Paraone Pita: Te Arawa Lakes Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Paraone Pita: Te Arawa Lakes Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:630;Page:2789] 
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
: 
 First of all I thank members for their forbearance. Tihei mauri ora! Tuku mauri ora ki te wheiao ki te ao marama. Te Arawa waka Te Arawa tangata tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa. Koutou hoki nga rangatira koutou hoki i kawe mai tenei kaupapa i roto i nga piki me nga heke tena koutou katoa. Kei te koa te hari ka whakauru mai tenei pire inaianei na te mea kei kite mai te iwi whanui o Aotearoa te hohonutanga o te kaupapa nei. Tua atu i tena te roanga ake i tatari mai koutou ki te whakataungia te kaupapa nei. Te hari au mo koutou. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Behold the sneeze of life to the world of enlightenment and awareness. To the canoe and people of Te Arawa to you the chiefs and especially those of you who were responsible for bringing this matter here despite the ups and downs greetings to you greetings to you and greetings to you all. It is pleasing and timely for this bill to be presented now so that the people of New Zealand can see the depth of this matter. Further to that you have waited a long time to have this matter settled. I am overjoyed for you. 
] 
 The settlement between the Crown and Te Arawa hands ownership of the lakes to the Rotorua tribe; it vests the lake bed titles in the iwi. I must say the only difference between this issue and the Lake Taupo issue is that it involves more than one lake and the compensation is probably a little bit more than the Tuwharetoa settlement. The previous speaker raised concerns about the bill; if he and his party support the bill going to a select committee that will provide the opportunity to raise those issues. 
New Zealand First supports the bill as a settlement of a genuine historical grievance. We recognise that some members of Te Arawa have concerns about the terms of the settlement but by supporting the referral of the bill our party is giving those people the opportunity to articulate their concerns to the select committee. The best thing is that the bill includes the transfer of 13 lake beds to the Te Arawa Lakes Trust with the Crown retaining ownership of the water column and airspace. I think that Te Arawa needs to be recognised for the fact that they are sharing the responsibility of the care of what is essentially their asset with the rest of the community. I understand the Te Arawa Lakes Trust will include Environment Bay of Plenty the Rotorua District Council the Ministry of Fisheries and the Department of Conservation. 
The bill protects recreational activities such as swimming fishing and boating and provides conditions under which such activities can take place. I know that some people within the Rotorua community both Maori and non-Maori do not support the bill but given the support of a large number of those eligible to vote it is worthy that the bill has been brought to the House and will be referred to a select committee. 
The bill protects existing commercial activities but new commercial activities and structures will require consent from the Te Arawa Lakes Trust. The bill puts Te Arawa in charge of the lakes with the Rotorua District Council and Environment Bay of Plenty providing support. Te Arawa will not be liable for weeds or contamination within the lakes but that is an issue that requires a concerted and combined strategy by all stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the lakes. I have no doubt that the trust’s members will certainly address that issue. The bill provides for the establishment of the Rotorua Lakes Strategy Group to promote the sustainable management of the lakes while recognising and providing for the traditional relationship of Te Arawa with their ancestral lakes. 
The bill essentially has four parts. Part 1 outlines the purpose of the Act which we are quite clear about; Part 2 provides cultural redress; Part 3 also contains other cultural redress; and Part 4 deals with miscellaneous provisions. I want to make it clear that New Zealand First supports the bill. I say that in spite of Te Arawa not coming to see us. But never mind kei te pai. We believe in the kaupapa. Te Arawa owns the lake bed and subsoil strata and that in itself gives it title. There might be some confusion about the seabed and foreshore issue. Some Maori may ask why what has been proposed in this bill cannot be proposed for the seabed and foreshore issue. But that is another matter. 
In the cultural redress provision rights and obligations of ownership are articulated. Firstly the title is vested in the trustees and they hold it on behalf of all the people of Te Arawa. Secondly a freehold estate in the lake beds is inalienable; that means they cannot put it on the market to get rid of it or mortgage it. No charge or mortgage is to be created. Transfer or transmission to trustees is permitted. Te Arawa is not liable for the weeds or contamination within the lakes but I am quite sure the trust itself has a responsibility to ensure that that issue is controlled. Cultural redress also contains recreational activities being protected and that includes but is not limited to swimming boating waterskiing and fishing activities. So those people who have buildings on the lake shore have their entitlements protected. It provides conditions under which those activities may take place. Of course there are recreational activities such as fishing and kayaking. In fact what has taken off within Maoridom is waka ama. But we want to be sure that the bill protects existing structures—that structures that are currently in or on a Te Arawa lake bed are protected. Of course the trust will need to do a structure audit. Conditions that apply to existing structures are set out and Te Arawa are not liable for existing structures. The bill talks about jetties boatsheds ramps moorings and other structures. 
I want to make sure that the people of Te Arawa are quire clear that this is a final settlement of a historical claim. I know they have been waiting quite a long time to see this come to some conclusion and I hope that the introduction of the bill and referral to the Maori Affairs Committee will go a long way towards settling this overdue issue.