Finlayson Christopher: Estimates Debate — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFinlayson Christopher: Estimates Debate — In Committee[Sitting date: 30 July 2013. Volume:692;Page:12097. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations):I think I will take a brief call if only because Annette King called out that I was a has-been which is rich coming from someone who has been around here since Peter Fraser was Prime Minister.I think the previous speaker Nanaia Mahuta raised a very important question—Hon Annette King: Why do you tell such big lies?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: Oh she is very snippy today. I think that it is time she considered her future. It is time to move on Annette. There are greener pastures out there. You cannot simply come down to the Chamber and snipe.Hon Annette King: Oh come on. Just because I beat you twice.Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: Well of course the honourable member walloped me twice because I was standing in Rongotai. If she stood in Taranaki - King Country she would get walloped as well. I mean there are certain fundamental features of electoral life and one is that if you are a National candidate and you stand in Rongotai your chances of winning are not all that flash. But anyway when it comes to the all-important party vote what was the margin? Labour won the party vote in Rongotai by about 300 votes. One of its most important seats and it won the party vote by 300 votes. The electorate vote is all very flash but the reality of the matter is that the old chook got walloped very badly in the party vote.But anyway let us talk about Treaty settlements. Nanaia Mahuta raised a very important question—it is one that was discussed by Parekura Horomia and me on a number of occasions—which is that the Crown makes a number of commitments to Treaty settlements when it signs deeds of settlement. It is all very well to go along and have lachrymose speeches and sugary speeches when the deeds of settlement are signed but as Ms Mahuta said the proof of the pudding is in the implementation. It is my responsibility as Attorney-General but it flows on from the Treaty negotiations work which is why we have established an office within the Ministry of Justice—and I wantto thank my wonderful colleague the Minister of Justice for her support in this regard—an office if you like of post-Treaty settlements to ensure that these ongoing obligations are honoured not just today not just tomorrow but in 25 years’ time.Ms Mahuta is right. There are a number of accords that have been signed up with the Ministry of Social Development for example and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. It is very important that these are honoured because one of the problems over the years has been that the Crown does not necessarily have a good institutional memory. People tend to move on but iwi do not forget. So she makes a very good point there and I am determined that this infrastructure is going to be put in place so that the litany if you like of agreements that have been drawn up over the years and the undertakings that have been given by the Crown will indeed be honoured into the future.I want to thank honourable members who have spoken for the nice words they have said about the Office of Treaty Settlements. It is an outstanding group of people. I call them the Jesuits of the Civil Service because they are utterly dedicated and go above and beyond the call of duty in this work. For many it is not a job; it is a vocation. I too salute them. I also want to place on record my support and my respect for people like Paul Swain. Paul was an opponent—he was never an enemy—and since he has left Parliament he has done wonderful work for me as indeed has Rick Barker doing Treaty negotiation work. I guess if there is anything that can be said about that quite apart from the fact that they are excellent blokes who do a great job it is that there is life after Parliament.So I end as I began by a reference to the MP for Rongotai. It is time to move on dear lady. It is time to see those greener pastures. The member has been here a long time and there comes a time when sitting and sniping in question time loses its fun. She too could be out there negotiating if she got off her flea-bitten old nag and was just a little bit more pleasant to people. She could achieve quite a lot. All she needs to do is talk to Rick Barker and Paul Swain and think about her future.Vote agreed to.