Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 15 March 2016. Volume:712;Page:9774. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement BillFirst ReadingHon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I move That the Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider this bill.In November last year I was welcomed on to Te Hotu Manawa o Rangitaane o Manawatu Marae in Palmerston North to sign the deed of settlement with Rangitāne o Manawatu. Some 4 months on I am really pleased to extend a warm welcome to the members of Rangitāne o Manawatu who have travelled to be here in Parliament today for the first reading of their bill. It has indeed taken a long time to reach this very important milestone.To those who have worked so hard to make this day possible can I offer my sincere thanks. The enactment of this bill will mark the end of a long-running Treaty settlement negotiation between the Crown and Rangitāne o Manawatu that started in the late 1990s. There are many people who have worked so very hard so that we could reach this milestone today. The bill is the result of much time energy and patience to arrive at a settlement that will provide a platform on which to build a much better future for all the people of Rangitāne o Manawatu.The negotiations were long and complex but Rangitāne o Manawatu always acted constructively relentlessly addressing the concerns of iwi members and striving to achieve an enduring settlement for the iwi. I want to acknowledge all the people of Rangitāne o Manawatu who are with us today as well as those who cannot be here today. In particular I acknowledge those who began this journey so many years ago and worked so hard to make today happen but are no longer with us. I acknowledge in particular the late Ruth Harris the original lead negotiator the late Rangiharuru Fitzgerald Tānenuiārangi Te Awe Awe Kura Te Rangi-Baker and Kararaina Tait who tirelessly served as negotiators. It is their determination and hard work that has got us to where we are today.I also want to acknowledge the Rangitāne o Manawatu negotiators Danielle Harris who took up the role after her mother’s passing in 2007 Maurice Takarangi and Matua Tokatū Moana Te Rangi. They have been outstanding advocates of Rangitāne o Manawatu and I commend them for their contribution over the years.It would be remiss of me not to pay particular tribute to Danielle Harris who as principal negotiator has shown dedication patience and pragmatism all those years while striving towards reaching a meaningful settlement for her people. I always talk about the patience of negotiators but if ever there was a patient and resilient negotiator it is Danielle Harris. Few negotiators have had to put up with what she has had to put up with. I must confess that if it had been me I would have said “I’m out of here” but she did not. Shehas in many respects to use the old joke every Christian virtue except resignation and we are here today because of her efforts. She is in the gallery and I am sure Danielle your mother would be very very proud of you.I want to acknowledge the Crown team and its many iterations over the years the Crown officials from the Office of Treaty Settlements and supporting Crown agencies because they have done a great job. The Manawatu claim Wai 182—and I emphasise Wai 182—was originally lodged by Ruth Harris on behalf of herself and all other descendants of Rangitāne o Manawatu in December 1990 over a quarter of a century ago. Rangitāne chose to pursue direct negotiations with the Crown and in 1998 Tānenuiarangi Manawatū Inc. received a mandate from the claimant community.Terms of negotiation were signed with Doug Graham on 27 July 1998 and a heads of agreement as an agreement in principle was called in those days was signed on 25 November 1999. I know that Sir Douglas was anxious to get it signed before he retired but such is life. Subsequently progress was stalled and negotiations endured a hiatus of over 10 years.The mandated negotiators and the Crown resumed intensive negotiations in 2010 and on 1 May 2015 the Crown and Rangitāne o Manawatu initialled a deed of settlement to settle all the historic claims. As I said the deed of settlement was signed on 14 November of last year. It is fair to say it has been a long time coming. The bill provides for the settlement of all historic Treaty of Waitangi claims for Rangitāne o Manawatu and gives effect to the deed of settlement that was signed in November last year.The background to the claims is a very sad story of unrelenting land alienation. From the mid-19th century through the faulty Crown investigation of the New Zealand Company claims to the acquisition of the Te Ahuaturanga and Rangitikei-Manawatu blocks Rangitāne o Manawatu very rapidly lost large tracts of land while minimal—minimal—reserves were set aside for the iwi. The operation and impact of the native land laws on the remaining lands in particular the awarding of land to individual Rangitāne o Manawatu rather than to iwi or hapū made those lands more susceptible to partition fragmentation and alienation and this contributed to