Davis Kelvin: Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Davis Kelvin: Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:667;Page:14610] 
KELVIN DAVIS (Labour) 
: 
 Tena ra koutou. Tena ano koutou e Ngati Manawa Ngati Whare. Ka nui nga mihi atu ki a koutou i takahia mai te huarahi kia tatu mai ki raro i te tuanui o to tatou nei Whare hei whakarongo ki tenei te panuitanga tuatahi o to koutou na pire. Na reira tena ra koutou me nga tini mate kua pikaungia e koutou tera ko Bill Bird ratou katoa ma. No reira e nga mate haere. 
[ 
Greetings to you 
 
 collectively. 
Ngati Manawa and 
 Ngati Whare welcome.  
I commend you greatly for travelling here to be under the roof of this House of ours to listen to t 
he first reading of your bill.  
I also acknowledge the many deaths that you have had to bear 
 
including Bill Bird. S 
o farewell 
 
 the deaths 
.] 
It gives me pleasure to speak on the first reading of the Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill. I have to admit that I have been to Murupara only once. That was for the tangihanga of my dear friend Pererika Twist a colleague from the world of education who passed away unfortunately way too early. That is what drew me to Murupara. Like my whanaunga over there from Ngati Hine Tau Henare says we are looking forward to going back to Murupara. It will be a more joyous occasion than heading off to the tangi of a friend. 
As my colleague Parekura Horomia says this bill gives effect to the deeds of settlement that the Crown Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare agreed to as the final settlements of the historical claims of both iwi. I read here in the notes that this is one of the many settlements that the Government is progressing towards its goal of settling historical Treaty claims justly and durably by 2014. We really intend to make sure this is a durable settlement. But part of that sentence says that we are settling the claims justly. It is really hard to argue that any settlement will be just when we consider everything that was taken—the land kua raupatuhia the culture—and all the negative impacts that had on the people since that time. It can never really be just compensation when one is getting a fraction back of what was lost. I am not talking just in terms of the amount of land and resources lost; the loss of language and culture can never be compensated for. It is a bit like someone coming along and pinching my car and then 20 years later turning up with the hubcaps and saying: “Here you go. I hope you’re happy with the return of your asset.” It is a bit like that. 
This settlement will not be just but I have to acknowledge the people of Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare for accepting that there is not a blank cheque to just write out a figure with as many zeroes on the end as the settlement should be worth. I acknowledge them. I also say that their story is our story. Be it Ngati Manawa or Ngati Whare—or like me Ngapuhi—their story is our story. The details may be different but the general theme the broad outline of the story is the same. We have all suffered as a result of actions of the Crown over the last 170-odd years. That is why it really gets under my skin when I hear people out there in the community say: “Oh these blimmin Maoris have got their hands out again. They’ve been given millions of dollars and I wish they would just get on with things.” It annoys me when they say that without acknowledging the extent of the losses. But this is a time to move forward. This is a time to put that behind us. As much as it hurts it is a time to put all of that behind us and move forward and use the settlement to renew the language and the cultural well-being of the iwi. So I ask Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare to take this settlement and make the most of it for the benefit of their people. When Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare do well and when all the other iwi that have received their settlements are doing well then we are building and lifting and rising up as a people. It will not be easy; it has not been easy. But we must strive forward and upwards for the sake of our kids and our grandkids for the years to come. 
I am pleased that we are working through these settlements as unfair as I believe the quantum is. It does not compensate for the loss that we have experienced as I have said but I am glad that we are working through these settlements so that we as a people te iwi Maori can move forward progress and advance our interests. Education is what I know and what I am in Parliament to improve so I really hope that part of that settlement is set aside for the kids to improve educational outcomes so that as many Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare kids as possible can move through the school system successfully can go on to university can go on and become the business leaders and the people of influence in this country and can sit here in this House and make decisions so that Maori never again have to go through what we have gone through in the past. 
I could go through the litany and the length and breadth of all the issues and confiscations and all the things that have happened to these two iwi—I looked through the bill and I saw page after page of history of all the wrongs—but this is not really a time to relitigate. It is a time to remember but it is not a time to relitigate all those issues. This moment at this time is about moving forward and moving ahead not about looking back and feeling sad about everything. It is about moving forward and progressing into the future. As I say I am really looking forward as a member of the select committee to heading up to Murupara. I know that not everybody in Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare will be happy with what is being offered and no doubt we will hear from those people. I am looking forward to hearing their side of the story and what they want to have happen. But again I hope we do not get bogged down with infighting and bickering scrapping over this blade of grass and not that blade of grass or whatever. We have to make sure that we are moving forward and that we get the best deal for Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare. 
It is an honour to stand and speak to this first reading. I look forward to the select committee process the second reading the Committee stage and the third and final reading so that Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare can then move ahead into a future where their kids their grandkids and their great-grandkids are all successful and influential people contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand. Kia ora.