Simpson ScottHon SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): Thank you Mr Speaker and I wish to join with others from around the debating chamber this afternoon in offering a warm parliamentary welcome to our visitors and our guests from Ngāti Hei who have travelled a distance that I travel regularly. But it's a long way and we appreciate you coming again to this place again to advance a settlement that has been so long in the making—so long in the making—and your patience and your diligence and your forthright resolute stickability to this process is something that I think we can all be very proud of but I acknowledge that it has taken too long far too long. A little bit of personal history: my whānau arrived at Kūaotunu in the rohe of Ngāti Hei in 1884 my great grandparents and proceeded to embark upon a lifestyle and raise a family—large families in those days—and quickly started to interact with Ngāti Hei I'd like to think over the years over the generations positively and constructively but interact they did. And at Wharekaho a beach sometimes referred to as Simpson's beach" the relationship has been strong and there are still members of my extended family who farm in that area today. It was only a few weeks ago that I had the opportunity and the privilege to visit the beautiful marae villa site at Wharekaho to discuss matters of issue with Ngāti Hei and others about fishing about the marine environment and the space and the accessibility or over-accessibility of people who want to come and spend time in the beautiful Coromandel in the rohe of Ngāti Hei who want to come and spend time there as they have done for millennia because of the beautiful environment because of the lovely safe harbours the beautiful marine environment and the welcoming of the people. And so back in—I think it was—August 2017 when the deed of settlement was finally signed here at the Parliament I had an opportunity to participate in that ceremony with my then colleague the negotiating Minister Chris Finlayson. That was a moment of great personal pride but it was pride really for the progress that Ngāti Hei and the people of Ngāti Hei have brought to this longstanding issue over such a challenging period of time.I want to endorse what others have said about how this negotiation process has been concluded or how it has progressed. And I want to also acknowledge those that have gone before because many of them who started along this way are no longer with us. And we as descendants of those people have the privilege and honour of attempting to conclude a matter that has taken far too long to get where it is. So to Peter Matai Johnston welcome to Parliament; to Joe Davis and the rest of the team welcome. It's great to have you here on this auspicious occasion but this is just another step along the way. We're not quite there yet. We are about to send this piece of special legislation to a select committee where the details of the settlement will be examined closely and where the grievances and issues that have led to the settlement will also be acknowledged and considered again. That will be part of the process. I can well remember a time when I was a very new MP and the Hon Christopher Finlayson was the Treaty negotiations Minister and visiting again at Wharekaho. And I can't remember exactly why but the Minister had for some reason walked on grass or across pasture that was wet and his socks had got wet. It was a winter's day and the fire was roaring in the wood burner in the whare. And the Minister decided as was his wont to dry his socks and he placed his socks on the wrong part of the fireplace and he left the whare with burnt socks but I think a good understanding and a good open relationship. I know that that relationship has endured and I know that he would be very pleased to be participating in this debate if he was here still in this Chamber. I know that that relationship is firm and strong but that relationship's been carried on by his successors and we find ourselves where we are today. And again because this is such an important part of the wider Treaty settlement negotiations process for the Hauraki area I'm pleased that we have got past the idea of trying to settle the omnibus process involving the 13 iwi because that was fraught and it was difficult and it was challenging. So let's get on with the groups that are ready the iwi that are ready and Ngāti Hei are ready to go. That I think is a good thing because back in 2011 when I was first elected to Parliament I can remember someone saying to me "Get ready Scott; get ready. The Treaty settlement is about to come. You've got to get ready." And then they said "Well it'll be six months." And then the six months came and they said "Oh it'll be another six months. Just be ready. It'll be another six months and it'll be all done—another six months." And here we are nearly 12 years on and maybe six months—maybe six months more—we'll be at least a little bit closer with Ngāti Hei. So I want to join with others. I'm very much looking forward to this bill progressing through to select committee where I know it's going to be scrutinised carefully where I know the dignity and the mana and the perseverance of Ngāti Hei will be acknowledged and maintained and then we'll bring it back for a second reading and then finally a third reading and the legislation will be passed. And I hope that I have the honour and privilege of still being in this House when that occurs as I know that there will be other members of the Chamber wanting to do exactly the same. Kia kaha! We look forward to progressing this legislation. Thank you."