately progressed this bill. The committee reported back to the House on 21 December last year and aside from the small number of recommended technical amendments the committee recommended that the bill be passed with minor amendments in two areas with the first of these amendments being two provisions relating to the administration of the riverbed within the Whanganui River catchment area. These amendments will give effect to the agreement reached between Ngāti Maru Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui Te Pou Tupua and Ngāti Hāua that it would no longer be appropriate for the Department of Conservation to administer and manage any riverbed running through the relevant sites. Instead Te Pou Tupua the representative of the legal person Te Awa Tupua will assume these responsibilities. The second substantial amendment is to the provisions relating to the resource consent process as part of the proposed joint-management agreement between Ngāti Maru and the Taranaki Regional Council aiming to clarify the intended role of the New Plymouth District Council under the joint-management arrangement. These amendments will be beneficial for Ngāti Maru to have a greater voice in the management of their rohe. This second reading of the Ngāti Maru Claims Settlement Bill represents the next step in the iwi's journey towards reconciliation with the Crown. It also brings the Ngāti Maru community closer to benefiting from all of the good this settlement will bring to their rohe. I acknowledge the Ngāti Maru people's resolve to continue progressing this bill considering the effect COVID-19 has had on their ability to fully celebrate their most recent milestones and I look forward to welcoming Ngāti Maru back to Parliament for their third reading in the coming weeks and finding a time in the near future to formally deliver the Crown apology in their rohe which I wasn't able to do when we did the deed signing which is typically when it is done. But on that note this bill is good. It's made good progress. I'm very thankful to the work of the Māori Affairs Committee and all those MPs who have worked on it and the various members of Ngāti Maru and parts of their community who have supported it. On that basis I commend the bill to the House. Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ian McKelvie): The question is that the motion be agreed to.