the erosion of the traditional tribal structures of Rangitāne.By the end of the 1880s Rangitāne o Manawatu held approximately 20000 acres of land. From the 19th century much of the remaining land was partitioned by the Native Land Court into blocks which were subsequently purchased by private individuals. The 20th century continued the sad story that I have recounted so many times in this House namely the continued erosion of Rangitāne o Manawatu land holdings. By 1930 land in Rangitāne o Manawatu ownership had dwindled to just under 3000 acres. The remaining land was gradually eroded by further sales and as an iwi this iwi became virtually landless.The accumulated effects of the purchases I mentioned a few minutes ago and the operation and the impact of the native land laws on private purchasing has left Rangitāne o Manawatu virtually landless and this has hindered the social cultural and economic development of the iwi. The impact of landlessness and the loss of traditional tribal structures leading to the loss of customary traditions of language and tribal authority can still be felt and that is why we are here today.The settlement package has a number of components that will be closely addressed by the Māori Affairs Committee and I will not go through those in any detail now. The committee will have to consider the financial and commercial redress as well as the cultural redress. As I have said twice before this morning the Crown does not have the means to fully compensate Rangitāne o Manawatu for the loss and prejudice suffered and I acknowledge their gracious acceptance of the redress contained in this package. I certainly hope that today is going to mark the beginning of a new relationship.Before I commend the bill to the House can I simply say this to the people of Rangitāne o Manawatu: this is the third settlement bill that we have debated today. The imperative is to get the bill off to the Māori Affairs Committee where it can receive very careful consideration by Mr Korako and his team. It may be thought that some of the speeches are somewhat truncated because they are but that does not in any way mean that this bill is not being treated with the significance that it deserves but rather that all members are very keen to see the bill go to the select committee so that we can get it back to the House for the second and third readings and an appropriate celebration to mark all the fine efforts of Rangitāne o Manawatu. I commend the bill to the House.ADRIAN RURAWHE (Labour—Te Tai Hauāuru):Tēnā koe e Te Māngai o Te Whare. Me tīmata au i taku kōrero ki tēnei rangatira ko Whātonga. Mai i a Whātonga ka puta ki waho ko Tautoki; ko Tānenuiārangi me ngā uri o Rangitāne. Nō reira ko Tararua me Ruahine ngā pae maunga ko Manawatū Te Awa ko Kurahaupō Te Waka ko Hineaute ko Te Rangi Te Paea ko Te Rangiaranaki ko Mairehau ko Kapuārangi-ki-Manawatū ko Tauira ngā hapū ā tihei mauri ora!Kei te mi’i atu anō i te ā’uatanga ki ngā tini mate rātou katoa e hinga mai nā puta noa ngā moutere nei. Ngā pīwaiwaka tītakataka ngā reo w’akaoriori otirā te iti me te ra’i te rangatira me te rawakore haere atu rā ki tua o te ārai ki te kāinga tūturu mō tātou mō te tangata. Nō reira e oki e moe e moe ā kāti mō tēnā!E tika ana kia tuku mihi atu ki a rātou mā nā w’ānau me ngā ‘apū o Rangitāne kua tae mai ki te w’akarongo ki te pānuitanga tuatahi o tēnei tā rātou pire. Nā reira e mihi ana ahau ki a koutou aku whanaunga o Rangitāne nau mai haere mai ki tō tātou Whare Te Whare o ngā Raiona. Nō reira koutou mā tēnei te mi’i ake mō ō koutou kaha kia tae mai ki tēnei wāhanga o te whakahaerenga i tēnei tō koutou tō tātou pire nei. Kua roa te wā e tika ana te kōrero o Te Minita rā! Kua roa te wā kua hainatia te pukapuka tūtohu i 1999.Ā kāore e kore ka huri aku whakaaro ki taua whaea a Ruth Harris. Tino kaha a i ia ki te mahi i āna mahi. Tino kaha a i ia ki te hāpai i ngā ma’i tūturu o Rangitāne. E tū ana te hotu manawa a Rangitāne o Manawatū marae e tū ana Te Whare tūturu pūmau e tū ana a Tānenuiārangi o Manawatū me ōna rōpū katoa e tū ana a W’akapai Hauora e tū ana hoki a Kia Ora FM. Koinā te rahi o ngā mahi o taua whaea a Ruth Harris.[Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. Let me begin my contribution with this noble leader Whātonga. From him emerged Tautoki and begat Tānenuiārangi and so the descendants of Rangitāne were born. So Tararua and Ruahine are the mountain ranges Manawatū is the river Kurahaupō is the canoe. Hineaute Te Rangitepaia Te Rangiaranaki Mairehau Kapuarangi ki Manawatū and Tauira are the subtribes; behold it is the breath of life.I acknowledge as well the situation relating to the myriadswhohave passed away all of them who have died throughout these islands the twittering and eloquent voicesbut at the same time the meek the esteemed the well-off and the impoverished;depart beyond the veil return to the eternal home destined for all of usinmankind;rest sleep slumber there. Let us leave it at that.It is appropriate that I accord a welcome to those families and subtribes of Rangitānewhohave arrived here to listen to this the first reading of their