Flavell Te Ururoa: Hawke’s Bay Regional Planning Committee Bill — In Committee Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFlavell Te Ururoa: Hawke’s Bay Regional Planning Committee Bill — In Committee Third Reading[Sitting date: 11 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5687. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon TE URUROA FLAVELL (Minister for Māori Development): Tēnā koe Mr Assistant Speaker kia ora anō tātau katoa. Kai aku rangatira tēnā koutou katoa i tēnei ata kua mihia a Ngāti Hineuru i tēnei ata ka mutu nō nā tata nei i puta atu ai a Ngāruahine o roto o Taranaki tēnei wā ko koutou ēnei kua tatū mai ko tāku ko te whaiwhai haere i ngā kōrero a te Minita ā ka mutu o taku tuahine ki a koutou e ngā rangatira i roto i te Whare Pāremata. E kui Āwhina tēnā koe he oranga ngākau te kite atu i a koe e whakakorikori nei i tō iwi ka mutu e hari koa ana kua tae mai koe koutou i tēnei rā ki te whakaotinga mai o ngā mahi kua roa e haere nei i tōna huarahi nō reira hara mai me ngā mate kua kōrerohia ka mutu ka huri ki a koutou katoa ngā kanohi ō rātou mā tēnā koutou tēnā koutou kia ora tātau katoa.[Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker and to us all once again. I acknowledge you all collectively my esteemed elders. This morning we welcomed Ngāti Hineuru and furthermore Ngāruahine of Taranaki left just moments ago and now you have arrived here. My part is to follow up the Minister’s sentiments and after that those of my esteemed sister’s words to you collectively the esteemed members of Parliament. Madam Āwhina greetings to you. How heartening it is to see you mobilising your tribeand what is more it is pleasing to see you arrive with you others today to finalise tasks that have been on their way for a long time. So welcome with the deaths that were alluded to and furthermore I turn to address you the representatives of all those who have passed away. I acknowledge commend and congratulate you and us all collectively; thank you.]Can I just add to the comments made by the member for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Meka Whaitiri as well as by the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations welcoming people here to this particular kōrero. I have not got too much to say in this debate. Suffice it to say that one great thing about this bill in particular—and there is only one point that I want to make—is that finally some of our boards and councils that have been set up have come and seen the light. They should not be scared of Māori input into decision making.The scene was set I think by the Hon Mita Ririnui in the Labour Government back in the day when it opened the door up to involvement in Waiariki in my case from Te Arawa people the Mataatua people to be involved in decision making at the regional council. Three members on and no one else has taken up the baton since then. I want to congratulate the Hawke’s Bay region—congratulations on bringing together our iwi into the decision making. I am so pleased albeit I hear: “Oh a recommendatory body. Well you know I think our people are seeking a little bit more than that.” But that is OK—it is a step along the pathway. We want to actually be a part of the decisions that are made for our region. Why? Nō tātau te whenua ka mutu he whenua Māori wētahi i raro i te āhuatanga o Te Tiriti o Waitangi.[The land is ours and furthermore some are Māori lands under the situations that relate to the Treaty of Waitangi.]I think it is important that we do have absolute say and are part of the decision-making processes certainly around environmental issues. Why? Because No. 1 it is a Treaty responsibility and I think that the debate in respect of the Mayor of New Plymouth putting the whole notion around seats on to councils by right as a Treaty right as well as a representational right is the right thing to do. I am so pleased as I say that this has happened today and about the involvement of all iwi that have been spoken about: Ngāti Pāhauwera who opened the door up—ka nui te mihi ki a koutou—Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust which has been in this House before and I see some faces that are familiar; Mana Ahuriri Inc.; Te Tira Whakaemi o Te Wairoa; and He Toa Takitini. It is good to know also there are some other seats there for Ngāti Hineuru whose legislation had its first reading today Ngāti Ruapani Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāi Tūhoe—all the ones who live down that end anyway.So congratulations our people on taking up this challenge and putting it in front of the district council. Congratulations to the council on taking up the opportunity to work together and I hope and pray that this is an example that will be set throughout the country. It has set the scene of working together. We have got a vested interest in our people being involved in the decision making and I hope that we take up this opportunity with plenty of vigour and participate in the decision-making process. But keep pushing the boundaries—this is but a start. The test will be when it gets down to the crunch and we have to make a decision and somebody disagrees with the decisions that are made across the board by all iwi involved. That is the real test—to see whether the relationship in fact does mean anything. With that I say congratulations again. Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou katoa aroha mai mō te poto o tēnei kōrero kua āhua māuiui tēnei Māori ā tēnā koutou tēnā koutou kia ora tātau.[Much appreciation to you all and my apologies for the brevity of this speech as this Māori is getting rather weary. And so acknowledgments and congratulations to us all.]