Turia Tariana: Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Turia Tariana: Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 26 July 2012. Volume:682;Page:4026. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Minister for Whanau Ora) 
 on behalf of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: I move  
That the Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill be now read a third time. 
Mai i nga kahui maunga o Whanganui tae noa ki a koutou o nga maunga Puketapu Manawaru hoki ka tu ahau ki te tuku mihi ki a koutou o Rongowhakaata nga uri o Te Kooti Rikirangi hoki kua takahi te papa kia tae mai nei ki te Whare Paremata mo te panuitanga tuatoru o to koutou piri. Ki a koutou nga kaumatua nga kuia nga koroua tena koutou katoa. 
[ 
From the cluster mountains of Whanganui to you of the mountains Puketapu and Manawaru as well I rise to extend a welcome to you of Rongowhakaata and of the descendants of Te Kooti Rikirangi too who have traversed the countryside to arrive here at Parliament House for the third reading of your bill. To you all the elders elderly women and menfolk greetings 
.] 
One hundred and twenty years ago in April 1893 Te Kooti Rikirangi uttered these unforgettable words: “Ko te waka he hoehoenga mo koutou i muri i ahau na te ture tera. Ma te ture ano te ture e aki. The canoe that you must paddle when I am gone is that of the law. Only the law can be pitched against the law.” Today that prophecy comes to fruition. The Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill will finally settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Rongowhakaata. 
The settlement journey for Rongowhakaata and Nga Uri o Te Kooti Rikirangi has been a long one. Many who have borne the weight of this journey are no longer with us today and we acknowledge and remember them. The Waitangi Tribunal’s 2004 report concluded that Turanga’s history includes some of the darkest and most dramatic moments in our nation’s history. The tribunal described the breaches arising from Crown military action against the iwi as some of the worst in New Zealand. But it went further and laid a challenge that I believe it is incumbent on all of us to pick up. The tribunal noted that it could not help but think that the unsettled state of relations between Maori and Pakeha is in part due to the fact that these stories are remembered only by tangata whenua and a few specialist historians. This leaves the nation in an unenviable state of flux and I quote from the 2004 report: “While only one side remembers the suffering of the past dialogue will always be difficult. One side commences the dialogue with anger and the other side has no idea why. Reconciliation cannot be achieved by this means.” How do we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past? What price is paid for the oppressive policies and injustices suffered in the name of the law? 
This settlement records the Crown’s deep remorse over wrongs done. The apology expresses profound regret that over the generations to the present day Crown actions have significantly impacted on Rongowhakaata’s social and traditional structures autonomy and ability to exercise customary rights and responsibilities. The apology is a sincere attempt to report the Crown’s failure since 1840 to respect the mana of Rongowhakaata and their rangatiratanga. It is difficult for anyone outside of this iwi to truly appreciate the depth of loss and prejudice that has been suffered. The words of a young 17-year-old give voice to that grief which has endured over generations. Wetini Wilkins-Larkin a direct descendant of Te Kooti Rikirangi told the story of his nannies Hine Campbell and Mihi Larkin. “This struggle”—he said—“goes back in history to the time even when my grandmother was a young school girl who experienced the stigma and shame of being a direct descendant of the koroua. I’m told that the Matawhero massacre would be a common topic in the school curriculum and that my Nan would often be a scapegoat for other pupils that the finger was pointed to her in disgust and that she would even hide under the shadow of her desk with her face hidden behind her hands.” What a painful memory to live with throughout your life. How do Nga Uri o Te Kooti Rikirangi move past the stigmatisation of Te Kooti and his descendants? It will take time and our greatest hope is that in the course of the journey we witness today we will reach a time when all New Zealanders look on Te Kooti as the founder of Te Haahi Ringatu acknowledge his inspirational leadership and appreciate his commitment to the preservation of Te Reo me ona tikanga just as his followers from my own iwi continue to follow and believe today. 
This bill expresses that recognition and redress for the bitter grievances of Rongowhakaata that are long overdue. That recognition includes knowledge that the Crown used force in Turanga in November 1865 when there was absolutely no need to do so. The Crown’s attack on Waerenga a Hika whose occupants included women and children was unwarranted and unjust and caused severe and long-term prejudice to this iwi. The summary executions at Ngatapa by Crown forces in 1869 tarnished the honour of the Crown and will live on in the hearts and minds of Rongowhakaata descendants their w’anau and their hapu. The indefinite detention in harsh conditions on the Chatham Islands without trial or the laying of charges was an injustice depriving Rongowhakaata of their basic human rights. The enduring cruelty of Crown actions was epitomised in the 1869 deed of cession resulting in the extinguishment of all of their customary land interests. In effect the Crown confiscated Rongowhakaata land including interests in over 50000 acres at Patutahi and by exclusion from titles awarded by the Poverty Bay Commission. 
On days like this it is unimaginable the sadness deep within the soul of Rongowhakaata nor can the ongoing feelings about the Crown actions be put into words. 
The illegal imprisonment of a quarter of the adult male population of Turanga on Wharekauri and the loss in the war of an estimated 43 percent of their adult male population including the illegal execution of a third to a half of that number were described by the tribunal as a “stain on our national history and character”. The final chapter in the tribunal’s report “Hei Whakamahutanga: The Healing” Is headed with these words: “Whakamoea nga patu ki nga patu rakau kia whanau ko te pai. Put to sleep the evil words and weapons of war so that goodness can prevail.” 
One of the ways in which resolution may be achieved is in addressing the confiscation of Te Hau ki Turanga the elaborate w’are whakairo carved by the expert carver Raharuhi Rukupo of Ngati Kaipoho. Crown troops took possession of Te Hau in 1867 in the aftermath of Waerenga a Hika. The acquisition of this cherished tribal whare which is held by Te Papa here in Wellington has been a source of great pain to this iwi and it is right that redress relating to Te Hau lies at the heart of this settlement. The settlement legislation contains within it the vesting in Rongowhakaata of sites of significance funding for cultural revitalisation specific redress for Nga Uri o Te Kooti Rikirangi a range of commercial redress properties and other elements of redress. This will assist Rongowhakaata in rebuilding their economic platform for the benefit of present and future generations. 
We bear an enduring debt of gratitude to this iwi who have demonstrated great generosity to the nation in foregoing full compensation. Today there will be time for recognition to acknowledge the significant journey which started in 1992 when Heni Sunderland Peter Gordon Darcy Ria and Stan Pardoe lodged their claims. There will no doubt be tears shed and memories shared as Rongowhakaata trace over the steps that led to this day. And in the midst of the heartache I hope there is also room to remember the statement of Wetini Wilkins-Larkin who ended his submission as the voice of hope: “We have regained and restored the mana that we so deserved and can now hold our heads high when saying ‘I am a direct descendant of Te Kooti Rikirangi.’ ” Na reira tena koutou tena koutou tena tatou katoa.