Clendon David: Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeClendon David: Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 12 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16638. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DAVID CLENDON (Green):Tēnā koe Mr Deputy Speaker. Kia koutou katoa. I am pleased to take a short call on this Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Bill to affirm the Green Party’s support for it. As the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations pointed out in introducing the bill this legislation has some features that are typical of other settlement bills. It restores mana whenua recognises kaitiaki status and deals with the issue of naming which I will return to. But it is also unique in that it is addressing and recognising the reality of overlapping claims a very complex situation and it creates what in principle at least is a very elegant mechanism. It establishes a body that will represent the interests of the multiple iwi and hapū and will give them all an opportunity to be involved in decision making not just as consulted parties not just as co-managers but at the governance level. At the decision-making level these various iwi and hapū groups will be represented. That is as it should be and we are very pleased to see that.I recall I made the comment at the first reading that given the unique features of this bill the Māori Affairs Committee might have had its work cut out to bring the bill through. But given the relatively few changes that have been made the bill has emerged apparently unscathed in principle and that would suggest that the work was done well and diligently and I would commend the committee for the work that has been done. Although some of us have chosen to escape Auckland and move to the north nevertheless we recognise the attractions of Auckland. It is that very appeal of the place both in the present day and historically for a broad range of reasons that means there is considerable overlap of interests and many parties with legitimate claims to be recognised which has generated this solution—this multipartisan solution if you like.It was interesting reading the submissions on the bill. The previous speaker Nanaia Mahuta made reference to it. There are a number of NGOs and voluntary bodies that for many years have worked very hard to protect and restore the quality of the cones particularly but also of some of the waterways around Auckland. Friends of Maungawhau has been mentioned and that is an extremely able and committed body. Friends of the Whau Friends of Oakley Creek—these typically Pākehā organisations and conservation groups have worked long and hard to maintain to restore and to recognise the preciousness of these sites of the maunga of the cones and of the waterways.In reading the submissions it occurred to me that there is still a level of nervousness within some of those groups. We have seen this idea even within the Green Party—within our own membership historically—that as soon as you introduce a greater level of Māori control management and authority some of the conservation groups frankly get a little bit nervous about that. There are reasons for that; they are historical I know. But I do think that this legislation has the opportunity to quell some of that nervousness when people see that Māori are perfectly capable managers owners and guardians of sites and have been for a very long time in fact. It is returning in some respect to a status quo. I think it is a very positive move.Again I reflect Nanaia’s comments that one hopes that the relationships will be positive; that all parties will recognise each others’ contributions—historical present and future—and that we will get much better outcomes not only for Māori but particularly for Māori who have been denied a place in these decision-making points for a very long time. This legislation goes some way to restoring that and that is as it should be. It has to be acknowledged that some of the cones and some of the landscapes that are being returned to a level of Māori control and authority are not in a good shape. They have not been well looked after and I do see that there is an opportunity in this both to restore the physical landscape and to enrich the social landscape of Auckland of Tāmaki-makau-rau.There is a word I came across when I was endeavouring to teach landscape architects: the word “palimpsest”. Originally it referred to documents and particularly parchments that would be written on and then because parchment was precious those words might be washed or scraped off and new words written on. But the original script would remain albeit with a very faint imprint on that document. That word can be usefully translated into a landscape as well. As each succeeding generation makes its mark and makes its impression on the landscape nevertheless the marks of the previous generations of the people who came before us remain there that people with the right eyes can understand and can interpret. That is the opportunity in Auckland I think with this new model with the considerable Māori influence and control now over the development and the enhancement of those landscapes. We can still see if people are educated and given the insight the imprint made by previous generations both physically and socially. We can celebrate that.Auckland does have a longish history in New Zealand terms at least—clearly the pre-European history and then the post-contact history the 19th century history. It is rich it is colourful and it is extraordinary. It is something we should celebrate and acknowledge—that harm was done but some good was done as well. I do see that there is an opportunity now with this new governance and management structure to bring to light some of that history and to enrich the understanding of Māori and Pākehā New Zealanders of tauiwi of everybody who now lives in that city and to celebrate its history and reflect on the lessons we can learn from the past and carry them forward to the advantage of everybody who lives in that place and will continue to live there.This is not new. Some of this work has been done already. I acknowledge particularly Ngāti Whātua and individuals like Ngārimu Blair who have worked very hard and long to install and reveal in the landscape the richness and the significant markers that are the imprint of the history the historical use the historical importance of the various cones and the waterways and so on. I think this will create an opportunity for much more of that work. People can live for a very long time and spend a lifetime in Auckland but not be aware of the history and the colour and the excitement that has historically focused on some of those cones—the volcanic cones particularly.As this new structure beds in I am sure it will not be seamless. There will be a few speed bumps along the way no doubt. But I think with goodwill and good leadership they can be overcome and we can get a much more positive approach—a much better outcome and a much richer outcome for people. The opportunity—both the social and indeed the economic opportunity—to reveal Auckland’s very rich history and to celebrate it is now able and much more likely to come to fruition under this new structure than previously when Māori were very much alienated both physically and socially and in every other way. Recognising the centrality of the Māori history of this place and the mana whenua rights of the various iwi and hapū to these environments to these landscapes I think will take us to a much better place.The question of names of course has been brought up and is central to this legislation. Names are important not only for reasons of recognising mana and identity but also as I said because Māori names do have a history to them like Te Puke Ōwairaka. A lot of people do not know about the ancestor Wairaka an extraordinary woman in her time with links back to the Bay of Plenty and right through to Auckland back to the waka. It does unite our country. The simple act of restoring an original name to a site can be very inclusive very enriching. It can be an action that unites people rather than divides them because it unites our history it gives us links to other places other people. So the naming will be complex. It will not be easy but I think the effort will certainly be rewarded many times. Again we are pleased to support this bill. We look forward to it moving through the House and giving the new structure an opportunity to bed in and produce very positive results. Kia ora.