Clendon David: Ngai Tamanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill — First Readings 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Clendon David: Ngai Tamanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill — First Readings 
[Sitting date: 16 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:543. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
DAVID CLENDON (Green) 
:  
Tena koe Mr. Assistant Speaker Robertson. Kei te mihi nui ki a koutou. Kei te mihi nui ki nga rangatira nga kuia o Ngati Makino o Ngai Tamanuhiri. Haere mai ki tenei Whare.  
[ 
Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker Robertson. I extend a huge greeting to all as well as leaders and the elderly womenfolk of Ngati Makino and Ngai Tamanuhiri. Welcome to this House 
.]  
Before speaking on the substance of these bills the Ngai Tamanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill and the Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill I would like to acknowledge the process that we are using tonight. We are hearing these bills in cognate which is not rare but nor is it a common occurrence. I think it is important to acknowledge that this is a practical measure agreed to by all parties in the House. The purpose of reading these bills together is to advance their progress through the House as swiftly as can be done.  
It is important that we do this quickly. The bills are responding to claims that are some two decades old and of course refer to events of a century and a half or more ago. And I think it is important to note that hearing these bills in one reading in no way diminishes the importance of each as a stand-alone bill; to the contrary it is a reflection of the importance that this House puts on getting these matters resolved to the satisfaction of those who are most directly affected by them.  
We the Green Party will be supporting these bills through the House as is our wont with settlement bills. We do so as ever while acknowledging also the imperfections of these bills. They can never be all that we would wish them to be nor inevitably can they—and they do not—compensate in total for all that has been lost over many generations. They cannot restore the material wealth the land and the well-being that were lost over many generations and they certainly cannot compensate in a full and complete way for the personal suffering and loss that have been the hallmark of so many Maori people since the signing of the Treaty in fact.  
I think that reflects on a genuine generosity of spirit of Maori—and specifically of these iwi and hapu represented here tonight—that they are willing to accept less than could fairly be claimed in order to move on to re-establish a more positive relationship between the Crown and Maori and critically to provide an economic base so that iwi and hapu can dictate their own future and make their own way in the world as they did prior to these unfortunate events which took away from them in many cases the ability to make their own way economically socially culturally and in every other way. 
 I would like particularly to reflect on the clauses in the two bills that are the Crown’s acknowledgments and the Crown’s apologies to the affected iwi and hapu: clause 6 in the Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill and clauses 7 and 8 of the Ngai Tamanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill. I think often that casual observers of these processes perhaps underestimate the value of the Crown’s apologies and acknowledgments of wrongdoing over many years. That is not to underestimate the more practical tangible compensation that is offered but it is important that people recognise that having the mana restored as it ought to be the Crown recognising its own shortcomings and wrongdoing does resonate as an incredibly significant and important part of these bills. It reflects on and give us a place to begin rebuilding as I said the 172-year-old relationship.  
Those who denigrate or those who are simply ignorant of some of the history of this country and the history that underlies these settlement bills would do well I think to inform themselves. One of the inherent values of these bills is that they give us some extraordinary reference points. They record the history of these events in a way that enables people to read and to better understand why we are moving through these. Having celebrated Waitangi Day just a week or two ago inevitably that time of year brings out those who would suggest that Maori should get over it or those who in a more benign way even might suggest that we leave the past in the past. I think they need to read that history and recognise that it is in some cases only two or three generations ago—and in fact even existing generations continue to suffer from wrongdoings—and it is an important part of our history.  
So I do think as I say that the parts of these bills are worth reading and recording and I would like to quote briefly from one or two of them. For example in clause 6 of the Ngati Makino Claims Settlement Bill the Crown acknowledges “that the people of Ngati Makino have long sought redress for their grievances and that the Crown’s withdrawal from earlier negotiations … has had a detrimental effect on Ngati Makino.” There is acknowledgment that Ngati Makino suffered loss of life at the hands of Crown forces and that “confiscation of land in the eastern Bay of Plenty … affected all Ngati Makino even those who had not been in conflict with the Crown;” at this time. It refers to its effects as “unjust indiscriminate and a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.” in the confiscation of that land. It is acknowledged that “Ngati Makino’s physical cultural and spiritual wellbeing was compromised by the loss of their land and that this suffering and hardship has continued to the present day;”.  
These are strong words. This is a very powerful and open acknowledgment of wrong that was done and it is appropriate that these words are written and spoken. I do as I say encourage people to familiarise themselves not only with these bills but with the increasing number of bills and indeed Acts where the Crown’s position the Crown’s liability and its admission of liability are finally being recorded. Similarly in the Ngai Tamanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill the Crown’s apology refers to the Crown’s “many failures to respect Ngai Tamanuhiri rangatiratanga and to protect Ngai Tamanuhiri from being left virtually landless and economically marginalised.”  
Many Maori and those who understand better are constantly irritated and offended by claims that Maori somehow are unable to see to their own economic and social well-being. Clearly much of the disadvantage suffered by Maori in the present day is a direct result a direct outcome of the marginalisation of the taking away of the economic base that Maori depended on and indeed did very well on. We know the history even of the 1860s when the New Zealand economy was a Maori economy and a very successful economy at that. It is the events that are recorded in these bills that took away that base and it is a pleasure to be part of the process—albeit a very very minor part—of restoration of that economic base as well as the mana that is owed.  
There is much that can be said and will indeed be said at later readings about this. I would simply finally like to pass on the greetings and good wishes in particular to Ngai Tamanuhiri of my colleague and fellow MP Catherine Delahunty who was engaged quite closely—at the front line one might say—in the fights over a number of years to restore Te Kuri o Paoa to its rightful owner to restore access and the mana of that significant place significant both to Maori and to Pakeha: Young Nicks Head Te Kuri o Paoa. She sends her regards and her direct engagement will be referred to in a later speech. So finally as I began I commend these bills. We will offer our support for them and look forward to their swift resolution. Kia ora.