Street Maryan: Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
Street Maryan: Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:662;Page:10836] 
Hon MARYAN STREET (Labour) 
: 
 E Te Arikinui Kingi Tuheitia tenei te mihi ki a koe. E Te Kahui Ariki e Tainui nui tonu nau mai haere mai. Tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa. 
[ 
To the paramount chief Kingi Tuheitia I greet you. To members of the King movement and Tainui at large welcome welcome. Greetings salutations and acknowledgments to you all 
.] 
I acknowledge Lady Raiha Mahuta. Arohanui ki a koe I say to Nanaia. As the first Pakeha to rise to speak in the third reading of the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill my speech may seem to be a little pedestrian but let us make no mistake: although I cannot imitate the humour of my matua Parekura Horomia I have the heart to support this very important legislation. Let us make no mistake: it is as important to Pakeha as it is to te whanui Tainui. I recognise another matua Koro Wetere. Tenei te mihi ki a koe I say to Koro. I acknowledge also Tukoroirangi Morgan and his presence in the Chamber this afternoon. I have another special matua who is also in this Chamber and that is Dr Michael Cullen. It is a great delight to look across these benches and see again his wise face here this afternoon. 
I pay tribute to all those who have worked and waited for this settlement. The initial settlement with Waikato-Tainui was signed by Michael Cullen on behalf of the Crown in August 2008. In this legislation we have something that is unique to Aotearoa New Zealand and something that I hope can be taken further as new arrangements new settlements and new ways of doing things are forged not only in this generation but in the next. 
I want to quote from the legislation because I am so struck by the way that it is framed up. I have a very strong sense as a Pakeha of Aotearoa New Zealand identity in this legislation. I want to read something that I identify with as a Pakeha member of Parliament; it is from Part 2 of the legislation. It simply says: “The Waikato River is our tupuna (ancestor) which has mana (spiritual authority and power) and in turn represents the mana and mauri (life force) of Waikato-Tainui. The Waikato River is a single indivisible being that flows from Te Taheke Hukahuka to Te Puuaha o Waikato (the mouth) and includes its waters banks and beds (and all minerals under them) and its streams waterways tributaries lakes aquatic fisheries vegetation flood plains wetlands islands springs water column airspace and substratum as well as its metaphysical being. Our relationship with the Waikato River and our respect for it gives rise to our responsibilities to protect te mana o te Awa and to exercise our mana whakahaere in accordance with long established tikanga to ensure the wellbeing of the river. Our relationship with the river and our respect for it lies at the heart of our spiritual and physical wellbeing and our tribal identity and culture.” 
That statement means a great deal to Tainui. It means a great deal to me as a New Zealander because here is something very significant printed in black and white in the law of our land. We have come to that point where we are able to recognise such things to express them in their original language and to credit them with legal status. And this is new. This is not simply an interpretation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi; this is about a new model of co-management of a waterway that is of enormous importance. 
That leads me to the second piece that I wish to quote from the legislation. It is under clause 9 “Scope of vision and strategy” below the heading “Te Ture Whaimana”. Clause 9(1) states: “The Waikato River and its contribution to New Zealand’s cultural social environmental and economic wellbeing are of national importance.” The Waikato River is of importance to me as a Pakeha for all those reasons as much as it is to Maori and to whanui Tainui for all of the antecedent reasons that they hold dear. 
This legislation makes me feel very proud. Sometimes laws are passed in this Parliament that I am not proud of but this is one that has far and away the majority support of members of Parliament. Although we have had some not very likable or respectful speeches in the course of the passage of this legislation we are at the stage now when the vast majority of this House recognises the importance of the Waikato Awa and its importance across almost everything that is important to human beings: our cultural spiritual physical and economic well-being. 
The co-management model that we have in this legislation is unique; by virtue of its very language it can be found only in this country. It cannot be found anywhere else in the world because of the language because of te reo and because of the antecedent history—the things that went before—and connection with the awa. The deed of settlement inside this legislation will allow for an unprecedented era of co-management of the river and that co-management will take into account—because it is charged to do so by this legislation—the cultural spiritual physical and economic well-being of Aotearoa New Zealand. This legislation is for all New Zealanders. There is no doubt that that wonderful river feeds some of the richest pasture and land in our country. Even if one were to take only an economic perspective that would be reason enough to support this legislation. But there are many more reasons besides that. 
So with all of my respect to the members of the Maori Affairs Committee which has shepherded this legislation through the House to those who as I said earlier have worked and waited for this and to those who have passed on in the course of working and waiting I pay a tribute and I acknowledge what they have done. To those particularly those here in the House whose fingerprints are all over this legislation I pay my respects. As a Pakeha member of Parliament I am proud and delighted to lend my support to and to join with my colleagues and matua here in the Labour Party in supporting the third reading of this most significant legislation. Tena koutou tena koutou. Kia ora koutou katoa.