Horomia Parekura: Waitaha Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHoromia Parekura: Waitaha Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading In Committee[Sitting date: 17 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9523. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti):E te Kaiwhakahaere tēnā koe. I roto i āku te nui o ngā whakaaro mō tēnei tino kerēme. Mai i ōku tau e 40 pea hīkoi kaha atu au mai i te motu kite atu i ngā marae ngā iwi ngā hapū ngā piki ngā heke e mōhio atu tātou te nui o te Māori ngā mea taumaha nā te tiamana. Ēngari nā te mea i roto i āku tēnei anō wētahi o ngā tino iwi e mau kaha rawa atu te iwi Māori. Ahakoa te takahia o ngā hōia te Kāwana te tangata whenua kei reira kē rātou e mau ana te māhore i roto i tō rātou āhua. Te mea hoki kāre rātou e whakahoki riri ki te Kāwana nā tō rātou whanaunga tata ahakoa ngā piki ngā heke i reira kē. Pērā i a te nui o tātou kite atu tātou i te tangohia o te katoa o ngā whenua ō rātou. Takariri atu tō rātou mahi ki te takahia te tupuna a Hakaraia wētahi o ngā tino rangatira o wērā atu hoki. Mōhio atu tātou mai i te 1865 he raruraru te mahi o te Kāwana ki a rātou.Te pai hoki mō te rangi nei ka ora anō ngā kanohi Māori. Te Pāremata nei e whakatikatika tērā raru kia ora rawa atu. Nō reira mihi kau ana ki tō tātou Minita a Chris Finlayson mō tana kaha ki te whakatikatika. Tēnā koe e tō tātou Minita me tō tātou kaiwhakahaere o tō tātou komiti me te mahi o Tākuta Pita. Tika atu ki te mihi atu ki ōku hoa o muri a Michael Cullen a Mita e mahi atu a muri i te take nei. Ahakoa kāre i konei wētahi o rātou e mōhio atu tātou kei te tinanatia atu tō rātou whakaaro mō te oti pai o tēnei kerēme.Tukuna atu he tino mihi ki a Tame rāua ko Punohu wētahi o ngā tino koroua kuia e oti atu i tēnei take. E kite atu rātou te rere haere o te nui o ngā pakeke i reira ahakoa i konei kē wētahi e ora ana a Maru Tapsell a Whareoteriri Rāhiri pērā i a Mike Nahu Āreta Gray Shane Ashby me Rāhera Ōhia. Kāre e tika i te mau ingoa ka waihotia atu wētahi ki waho. Ēngari i roto i tō rātou kaha e whakahurihuri mō te oti pai o wētahi o ngā kerēme pērā i a Mauao. Kore atu e whakahoki rātou o tēnei wā kāre e oti atu kāre e taea te tōti pērā i ngā kerēme tata ana ki a rātou. Haere tonu atu rātou haere tonu atu rātou e whakaae atu rātou. [Interruption] Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. That is most probably them ringing up in traffic. But e tika atu ki te mihi atu ki a rātou mō tō rātou kaha.[Thank you Mr Speaker. I have many thoughts about this claim. From the time I was in my 40s I travelled the country with much vigour visited courtyards tribes and subtribes and witnessed the trials and tribulations alluded to by the chairman that we are aware of and that many Māori experience. But there is a feeling in me that this is one of the most persistent tribes of all in Māoridom. Regardless of the fact they were trampled upon by the militia Government and locals they remained there bemused. The thing also is that they also did not seek revenge against Government because of their close relationship and despite the ups and downs. It was not like that with the majority of us. The consequence was that we saw all their lands taken from them. The abuse inflicted upon the ancestor Hakaraia and upon the real big chiefs of others as well caused anger. We know that from 1865 the Government caused much trouble for Waitaha.What a wonderful day this is as Māoridom will become revitalised once again. This Parliament will rectify that problem for ever. And so I commend our Minister Chris Finlayson who worked hard to put this right. I doff my hat to you. As well I acknowledge our chairman of the select committee and what Dr Pita has contributed. It is apt indeed for me to acknowledge my former colleagues Michael Cullen and Mita who worked behind the scenes. Although some of them are no longer here we know fora fact that their thoughts are being implemented in terms of this claim being completed well.A special tribute is extended to Tame and Punoho two of the key elders of a number of them who worked to bring this matter to fruition. They have witnessed the passing of many elders that were there in their day but some are still alive and present here today like Maru Tapsell Whareoteriri Rāhiri Mike Nahu Āreta Gray Shane Ashby and Rāhera Ōhia. Mentioning names is not really the proper thing to do in case someone is overlooked. But through their efforts to turn things round some claims have been completed like the Mauao one. Some will not be returned to them at this time; it will not be completed. They cannot dodge them like the closest ones to them. They will continue to move forward until they reach an agreement.