Ririnui Mita: Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi and Hapu Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
Ririnui Mita: Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi and Hapu Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
[Volume:650;Page:18913] 
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Associate Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) 
: 
 Kia ora Mr Assistant Speaker and thank you. I was interrupted by my whanaunga mai i te rohe o te Waiariki. But kei te pai tena—kei te pai tena. As I said he whanaunga. 
Once again I say that naturally I stand in support of the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi and Hapu Claims Settlement Bill which today is having its second reading. But in doing so I think it is important to mention the Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill as well because these two bills are closely linked in terms of the assets involved in terms of the iwi and hapu involved and in terms of the business relationships that will develop in the future. I believe that at some time over the next couple of days we will have the opportunity to debate the second reading of the Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement Bill. 
It is important to acknowledge the difficulties that the affiliate Te Arawa iwi and hapu have endured over a number of years to bring this settlement bill to this stage. It has been a combination of a lot of hard work huge commitments and most important compromise. Many will say that Te Arawa never compromise. Well this bill states something else. It states very clearly that when it comes to the benefits of the whanau and hapu of Te Arawa Te Arawa put their interests first and are prepared to compromise where it is in their best interests. Te Arawa has done that. 
On a more historical basis I say that as we know in 2002 dialogue was entered into between the Crown and the central North Island claimants—with the assistance of a person we know very well the Hon David Caygill—on how Treaty claims in the region could move forward. In early discussions that dialogue reached a stage where mandating and negotiations could begin with the affiliate Te Arawa groups in mid-2003. After many months of intensive discussion and hui the Kaihautu Executive Council submitted a deed of mandate to the Crown in December 2003. The Crown and the Kaihautu Executive Council signed the terms of negotiations which set out the objectives of the negotiations on November 2004. The Crown and the affiliate Te Arawa groups also agreed to sign the deed of settlement on 30 September 2007. 
Since then much has happened. As members know the central North Island settlement also known as the “Treelords” deal was signed only a couple of months ago and we were graced with the presence of some 700 central North Island iwi members here in this House to witness the historical occasion and to support this Labour-led Government in our first reading of the bill. Much of that momentum and the opportunity was born from the affiliate Te Arawa iwi and hapu which having agreed to join the central North Island collective also chose to make a significant compromise by passing the final decision about most of their forestry redress over to the largest forestry company in the country for their benefit and for the benefit of other North Island iwi. Through their agreement to allow their forestry assets to be held over for the central North Island collective settlement they also agreed to hold their own affiliate Te Arawa iwi and hapu settlement over until the central North Island collective claim had been put to rest. With the progress of the central North Island collective claim we can now turn our attention to Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa to finally resolve their grievances and in doing so provide them with the cultural financial and commercial redress package that they well deserve. 
It is true that as with other Treaty settlements of the past we are unable to provide iwi with or return to them the equivalent of what has been lost from them. However I believe that this settlement will provide the affiliate Te Arawa iwi and hapu with enough to put them on the path of reaffirming and maintaining their status and development. The redress package includes the transfer of 19 areas of Crown-owned land of special significance to the affiliate Te Arawa iwi and hapu—redress that will enable increased input into management of Crown-owned land and protocols with certain Government agencies. In addition to reflect the compromise made by the affiliate Te Arawa groups additional redress has been negotiated. This includes the gifting of land under five Rotorua schools with lease-back arrangements to the Crown; the gifting of Ngatamariki geothermal assets based on a value of $5 million; a statement acknowledging the affiliate Te Arawa groups’ interest in the upper reaches of the Waikato River; and the forgiveness of the current Whakarewarewa Village debt. 
I pay tribute to Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa’s head negotiator Rawiri Te Whare—now in Italy—and its chairman Eru George for their commitment to reaching a settlement. It is also important that I acknowledge Henare Colbert Ruka Hughes Kere Cookson-Ua and Brian Barge—also part of the negotiating team. Their work and dedication in reaching a resolution despite what may have often felt like impossible odds have been unwavering and I commend them all. It is also important that I acknowledge the efforts of my esteemed colleagues the Hon Dr Michael Cullen and the Minister of Maori Affairs the Hon Parekura Horomia. 
I cannot stress how important this settlement is to Te Arawa the Crown and the whole of the central North Island. We have been experiencing a wave of Treaty settlements and it is primarily due to this Government’s strong desire to settle historical grievances and to move forward with all Maori as Treaty partners into the future. Also providing a positive platform for Te Arawa to regain some of the economic status that was taken from them through the acts of the Crown is a way of bridging the historical rift and creating a future of economic growth and development. Therefore support by the House for this settlement is unanimous because of the efforts of particularly the negotiators for Te Arawa. 
I want to comment on the process that was undertaken over the last few years. In particular I want to comment on the submissions we heard in Rotorua. Some people had longstanding issues with the claim. Some felt that the Crown should listen very carefully to what they had to say and make genuine attempts to resolve those issues. 
I want to speak to one matter in particular and that is the reference to Ngati Wahiao - Tuhourangi. It was a very small amendment that was required—a very small addition. There is a history behind this reference. It goes back to the time of the eruption of Tarawera when Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao became united as iwi and occupied generally a similar area. In their speeches their whaikorero and in a lot of their whakatauki they are referred to as Ngati Wahiao - Tuhourangi. There is a group within Te Arawa who wish them to be referred to as Ngati Wahiao and Tuhourangi. They say the Crown should listen very carefully to this plea and include the word “and”. But my view is that this reference was a historical decision brought about by the displacement of one particular tribe and the compassion of another tribe in bringing them into the area where they lived so that they shared a common area. If any changes are to be made in terms of the reference to these two iwi then it is they that must do it because it was their tupuna who as a result of the eruption of Tarawera made the decision that from that time they would be referred to as Ngati Wahiao - Tuhourangi. No one—no one at all—should insist that the Crown be the adjudicator in this case and that the Crown insert words to separate those two iwi; that is something they have to work on themselves. I am sure there are many in this House who think the Crown should do that; well I am one who disagrees. 
Once again I thank all my colleagues including those on the Maori Affairs Committee for the contribution they have made to bring this important bill to the House today. Kia ora.