Mooney JosephJOSEPH MOONEY (National—Southland): I rise on behalf of the National Party to speak in the second reading of the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill. Every Treaty settlement reminds us that the path to reconciliation is never smooth or easy and it is the case with the Ahuriri claims settlement legislation. It's much needed and a welcome development that the Crown-iwi relationship is moving along. There are some challenges which Minister Little just spoke to. I know that we have an empty gallery here today so I'll just say to all those watching: kia ora e koro mā e kui mā e rau rangatira mā. E ngā hapū o Ahuriri tēnā koutou. Nau mai haere mai ki te rā whakahirahira.[Greetings to the elders and the many chiefs. Greetings to the sub-tribes of Ahuriri. Welcome to this auspicious day.]It's a privilege to speak in the second reading of the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill.I'll just note very briefly a personal connection to the area. I was originally born in the Hawke's Bay. I'm now proud to call Southland my home and to represent the Southland region but I do remember as a child going past the Ahuriri Estuary for example on many occasions. So it's a region I know well and I have deep family connections in that region.The Crown and Ahuriri Hapū have been working together to reconcile their relationship and support the Ahuriri Hapū to achieve their aspirations. On 19 December 2013 the Crown and Ahuriri Hapū signed an agreement in principle which formed the basis for this settlement. The Ahuriri Hapū deed of settlement was initialled on 19 June 2015 and signed on 12 October 2016. Credit must go to former Minister of Treaty negotiations the Hon Chris Finlayson and his officials who worked hard on this and to the present Minister the Hon Andrew Little and the current officials who are working hard to complete this. The settlement includes a Crown apology $19.5 million in financial and commercial redress and the right to buy shares in the Kāweka and Gwavas Crown forest licenced lands. Heipipi Pa and Conservation House in Napier will be vested in Ahuriri Hapū's cultural redress and in recognition of the ongoing connection of the Ahuriri Hapū to the Ahuriri Estuary the settlement will also establish a permanent statutory committee called Te Komiti Muriwai o Te Whanga. The purpose of the Komiti is to promote the protection and enhancement of the environmental economic social spiritual historical and cultural values of Te Muriwai o Te Whanga"—Ahuriri Estuary—"for present and future generations."Minister Little touched on some challenges that have been faced in bringing this matter to the second reading and I note that "The Waitangi Tribunal granted an urgent inquiry after receiving an application from Ngāti Pārau … and members of Ngāti Tu and Ngāi Te Ruruku. The hearing was to consider whether the Crown was in breach of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi because the mandated entity by not holding substantive elections had not established or maintained a proper mandate." The tribunal recommended that the bill be introduced as soon as possible but only if the post-settlement governance entity agreed to hold trustee elections for positions. I'm pleased that I understand elections are to be held in July and August 2021 to resolve this so this bill can be completed and the Ahuriri Hapū can progress their aspirations as is intended through this bill.I'll touch briefly on the historical account which is being recognised by this bill. The Ahuriri Hapū are based in and around Napier in the Hawke's Bay region. The area of interest is bounded by the sea to the East the Kāweka Range to the West the Ngaruroro River to the South and the Esk River to the North. The Ahuriri Hapū is one of six large natural groups negotiating the settlement of the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngāti Kahungunu. Ngāti Kahungunu is the third largest tribal group in New Zealand."The Native Lands Act 1865 enabled the shares of individual grantees to be alienated without the consent of the other grantees for that block or other customary right-holders whose names were not included on the title. The 1865 Act did not prevent some settlers using practices such as extending credit to grantees and subsequently acquiring Māori land after securing debt against land titles with mortgages. These practices caused considerable public controversy in Hawke's Bay at the time. There was some doubt that grantees fully understood the legal implications of the mortgages leases and sales that they agreed to."By 1870 the Crown and private parties had acquired about 51000 acres of approximately 54000 acres awarded to Ahuriri Hapū individuals under what was called the 10-owner rule. In 1867 1870 and 1873 the Crown introduced legislation that attempted to provide for Māori land titles that better reflected the interests of wider communities of right-holders and to remedy problems that had arisen as a result of the 10-owner rule." However these remedial measures did not apply to Ahuriri Hapū lands which had already passed through the Native Land Court by 1867 and which had been alienated by 1870."Over the next 30 years Ahuriri Hapū protested about land issues through participation in the Repudiation and Kotahitanga movements. These movements sought the review of previous land transactions the restriction of further land sales and the reform of the native land laws. In 1874 Parliament set aside all of Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu as an endowment for the Napier Harbour Board. Parliament did not establish a role for Ahuriri Hapū on the board. After the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake raised parts of the bed of Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu above the water level the Napier Harbour Board leased most of Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu to the Crown and the Crown commenced drainage and reclamation work … The processes of drainage and reclamation combined with the diversion of the Tūtaekurī River outlet to the sea reduced Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu (originally approximately 9500 acres in area) to a narrow tidal channel. Today the remaining water-covered estuary area amounts to approximately 680 acres at high tide."Between about 1900 and 1930 the Crown and private parties acquired most of the remaining lands of Ahuriri Hapū. Ahuriri Hapū stated that money raised from [their] land sales was often required to meet living costs. By the post-Second World War period most Ahuriri Māori had turned to waged employment to provide the necessities of life. The search for work led many whānau to leave rural pā and kāinga and settle in urban areas such as Napier and Hastings."As with many of these bills that come before the House there has been a very long history behind this and this is a moment in our country's history where we endeavour to resolve issues that have arisen in the past and to make them right as best we can. I commend this bill to the House."