Horomia Parekura: Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill — In Committee 
Horomia Parekura: Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:662;Page:10484] 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rawhiti) 
: 
 E tautokotia atu nga korero a te tangata o te nota a Hone mo te ahua o te awa nei. E mihi kau ana ki a ratau e mau kaha mai ra no te whakatikatika o tenei tino take. E kite atu tatau te timata a Bob ma a ratau ma i whai i muri mai o tenei tae mai ki te wa nei. Kei te kite atu ki te kaha rawa i roto i a tatau i a koe e Tuku tena koe me te tuahine a Nanaia. Engari e tino mihi atu ki taku hoa ki te wahine rangatira a Lady Raiha mo tona kaha rawa. Ahakoa e kore i konei e mohio atu tatau e tinanatia tona kaha i roto i te pire nei. No reira tena tatau. 
[ 
I endorse the statements made by the member from the far north Hone in respect of this river. I also acknowledge those who worked hard right from the outset to settle this important matter. We saw the initial work by Sir Robert and by others who followed to the present day. We note how hard we have worked including you Tuku—congratulations and to you as well fellow member Nanaia. My highest accolade goes to my friend Lady Raiha; her efforts were untiring. Although she is not here we know that her efforts are embodied in this bill. So greetings to us. 
] 
Nearing the end of the select committee hearing at Hopuhopu Lady Raiha Mahuta the last speaker suggested that it was like being on a stage set for a Shakespearean play. She pontificated about Shylock chasing his pound of flesh. She said it felt like that—Shylock chasing the pound of flesh. I have listened to the ramblings of the ACT Party today. They smacked of  
King Lear 
 and  
Much Ado About Nothing 
. That is what they sound like. 
It is interesting that those members utilise the actions of Princess Te Puea. Why she was chasing the beginning of a settlement was not just about conscription; it was because of what the British had done to Waikato-Tainui. The British took gunboats up the river and set to on every corner as history tells us. The better parts of Michael King’s writings suggest that along with Parihaka it was one of the worst instances—not too dissimilar to what happened at Ngatapa in Tairawhiti—of setting on a people ana. And they were a people who chased and embellished paimarire. 
It was interesting to listen to Mr Garrett quantify. He is a bit of a mathematical wizard and he suggested that £5000 at that time is now worth $1 million. 
David Garrett 
: No $3 million. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I got the figures wrong—£5000 then is now worth $3 million. He went on and on and waxed lyrical about gaps in the summaries up to the finality of this Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill. He talked a whole lot of rubbish because he left out hang of a lot of things about the crude profit made by the British farmers. One would not have to be a rocket scientist or historian to understand that the British were not silly. They saw the flat rolling lands of Waikato and Taranaki and they wanted them. It was no accident; they knew what they were doing. With subtle debauchery they put asunder cultural practice that had been very very strong. When members starts to quantify to align figures with figures and to make excuses saying that was the size of it and it should be this amount of money now I say that that is a whole lot of rubbish. This issue is not just about money; this is about Maoris who stand up to speak on the marae and say: “Ko Titirangi toku maunga. Ko Uawa toku awa. Ko Ngai Tahu toku iwi.” They always embellish the signature statement of where their mountain top is by their river—every one of them. Whether they are from up Karetu or from down Mangatuna or from Hauraki they always do that. It is significant that people continue to do that today. 
The reference to conscription and the scaremongering about weakening democracy are a farce. I have to say that to Mr Boscawen because what the heck is going on with Environment Canterbury? Why should there not be four Maori seats on the new Auckland Council? That would be a nice touch. I agree with the spokesperson for the Greens Catherine Delahunty who suggested that we could progress in harmony. Let us not preach and teach about nationhood then bugger off and use redneck tactics. It is outrageous. Let us take leadership from the chair of the Maori Affairs Committee who in a bold effort has ensured that the Waikato River Authority is real. Everybody has a vision and a strategy. I refer to the joint management and to those issues built up by Gordon. There were great efforts made in this journey. One should be proud that this country is taking a turn to understand and imbue something that is real partnership. We do not have to go offshore. Labour started it and we support it at the end. We commend the Minister Chris Finlayson for completing it and we do not do so lightly. 
The cultural activities are as important as the monetary return. Whatever one may say this issue is not just about money. I suggest to my two ACT parliamentary colleagues sitting opposite that they take a lesson from Maori and wallow in the energy that will come about after the settlement is signed off. They should wallow in what Maoridom do know about—kotahitanga. 
How can those members sit there and say that this is wrong? We all have cultural connections. Catholics still do things they were doing 5000 years ago. I am not very Christian because we do get jumbled: my mum was a Mormon my dad was a Ringatu and my nanny brought me up as Church of England. But nobody says anything about that. People still skip around the maypole and nobody says anything about that. They still have Christmas. 
David Garrett 
: I’m going to say something about it in 2 minutes if you wait. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Those members are too mean to have Christmas. But people still have Christmas. This is no different. We are ensuring that cultural activities customary issues passed on by our ancestors that have stood the test of time continue and this bill does that. This is a great bill. It is one of the better pieces of legislation in this country.