Korako Nuk: Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKorako Nuk: Hineuru Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 11 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5652. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]NUK KORAKO (National):Tēnā koe e te Mana Whakawā. Ka mea nui ki te mihi atu ki tō tātou Matua Nui i Te Raki me te tīmataka me te tautoko o Te Ao katoa. Nō reira ka mihi atu hei hōmai ngā mea katoa. E ngā manuhiri a tuāraki ka mihi ki a Ngāti Hineuru Te Kura Mouka Te Mōhaka Awa Rangi Hīroa te tangata ka mihi. Ngāti Hineuru e mihi nei e tangi nei tēnā koutou tēnā koutou e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.[Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. The most important thing is to acknowledge our Almighty Father in Heaven and the beginning and the support of the whole world and so I give thanks to all things given. I welcome you the visitors from afar Ngāti Hineuru the mountain Kura the river Mōhaka and the man Rangi Hīroa. I mourn and bid you welcome Ngāti Hineuru; greetings and salutations to you all.]I want first to acknowledge the representatives of Ngāti Hineuru who are here today and through you I want to acknowledge all of Ngāti Hineuru and the pain and loss that have been caused to you by the actions of the New Zealand Government over many years. I also want to acknowledge the many years of hard work that successive generations of Ngāti Hineuru people have put into seeking redress for multiple breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. The iwi have sought fulfilment of six pou whenua or milestones within this agreement that reflect the nature and the scale of the losses that Ngāti Hineuru have sustained. These include tuatahi restoration and protection of their cultural heritage and history for the future generations. This reflects the severe impact on Ngāti Hineuru’s culture and traditions of the loss of land and identity they suffered.Past New Zealand Governments had labelled the iwi as rebels to justify a tax on them and the confiscation of their land. The Waitangi Tribunal concluded that Hineuru were not in rebellion but the labelling of the iwi as rebels persists in some historical accounts. This treatment of Ngāti Hineuru as rebels also led to much of their land being given to other iwi who were allies of the Crown.Tuarua is the restoration of the health and well-being of their people. Unsurprisingly the confiscation of such large amounts of land had a detrimental effect on Hineuru’s living conditions particularly housing. The poor health and state of poverty that resulted still affect Hineuru to this day.Tuatoru is the recognition of the mana of Hineuru and the restoration of the relativity Hineuru had with other iwi. Over the years the Crown had systematically undermined the mana of Hineuru and failed to acknowledge it as an iwi in its own right. The classification of Hineuru as a hapū of other iwi in the region has held back its ability to develop a partnership relationship with the Crown and to maintain its relativity with other iwi in the area.Tuawhā is the reassertion of the presence of Hineuru through their rohe. Before the intervention of the Crown Hineuru were a key iwi in a strategic position in the Hawke’s Bay. Following the mass confiscation of their lands Hineuru were left in the position of being considered a minor iwi to the point where they have often been left off lists of iwi in the region. This has included also not being listed as an iwi in census material.Tuarima is rebuilding an economy base for Hineuru. As well as the devastating effect on their culture health and mana massive land confiscations have prevented Hineuru from building any sort of an economic base.As with any Treaty settlements this one will not try to compensate Ngāti Hineuru fully for the land and the subsequent economic opportunities that have been lost. But we must acknowledge that every iwi that reaches this point of the settlement process has shown a great generosity of spirit in accepting that full compensation for past wrongs is not possible accepting instead an apology for past wrongs and a small investment in their future.Tuaono revitalisation and restoration of Hineuru’s role as kaitiaki of their resources and their environment. Hineuru will be given a greater role to play in the management of resources within their rohe. This may be recorded in the deed of settlement as a form of redress and indeed Hineuru’s exclusion from the management of these resources is wrong and is indeed in need of correction. But it is also very easy to see this as another form of generosity on the part of Hineuru. Since the Crown took responsibility for the management of these natural resources they have been degraded. The iwi are now once again becoming involved in the management of these resources which have been degraded on the Crown’s watch.At the risk of becoming repetitive I want to reiterate what I have said in this House many times before: involving iwi in the management of the environment is a win-win. New Zealanders whether Māori or non-Māori are people who value our natural environment and who derive all sorts of benefits from it be it our enjoyment of our beautiful national parks our mahinga kai our enjoyment of outdoor recreation or the economic benefits of tourism. Māori have a unique perspective and a valuable contribution to make to the management of our natural environment. We already know that the Hawke’s Bay will benefit from this settlement through the increased economic development that will come out of the financial redress but it will also benefit from Hineuru’s involvement in the economic management of their region.I want to reiterate to the people of Hineuru—I say this: your many years of struggling to right the wrongs of the past are nearly over. You have signed your deed of settlement and soon this bill will give legal effect to that agreement that has come to fruition with the Crown. When that day comes and this bill is passed it will be up to you to turn this small settlement into a brighter future for your people. The struggles are behind you but a different type of challenge lies ahead for you. I know that your rangatira will already be preparing for that challenge. As chair of the Māori Affairs Committee I look forward to considering this bill and welcoming the people of Ngāti Hineuru and any others who come to our committee hearings to make submissions on this bill.Finally I want to acknowledge the members of the Māori Affairs Committee. We work in congeniality as a collective and we work for our people. This is a true reflection of the work that still needs to be done. I have no hesitation in commending this bill to the House. Kia ora.