McKee NicoleNICOLE McKEE (ACT): Thank you Mr Speaker. I stand on behalf of the ACT Party to speak to the Ngāti Paoa Claims Settlement Bill standing in support of the deed of settlement reached on 20 March 2021 between Ngāti Paoa and the Crown.I'd like to acknowledge at the beginning of my speech the Ngāti Paoa Treaty settlement negotiators Morehu Wilson who I understand tragically passed away two years ago; his wife Louise Wilson who is in the gallery representing him and the whānau; Te Hauaru Rawiri who may also be in the gallery today; and the current Ngāti Paoa Iwi Trust chair Herearoha Francis Skipper and deputy chair Mihingarangi Forbes. I also acknowledge the representative body for Ngāti Paoa in the Ngāti Paoa Iwi Trust who are here today in Parliament. Ngāti Paoa are a maritime people a waka people whose customary territory is connected more by water than by land. Their rohe runs from Te Hoe o Tainui near the Piako River as it runs northwards through the Hauraki Plains to Wharekawa and Kaiaua on the western firth of the Thames to Kawakawa Bay north of the Hunua Ranges and the nearby Waiheke and Ponui islands. Ngāti Paoa occupied the lands around the Tāmaki estuary and Auckland; in particular an area from Panmure to Kōhimarama. They also had lands on the North Shore and up the Mahurangi Coast including at Tiritiri Mātangi Island all connected by water. Ngāti Paoa chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi on 4 March 1840. Immediately afterwards Ngāti Paoa engaged closely with the new Government which was established in Auckland in 1841. Like other Auckland iwi such as Ngāti Whātua Ngāti Paoa transacted lands which allowed for European settlement and ultimately the growth of Auckland as a city. However the Crown failed to set aside sufficient reserves for Ngāti Paoa which in time made it very difficult for iwi to maintain a physical presence in the growing city. Later during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s Ngāti Paoa had lands confiscated both in the Hunua Ranges and as part of the Waikato confiscation. One notable event during the war was the naval bombardment and attack on a Ngāti Paoa village at Pūkorokoro situated at the south-west coast of the Firth of Thames. After they landed colonial forces built a redoubt there and named it Miranda after the naval vessel. In time the name Miranda stuck. It is certainly fitting that in 2015 the New Zealand Geographic Board recommended a change to dualise the name to Pūkorokoro/Miranda.All Treaty settlements do have a unique aspect to them reflecting the negotiation priorities of the iwi the specific nature of the grievances and what the Crown is able to offer. For Ngāti Paoa I'm told that the standout feature of the settlement is the provision of cultural redress of land for a marae and papa kāinga at Point England on the Tāmaki River. As I said Ngāti Paoa transacted lands with the Crown after signing the Treaty in 1841 but no reserves were created for them and their physical presence as part of the growing city of Auckland was largely denied. This redress allows Ngāti Paoa to re-establish themselves as an active part of the Auckland community today and there will also be a benefit of increased housing supply which we all know is much needed. The settlement includes other cultural redress that helps reconnect Ngāti Paoa with their wider customary territory including the transfer of lands at Kaiaua Waiheke Island and Tiritiri Mātangi Island. Importantly the settlement includes an apology from the Crown for its failure to protect Ngāti Paoa from the rapid alienation from their land in the decades following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi—an apology for the loss of life and the devastation that was caused by hostilities. Commercial aspects of the settlement should provide opportunities for Ngāti Paoa to grow their financial position. They will have returned to them 12 culturally significant sites along with financial and commercial redress valued at $23.5 million. There will also be a wide range of other commercial cultural and relationship items making up the redress package. I understand that 90 percent of those who voted for this deed of settlement from Ngāti Paoa voted in support. They may still be some issues. ACT's hope is that any unresolved issues are addressed during the select committee process which will begin after this first reading is completed. And with that in mind ACT supports the first reading of the Ngāti Paoa Claims Settlement bill and wish our whānau all the best in getting this redress sorted. Kia ora.