[Interruption]Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. That is most probably them ringing up in traffic. Butit is right that their efforts be acknowledged.]I suppose the majority of this legislation the Waitaha Claims Settlement Bill talks about the land compensation. Well I think that the package is good and that the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and his officials have done well. The Crown’s actions which left Waitaha virtually landless are some of the most shocking in this country not just because of the size but because of the type of people they were. As I said having moved amongst the iwi over several years—I know a lot of the Māori faces in here—these are some of the most humble people I have known even though they tell me “Oh no we’re rough with each other.” That happens.The iwi have had spread affiliation and they have a shared split difference with Ngāti Mākino. This settlement package certainly has a historical account an acknowledgment and an apology and the transfer of eight sites of cultural and spiritual significance. As my colleague Shane Jones said protect the first right of refusal or any right of refusal and make sure that the public land is available—that they get to use it if they need it.There are a number of statutory acknowledgments which has always been an issue for them. The biggest one I suppose is the re-recognising of Hakaraia their tupuna. It has the same travelling pattern as Hone Heke and Te Rauparaha. It is quite a fascinating read and study. It depends on whose world view is cast and set on it. This is a great settlement—it really is. That people try to fade it into memory loss is a bit of a joke subject because it is easy to understand. It is no different to what happened to the Welsh and the Irish and the Scots and the Irish too I imagine. I know that they get upset when I tell them that they are all British but we are all Māori as first tangata whenua and we are New Zealanders and we cherish both of those. That is the strength of Waitaha. They really respected that. It is a unique cultural revitalisation and recognition package. With the marae the Hei Marae I wish them all the luck because despite where they could have gone what they have done they have just preserved their building. And it needs more than repair. It needs a lot of support but people are genuine enough to do that.The biggest thing for me with my friend the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations is the relationship instruments to assist in enhancing Waitaha’s relationships with a number of Crown ministries. Those ministries and regional and local authorities you know have this paepae development where the ministries are here the settlements are here but within a year they disappear. Well I know with this Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations that he has put the heat on.The rest is there. It is a given. During our Māori Affairs Committee consideration of the bill we received and considered 20 written submissions. Our chair Tau Henare visited them and we have done well as a select committee to play our part. Of course the Labour Party supports this Waitaha Claims Settlement Bill to the Committee stage.We are very proud to be here today with other members and parties to show that if we have a common interest we can synchronise for the better of Māori and this nation.Nō reira tēnā anō te mea i roto i a au whai kaha muri i a rātou o Waitaha. Mihi kau ana ki a rātou ahakoa kāre i konei ngā kanohi e mōhiotia atu e tātou. Kei te mau whakaaro kei te mau mahana atu rātou tinana mō te oti pai o tēnei. Tēnā tātou.[And so that is also the thing inside me: get behind them of Waitaha strongly. I commend them indeed even though the faces we recognise are not here. We give due thought and warmth to them for this to be completed well. Salutations to us collectively.]