Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti): E Te Māngai o Te Whare tēnā koe. Ngā mema o Te Whare nei tēnā tātou katoa. Āe e tū ki te pōwhiritia ngā iwi ngā hapū o Ahuriri kua tae mai i runga i te kaupapa whakahirahira nō reira otirā ōku rau rangatira mā e kui mā e koro mā tēnā koutou nau mai tēnā koutou nau mai tēnā koutou nau mai.[Madam Speaker greetings. Members of this House greetings. Yes I stand to welcome the iwi the hapū of Ahuriri who have arrived on this important occasion; therefore indeed the distinguished guests the elders greetings and welcome greetings and welcome greetings and welcome.]I'm pleased to conclude this debate as the local member for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and to extend my warm welcome to the whānau and ngā hapū o Ahuriri who have arrived here for this significant date. A long overdue wait for a bill that others have spoken about and addressed but he tika tō kōrero e Piri. He whakaeroa te wā āe he tika. Whakaaeroatia.[What you said was right Piri. It has taken too long—yes that's right. Too long.]We were in the Legislative Council Chamber where we welcomed these people and the rangatira Piri talked about the long wait. So I want to acknowledge that long wait not just in the terms of acknowledging the harms and the omissions at the actions of the Crown but their long wait since getting mandate for the Wai 55 claim that was filed in 1988 to have the mandate to negotiate confirmed in 2010 to actually have the deed of settlement signed in 2016 and here we go four years later. So if there was ever an iwi that was patient these are the people. These are the people in terms of their losses and also in terms of the process which all iwi have to go through in terms of settling past grievances in the Treaty process. I was fortunate to have kai with some of the aunties from Tāngoio and they made some really important points around not just the process of Treaty settlements but our kaupapa. The kōrero was about whakapapa and about whakapapa not having boundaries and how whakapapa unites ia whānau ia hapū ia iwi. So I want to share that because that was a point of discussion at our lunch table around the significance of whakapapa and when there are the challenges which these particular people have been subjected to it is our tikanga practices that will pull us through and our whakapapa that will pull us through. So I just want to acknowledge the aunties that I had kai with from Tāngoio and from Maungaharuru Tangitū that have joined us here today. Others have talked about the various parts of the bill and I look forward to joining my chair—Rino Tirikatene—and the other members of the Māori Affairs Committee to journey up to Ahuriri hopefully to give proper scrutiny to this bill. But I wanted to draw the House's attention to Minister Little's comment in his contribution on this bill where he talked about entering into a renewed relationship—a renewed relationship. I want to acknowledge not only the economic strength and might of ngā hapū o Ahuriri but the cultural and social and the environmental strength that these people will bring to the greater Napier area. I am excited to share to observe and to be part of the aspirations that they've already started around putting their economic prowess to bear on the lives and in the developments that are happening in Napier as we speak. Of course we have our port and we have our airport and we have our newly reopened railway line thanks to our coalition partner New Zealand First—the opening of the Napier to Wairoa line. These are a people that have lived in this rohe for generations and as we talk about the lifting and resilient economy of the Napier area then these people are going to play a significant part in that resilience now and going forward. I want to also acknowledge the mokopuna that were in the rōpū that arrived here today and I want to acknowledge them because it's their history and their journey that we are here for. For many of us that have gathered here and for the whawhai around getting our claims—and I know they're probably ngenge and probably want to haere tonu and hoki ki te kainga—it's important that I acknowledge them and that they and their presence here reminds us of why we come to this place and why we do our job for the future and their benefit. I just want to acknowledge those two mokopuna that have joined us in the House today. Like I said there will be parts of this bill that will be tested through the select committee process. I too just want to add my congratulations and thankyous to the negotiators Piri Prentice Joinella Maihi-Carroll and of course Barry Wilson. It's never an easy task—never ever an easy task—being a Treaty negotiator never. The Hon Nanaia Mahuta my colleague Adrian Rurawhe and myself are all former Treaty negotiators so it comes from a position of experience to say that it is never ever an easy task because you'll get those on the side of you that want you to go faster and there are those on the other side that want you to taihoa. So I want to acknowledge particularly Piri and Barry and Joinella for hanging in for being there from day one and for seeing this through. I do hope that we pass this bill in its conclusion as quickly as possible but I want to acknowledge your efforts particularly Barry Joinella Piri and those kaumātua that are no longer here with us. I too want to add my acknowledgment of Uncle Heitia Hiha and his guidance that he applied on this particular settlement and negotiation. It is a time to celebrate but it's also time to acknowledge the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes in getting us here and also to acknowledge the Crown negotiators and Te Arawhiti staff that have worked and beavered behind the scenes. There's been acknowledgment of the former Treaty Minister Chris Finlayson. I want to acknowledge his work in terms of getting the deed of settlement in 2016 but particularly I want to acknowledge my colleague the current Treaty negotiations Minister the Hon Andrew Little for putting this bill in as soon as the report from the Waitangi Tribunal came out. There were comments from across the side about hold-ups. Look we all understand that everyone has a right to justice and reviews and we have just allowed that to happen. But the tribunal has said haere tonu haere tonu and there has been a commitment to ensure that the trustees' elections proceed before we have that final third reading. So it is really indeed an honour to stand in celebration of this first reading the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill. I am looking forward like I said to travelling home to ensure that we give due process and due scrutiny to this bill. I want to join with all members of this House in acknowledging again those that have travelled down to witness this first reading. It is indeed my honour and privilege with all members of this House to commend this bill and we look forward to it coming to select committee with great haste and to reporting it back to this House. I commend this bill to the House. WaiataBill read a first time. Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.