Horan Brendan: Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Horan Brendan: Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 26 July 2012. Volume:682;Page:4039. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
BRENDAN HORAN (NZ First) 
:  
Ka tangi te titi ka tangi te kaka ka tangi hoki ahau tihei mauri ora. E nga iwi e nga reo e nga mana e nga matawaka tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa. E rau rangatira ma ka mihi atu i runga i te karanga o te ra tena koutou tena koutou tena ano tatou katoa. 
[ 
The muttonbird calls the parrot calls and I call as well behold the breath of life. To the tribes voices authorities and kinship groups greetings to you greetings to you and greetings to you all. Oh leaders of a hundredfold I pay homage to you in respect of the call of the day so acknowledgments salutations and congratulations once again to us all 
.] 
I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to acknowledge and support the third reading of the Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill. I cannot help but wonder; I know the media is somewhere out there watching on closed-circuit television but just imagine if we were in the States right now. What would be happening? Every network would be screening this rich histories would be exposed and movie rights would be bought and sold. Even in Australia they would have this all over the networks. But what is going to lead the news tonight? Is this rich tapestry the tragic stories the amazing day that is today the settlement and the apology going to lead the news tonight? Or is gay marriage going to lead the news tonight? 
Metiria Turei 
: What’s wrong with gay marriage? 
BRENDAN HORAN 
: I feel very sad and yes I can understand the Greens saying: “What is wrong with gay marriage?”. What is wrong is that New Zealand’s history is at stake here; the knowledge the healing of New Zealand and New Zealanders—that is what is at stake. I think it is sad that tonight it probably will not lead the news; that tonight all of New Zealand will not be listening will not be hearing about what really happened and what a great day today really is. 
I agree with the sentiments of many of the speakers before me—in particular Parekura Horomia. The atrocities perpetrated by the Crown on Rongowhakaata are heinous and well documented. In 1868 in Nga Uri over a hundred Rongowhakaata including Te Kooti were put on boats and exiled without trial to the Chathams. This took place in the winter months of March to June. It is somewhat of a miracle and testimony to their prodigious strength that they even survived the journey and then to escape 2 years later is absolutely phenomenal and amazing. 
Around the same time we must think about the people of Ngatapa where a hundred men were lined up and shot in the head. Shortly after but still in 1868 Te Hau ki Turanga was confiscated from Ngati Kaipoho. For those people who are watching on television Te Hau ki Turanga is a mighty meeting house carved by Raharuhi Rukupo. Raharuhi is also the biblical term for Lazarus and with the imminent return of their spiritual home Rongowhakaata look forward to a Lazarus-like return to prosperity in body spirit and mind. 
The return of this meeting house is paramount and much anticipated and I must acknowledge the comments made by Minister Finlayson and the hope that he imbibes those comments. We look forward to that process being dealt with as expeditiously as possible. We also want to make sure that the Crown pays for the insurance as well because insurance costs are very high. But the meeting house the taonga has also been plundered over the years as the Minister alluded to with changes being made and also over 60 taonga missing from the meeting house. 
The hurt humiliation atrocities and terror inflicted upon Rongowhakaata can never be fully compensated for because after all who can raise the dead? In financial terms one cannot replace what was lost when Maori landowners were dispossessed of their land only to watch European farmers lease that land at peppercorn rates borrow on the equity and build empires whilst Maori were catapulted into poverty. As with so many historical grievances the journey to this point has been extremely hard—taxing arduous. So much hard work has been done by so many people who have passed on. I would say special praise and acknowledgment to two leading elders of the Gisborne region who are no longer with us but no doubt are here in spirit. I refer to Darcy Ria and Heni Sunderland. We mourn their loss but celebrate their inspiration which has led us to the achievement of this settlement and immensely special day. We also acknowledge and thank the negotiators Stan Pardoe and Jody Wyllie Meka Whaitiri Maever Moeau and Peter Moeau and also from the Office of Treaty Settlements Andrew McConnell and his team. Well done everyone involved. 
We in New Zealand First also celebrate the transparency of the Rongowhakaata Trust in putting forward their strategic plan last October. The 10 trustees were democratically elected from five marae and we wish them well in the implementation of their strategic plan. It is great to see the trustees committing to regular bimonthly updates through the Rongowhakaata website and Facebook. This settlement is long waited for and richly deserved. Now another journey awaits: one of self-determination. I will leave you with a Maniapoto saying given to Maniapoto before his journey over to England to make a plea to Queen Victoria. 
Ka hora te marino kia whakapapa pounamu te moana kia tere te karohirohi i mua i to huarahi. For those who are again out there and do not understand Maori: may the calm be widespread may the ocean glisten like greenstone and may the shimmer of many summers dance across your pathway. Kia ora.