Foss Craig: Hawke’s Bay Regional Planning Committee Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFoss Craig: Hawke’s Bay Regional Planning Committee Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:694;Page:605. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister for Small Business):Ha ha! I have just learnt that it is very obvious the Huata connection there—not only in size and stature but with the voice. So there you go. It is so obvious now as I look across the House.Tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā koutou katoa. Can I please acknowledge not only the wonderful passionate driven professional people from Hawke’s Bay in the gallery here today representing various iwi but also our regional council. I notice the seating arrangements up there in the gallery are very significant. I do not know whether you are meant to be wrapped around as you are but I see it as quite significant.Can I also acknowledge a great friend and a fine man who I am sure is here with us in spirit but would love to be here physically with us and that is the Hon Parekura Horomia who was from Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and had been engaged right from the start in all of these discussions. The bit we always loved in discussions on these type of Treaty-related legislation—particularly we as the National Party—was when Parekura would get up and give us a good clap and show his true colours in support of the things that we are doing. But jokes aside I acknowledge the Hon Parekura Horomia who I know would love to actually be here.Hawke’s Bay continues to lead the way across New Zealand once again—Ranfurly Shield country. For the record: Ranfurly Shield country continues to lead the way—Hawke’s Bay. These are such exciting times for not only our country but particularly across all of Hawke’s Bay and particularly those Kahungunu areas.Can I just acknowledge the origins of this particular bill. I recall having discussions with the Hon Chris Finlayson and Fran Wilde 3 years or so ago or maybe 4 years ago about how to find ways through some of the challenges in Hawke’s Bay. There were some quite tense discussions—robust discussions I think we call them these days—but the right outcome was had. To the surprise of many I think where we have landed today it was you know not a big deal—no marches—but simply the right landing pad was found and the right people were involved. There were good solutions. Courage was shown by all parties involved to legitimise what should have been happening and what was starting to happen anyway. Ms Wilde and my colleague the Hon Chris Finlayson were just working to find ways through to where we are today and that has to be acknowledged I would suggest. The collaborative model that we have found—the cooperative consultative cohesive model that we have found—is an absolute credit to everyone who has been involved in this bill’s finding its way to where it is now. In the processes and the other various deed settlement processes leading up to it we should acknowledge all of those who were involved. Many are not here and many are no longer here but all of them shared the same drive and passion just to simply do the right thing.It is a very very exciting time for Hawke’s Bay as I have said. We have many Treaty settlements. They are long overdue I am sure but they are coming to fruition now. Some have been finalised and many are very close. It is such an exciting time for Hawke’s Bay. I acknowledge the courage and the professionalism of the many who are involved in starting to address some of the new challenges we will have as to what will happen in and around settlements be they to do with governance or be they to do with various assets and things like that within the region of Hawke’s Bay. It is such an exciting place. Did I mention we have the Ranfurly Shield? I think I will mention it just to get it on the record again.There are lessons to be learnt for the rest of New Zealand here today as to how we have got to this point. Yes I acknowledge that the bill will of course have to go through a select committee but there are many lessons to be learnt and I could bravely suggest again that in this process the radicals were ignored and good people got on with the job of finding a solution through quite tortuous areas. And throughout this process remember we had quite a few issues in and around water at a central government level and more and more at a local government level across Hawke’s Bay but again I just cannot say enough about the group that has got together and achieved this bill here today. So I guess where we have arrived so far and where we hopefully will continue simply would not have been possible whatsoever without the mana the courage the integrity the professionalism the bravery the openness and the honesty of many people here in the gallery today many others who have passed before them and many who are back home watching and listening to this. Of course I include in that our Hawke’s Bay Regional Council—both the councillors and the executive—for finding a very courageous way through that will set the path for the rest of New Zealand. Thank you.Bill read a first time.Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.Waiata