Mooney JosephJOSEPH MOONEY (National—Southland): Thank you Mr Speaker. Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare huri noa i te Whare nei e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa. Tēnei te mihi nau mai haere mai te iwi o Ngāti Maniapoto. Nō reira mauria mai ō whakaako ki te kaupapa e huihui ā tākata. E mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.[Greetings to the Speaker of the House greetings to all. To the tribe of Ngāti Maniapoto I acknowledge and welcome you. Therefore bring your teachings to this matter that brings people together. Acknowledgments to you all.]It is a pleasure to rise as the member for Southland and the National Party spokesperson for Treaty negotiations in support of this legislation's third and final reading. To the elders leaders and members of Ngāti Maniapoto who are witnessing this auspicious and significant moment—either here within Parliament or from their homes or wherever in the world they may be—I extend a very warm welcome. This settlement this bill and this process is about you. It's about your tūpuna. It's about your uri. Ngāti Maniapoto have waited a very long time to reach this point especially since it's taken over 30 years to complete the process between Ngāti Maniapoto and the Crown but obviously this story goes back much further.There are many things that we can disagree upon in this House but one thing that we agree on across all parties is this process of a Treaty settlement and I think that is a very special thing that we can reflect on and see as we have all the members of Ngāti Maniapoto in the House today. The finalisation of this settlement and its journey through the House of Representatives is testament to the decades of hard work and negotiations between Ngāti Maniapoto and the Crown and it signifies the beginning of a new relationship between both parties based on trust cooperation and a commitment to living up to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.I also note that this bill completes a settlement process which began under the former Treaty negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson under the then National-led Government and I note that the then Minister Finlayson went to Kāwhia to meet Ngāti Maniapoto elders and negotiators visited sites of significance and then signed the agreement in principle with Ngāti Maniapoto in 2017. I recognise the leadership and efforts of the current Minister of Treaty negotiations Andrew Little who has shepherded this process through to completion today. I also acknowledge the efforts of the Hon Nanaia Mahuta as former lead negotiator for whom this is of special significance. We also acknowledge the tireless efforts of Ngāti Maniapoto negotiators and as Minister Little said the tūpuna who have done much work over the years prior. Some unfortunately cannot be here to see this today but we remember them. We also acknowledge the Te Arawhiti officials who have worked tirelessly as well through this journey.Ngāti Maniapoto's legacy is etched into the history of the King Country and into Aotearoa New Zealand. Had it not been for the generosity of Ngāti Maniapoto leaders in times past the construction of the North Island main trunk railway through the King Country which was begun in 1885 would have been delayed for many a year. I note the significance and the symbolism in the fact that many members of Ngāti Maniapoto have travelled here today by train to witness this historic moment and I also note the extraordinary significance of the taonga taiaha Maungārongo which is being entrusted by Maniapoto to be cared for here in Parliament for five years to symbolise that this is a relationship that is beginning on trust between the Crown and Ngāti Maniapoto. This is powerful symbolism of that agreement.The Maniapoto settlement package is one of the largest ever negotiated. It includes financial redress which will in total be worth approximately $177 million relationship agreements with various Crown agencies the transfer of 36 sites back to Maniapoto as cultural redress the first right to purchase Crown lands in the future an agreed historical account and an acknowledgment of Treaty breaches and a formal apology for those breaches. Ngāti Maniapoto's historical grievances relate to loss of life in conflicts with the Crown and to bearing the costs of the New Zealand Wars. The Crown deliberately undermined Maniapoto independence failed to uphold promises made in the 1880s relating to Maniapoto land administration and self-determination and acquired Maniapoto land in an aggressive manner. The historical relationship between Ngāti Maniapoto and the Crown carries a legacy of socio-economic and cultural deprivation. Key grievances of Ngāti Maniapoto relate to the Crown's invasion of the Waikato region and the confiscation of that part of the Maniapoto lands which lay north of the Pūniu River. The impact of this invasion and the ensuing conflict on Maniapoto included the loss of life the destruction of property and the significant burden of providing shelter to refugees; the loss of independence and territorial autonomy which Ngāti Maniapoto had held until the 1880s; the Crown's failure to uphold various agreements made in the 1880s relating to Maniapoto land administration and self-determination; the aggressive way the Crown acquired Ngāti Maniapoto land using monopoly powers and various forms of unreasonable pressure; and substantial public works takings particularly for the Tokanui hospital and Waikeria Prison. This settlement contains an apology from the Crown for its acts and omissions in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi—the Treaty of Waitangi—and the acknowledgment that the Crown failed to uphold its promises in Te Ōhākī Tapu in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi—the Treaty of Waitangi. Specific breach acknowledgments in the deed include acting unjustly and sending Crown forces across the Mangatāwhiri River during the Waikato War including indiscriminately killing non-combatants and looting and destroying property; breaching the Treaty by confiscating land in which Ngāti Maniapoto had interests; unfairly labelling Ngāti Maniapoto as rebels and failing to provide for refugees entering the Maniapoto rohe; and also failing to protect Ngāti Maniapoto tribal structures from the operation and impact of the native land laws particularly the individualisation of tribal lands which led to massive alienation of the tribal lands Ngāti Maniapoto had cherished for centuries. There's also cultural redress which recognises the traditional historical cultural and spiritual associations of Ngāti Maniapoto in places and sites in their rohe which are owned by the Crown. This allows Ngāti Maniapoto and the Crown to protect and enhance the conservation values associated with those sites. The settlement will vest 36 sites of cultural significance in Ngāti Maniapoto including three jointly vested sites. As I noted at the outset the National Party supports this settlement and it is very pleased to see it come to its third and final reading today. No settlement will ever compensate for the mamae that Ngāti Maniapoto have endured for many generations but it has been a long journey and we acknowledge that for Ngāti Maniapoto to reach the point that we are today. This settlement is ultimately not just about the past; it's not just about the present but it is about the future aspirations the future mana and the future success of Ngāti Maniapoto across future generations. It is my sincere hope that this settlement will lay the foundation for an aspirational future for the people of Ngāti Maniapoto whether it be in Te Rohe Pōtae—the King Country—in and around Te Kūiti Ōtorohanga and Te Awamutu or wherever whānau may be. This settlement forges a new relationship between the Crown and Ngāti Maniapoto and it will be a real catalyst for growth and empowerment for present and future generations. The National Party commends this bill to the House. Tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.