Tolley Anne: Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
Tolley Anne: Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:678;Page:1537] 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Police) 
: 
 I feel privileged to stand here in this House today as the MP for East Coast for the third reading of the Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill. The territory covered by this bill is the area from Potikirua Point to the place of the stone in the centre of the Turanganui River which runs through the centre of Gisborne and forms a large part of the diverse East Coast electorate.  
This is a unique day in Parliament and I think it is fitting then that Ngati Porou form part of this very unique experience. As I look around the gallery I see many many familiar faces who have made the trip down from Tai Rawhiti to celebrate this third reading and the closure of one part of the Ngati Porou story today. Can I acknowledge Dr Apirana Mahuika sitting up there. Can I acknowledge His Worship the Mayor Meng Foon—I see him in the gallery—and his councillor Bill Burdett. But there are many many more up there and of course they bring with them the spirits of those who have gone before who would have loved to be here today to celebrate the settlement of this Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill.  
Ngati Porou is the second-largest iwi in New Zealand with 72000 members 58 hapu and 48 marae and they are spread far and wide. Many of them make it here to Parliament and we are pleased to have them. In fact I was in Christchurch last year following the earthquake meeting with some Ngai Tahu there and talking about how we would be helping them with some of the kohanga reo that had been badly damaged in the earthquake. They informed me that there were more Ngati Porou living in Christchurch than there were up on the East Coast. I do not know whether that is correct but it does indicate the difficulties of the area that we all come from which is quite remote in New Zealand. The last couple of weeks have shown us just how remote we are when first we lose our roads and then we lose our rail. But I admire Ngati Porou for recognising what could be a disconnect between some of their people. Of course the iwi themselves recognise ahi ka the people who remain at home and Ngati Porou kei te whenua those who reside outside of the tribal lands and are seeking to make their way in the world.  
Ngati Porou has a proud history of working with the Crown to preserve the New Zealand way of life. Many Ngati Porou fought in World War II in the Maori Battalion. Ngarimu VC the first Maori New Zealander awarded a Victoria Cross was of course of Ngati Porou descent. And their spirit lives on not just in the stories and the recognition of their valour but also in the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board. I had the privilege to chair that board for 3 years as the Minister of Education. We worked hard to embody the mana and the tikanga despite some very rigid legislation.  
When I read this not insubstantial bill here on the Table of the House for me there are one or two paragraphs that stand out that I would like to read: “The Crown acknowledges that despite Ngati Porou fulfilling its Treaty obligations the Crown has breached the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles in a number of respects. The Crown also acknowledges that despite Ngati Porou’s significant contribution to New Zealand it has failed to address the longstanding grievances of Ngati Porou in an appropriate manner and that recognition of Ngati Porou grievances is long overdue.” For me that embodies the work that has gone in over the years to bring us to this point.  
There is one other part that I want to read out. It was interesting that my colleague Nanaia Mahuta referred to education and Ngati Porou because there is a paragraph here where the Crown “acknowledges the significant harm Ngati Porou children suffered by being punished for speaking their own language in Crown-established schools for many decades. It also acknowledges that the education system historically had low expectations for Maori academic achievement and that the educational achievements of students in East Coast schools have lagged well behind those of other New Zealand children.” We all wish that that story could have changed throughout New Zealand because I believe after 3 years as Minister of Education that there still are low expectations for Maori children in our schools.  
However I believe that what Ngati Porou have done with education reflects their long struggle and their long focus on the way ahead for their people. In particular can I acknowledge Dr Apirana Mahuika who I think is a great leader. He is a man who is constantly looking forward at how he can ensure that Ngati Porou people get the very best out of everything that modern New Zealand has to honour. The education programme that was put into place and overseen by Ngati Porou over the last years has reaped enormous rewards to the point that when the Education Review Office went in and had a look at those schools last year there was hardly a school that had not made significant improvement in focusing on the achievement of their children. I think that that is a great testament to not only the leadership of the iwi but the commitment of the families the teachers and the communities to ensure that every opportunity is given to Ngati Porou children for the future.  
I am delighted to stand as the local MP to welcome all those who come from Tai Rawhiti to this House to celebrate the end of this particular journey knowing that it is just the beginning of the longer journey in the partnership between the Crown and Ngati Porou. Kia ora tatou.