Shanks Katrina: Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill — Third Readings 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Shanks Katrina: Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill — Third Readings 
[Sitting date: 25 July 2012. Volume:682;Page:3989. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
KATRINA SHANKS (National) 
: 
 It is my pleasure to take a call on this settlement bill the Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill today. Today is about righting the wrongs of the past. I would like to acknowledge the presence of the iwi and hapu groups here today. You may be small in numbers but you are mighty in every other way. I would also like to acknowledge those who came on the journey—this very long journey that you have been on—and who are no longer with us today and all the work they have done to ensure that we are here today for the third reading of this settlement bill. I would like to acknowledge your graciousness in allowing the Crown to apologise and remedy the past. I would also like to acknowledge the Maraeroa A and B Trust and also the chair Phillip Ngawhira Crown for all the leadership you have shown. Sometimes we as members of Parliament sit back and look at the true leadership you have shown and the hardship you have gone through to get here today.  
This deed of settlement was signed on 12 March 2011. It has got to this House pretty swiftly for this type of settlement bill. I would like to acknowledge Minister Finlayson and Minister Turia for the work they have put into this bill but also the Maori Affairs Committee under the leadership of Tau Henare. He has always said of every bill that comes to our committee on Treaty settlements that it must move swiftly through the select committee and that it needs to come into the House very quickly because iwi have waited long enough to have their day in this House. 
This is about remedying the wrongs of when the Native Land Court was operational and when the Crown purchased the majority of blocks and the iwi received no benefits from the redistribution of their lands and forests. This deprived iwi in many many ways: spiritually of their land and it deprived future generations of culture of heritage and of tradition. But today right here right now is about focusing on the future. It is about developing and investing in the social economic and cultural aspects of the redress package. It is about the future generations to come. This redress package includes historical acknowledgment vesting sites of cultural and historical significance a partnership with the Department of Conservation over public conservation lands a financial settlement of $1.8 million and redress over Crown properties including licensed forest land. But most important to me it records the apology from the Crown for past wrongs. 
This is a settlement that is future focused. It is a settlement that is going to move iwi forward and move future generations forward with prosperity with spirit with tradition and with culture. Today will be part of history. We hear from the other speakers how important it is that we tell our stories of the history and what has gone before where we are now and what there is for the future. With my other colleagues I find it disappointing that the media do not show an interest in this because they do record our future they do record our past and they do record the present and they are not here doing that today. I think they have let New Zealanders down. 
 These Treaty settlement bills to me are two pillars between iwi and the Crown. They are pillars with which we can move forward. On the Maori Affairs Committee we are very focused on these bills getting here very quickly. We have many Treaty settlement bills in front of the select committee and they are very important. We focus and prioritise all our work around iwi and those bills. We travel around New Zealand when we are doing these bills in the select committee so we hear everybody’s voice in relation to these settlements. That is very unique for a select committee to do. 
I wish you well for your future I wish the next generations the very best and I cannot wait to hear the stories coming out from this settlement and what iwi have done with that. Thank you very much. 
Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill read a third time. 
Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill read a third time. 
Waiata