Hayes Joanne: Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 24 May 2016. Volume:714;Page:11237. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOANNE HAYES (National):Mai i te kāhui maunga ki TangaroaKa w’akapiria mai ko ngā piringaHinengākau Tamaūpoko Tūpoho Pōtiki eKo au te awa te awa ko au.[From the mountain cluster to the seaThe connections are addedHinengākau Tamaūpoko Tūpoho and PōtikiI am the river the river is me.]Ngā uri o Te Awa o Whanganui e rau rangatira mā tēnei te mihi tēnei te mihi tēnei te mihi atu ki a koutou katoa nau mai![To the descendants of the Whanganui River esteemed ones of a hundredfold I acknowledge greet and commend you all welcome!]Before I start my contribution I want to just put in an apology from the Hon Chester Borrows. He was unable to be here today. He really wanted to be here but he is hosting some manuhiri back in Whanganui.I want to first of all acknowledge the knights and the dames amongst you: Tā Tumu te HeuheuDame Tariana Turia—you are the great Dame Tariana Turia. You always kept us on our toes as the coalition partner and you still keep us on our toes today. I also want to acknowledge the Mayor of Whanganui Annette Main—and yes I tautoko what the Minister said about you being the mayor here today; kia ora—as well as your deputy sitting here over in the corner. I want to acknowledge the kaiwhakahaere for Whanganui John Maihi. John and I go back a wee way from when I worked for Taumata Hauora Trust and Ngā Tai o Te Awa. He was always the one in my ear telling me what I could and could not do.Tim Macindoe: Now it’s me.JOANNE HAYES: And now it is this guy here. I acknowledge that it has been a long journey for the iwi of the Whanganui awa. It has been a very long journey from the 1800s right through to today from the original claimants of the Whanganui awa to the seven new trustees of Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui. Believe you me I knew a lot about Ngā Tāngata Tiaki because John would never let me forget it when I worked for him. So much has happened so many things have happened—let us say that a lot of water has run under the many bridges of Whanganui. Today is a historic day and I am so proud to be part and parcel and give my voice to tautoko this settlement bill today.I want to acknowledge Tā Archie Taiaroa and I acknowledge you Lady Martha. I acknowledge you because your husband did an amazing job for the Whanganui River Māori Trust Board for all the iwi of Whanganui. Piripi—yes Piripi and I had a bit of a history there for a little while. He was fondly known amongst our team at Ngā Tai o Te Awa and Taumataas Pirip. He did some amazing things like he had a contract with me that went only as far as Taumarunui yet when I looked at his travel records he would be in Bombay Hills or he would be all the way down south. I would say to him “How come you’re all over there?” and he would go: “It’s all part and parcel of the claim.” I would say: “OK righty-o.”I want to acknowledge Matiu Mareikura. I never got to meet the man but I heard all about him. I want to acknowledge John Mateparae because—and I did meet him and we did have some encounters a few times—he was an amazing person. Auntie Dardi Julie Ranginui—they are some of the many people who have helped to bring this claim to the House today.Soon you will receive an investment an investment that will be invested two ways Ruruku Whakatupua Te Mana o Te Awa Tupua and Ruruku Whakatupua Te Mana o Te Iwi o Whanganui. It is amazing—over $80 million. Wow! As I said before I stand humbled to be able to contribute my voice to this claim to my whānau’s claim. I end with this:e rere Te Awa Tupua [flow on the Whanganui River].I commend the bill to the House. Kia ora.Bill read a first time.Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.Waiata