bill. And so I acknowledge you my Rangitāne relations. Welcome come hither to our House theLion’s den. Therefore to youI commend your tenacity to arrive here at this part of your bill and our bill’s journey. It has been a long time and what the Ministerfor Treaty of Waitangi Negotiationsalluded to is right.Much time has passed since that document was signed in 1999.Without a doubtmy thoughts go back to that matriarch Ruth Harris. She was a toiler.She worked hard to elevate matters of a legitimate nature pertaining to Rangitāne to the fore. The establishment of the heart-throbbing Manawatū Marae of Rangitāne the permanent House Tānenuiārangi of Manawatū and all of its affiliated groups Whakapai Hauora and Kia Ora FMas well—thoseare outcomes of Ruth Harris’shard work.]I had the privilege of sitting opposite whaea Ruth Harris on a number of occasions while I was representing Ngāti Apa and I can tell you Mr Assistant Speaker and the House that she was formidable and that she always did her homework. We sat opposite each other on issues like fisheries. They were not easy issues to resolve but I just want to take the time to acknowledge her work in getting this claim to the House. It should not be underestimated what she achieved.Can I also acknowledge the current negotiators and the chief negotiator Danielle Harris.Kāore e kore kei te harikoa tō māmā i tēnei rā.[Without a doubt your mother is euphoric today.]I also acknowledge Maurice Takarangi and Matua Tokatu Moana as well for traversing a very arduous journey to get this piece of legislation into the House. Can I acknowledge also the people and ngā kaumātua o Rangitāne both those who are here today and those listening in no doubt. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou.There are a number of redress elements in this settlement that I want to acknowledge. I have a very close association to Pukepuke Lagoon and in this legislation there is a deed of recognition and a statutory acknowledgment as well as the vesting of a piece of land within that block of land to Rangitāne. I want to acknowledge the shared history of a number of hapū of Ngāti Tauira of the iwi of Rangitāne and the iwi of Ngāti Apa as well who have a shared history in that place. I want to recognise that these instruments within this legislation ought to be something that cements that relationship and I want to acknowledge that today.I want to focus on the future. I want to acknowledge the Rangitāne o Manawatu Settlement Trust. I want to acknowledge each and every trustee so that they are recorded in the Hansard: Pōtaka Tāite Terry Hapi Louis Smith-Te Mete Tina Kāwana Chris Whaiapū and Danielle Harris. I want to mihi to the trustees who have the obligation the privilege and the opportunity of taking this settlement and the benefits from this settlement for the future of Rangitāne o Manawatu for the next generations to come—for the children the grandchildren and every generation of Rangitāne o Manawatu still to come. That is the legacy that has started today in this House.I spoke on the earlier bills Te Atiawa Claims Settlement Bill and the Taranaki Iwi Claims Settlement Bill around why you would settle your claim for a fraction of the value of what you lost—of what we lost. That opportunity will be in the hands of the Rangitāne o Manawatu Settlement Trust. It will not be an easy journey. This is but the start of a longer journey to make certain that the future generations benefit from this process of acknowledging what has gone wrong over a long period of time for Rangitāne o Manawatu.Nō reira kāore e roa tēnei tū oti noa e tika ana kia tuku mi’i atu ki a rātou o Rangitāne mō ō rātou kaha kia tae mai ki tēnei wāhanga o tēnei whakahaerenga. Nō reira ki a rātou ki a koutou tēnā koutou otirā tēnā tātou katoa.[Therefore this contribution will not be prolonged and furthermore it is appropriate that I pay tribute to those of Rangitāne for their tenacity in getting here to this part of this proceedings. Therefore to them and to you collectively congratulations and at the same time to us all.]NUK KORAKO (National): E mihi atu ki a koe e Te Mana Whakawā e huri noa i Te Whare nei e kā mema tēnā koutou katoa ā e mihi atu ki a koutou. Nau mai haere mai ki Te Whare Pāremata e Kurahaupō Waka. Tēnei te mihi ki te iwi o Rangitāne o Manawatū; nō reira tēnā koutou e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.[Greetings to you Mr Assistant Speaker and to members throughout this House. I acknowledge you all. Welcome draw closer to Parliament House the canoe of Kurahaupō and the Rangitāne tribe of Manawatū; so welcome and my congratulations to you all.]I take a short call on this first reading of the Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill. I also want to acknowledge the incredible manaaki that was given to us when we came to the marae of Te Hotu Manawa o Rangitaane o Manawatu where the first signing took place. Kia ora Rangitāne. It is really interesting because what I saw there and what I felt was actually your whakataukī “Tini whetū ki Te Rangi ko Tāne-nui-ā-Raki ki te whenua.”—which basically means “As the multitude of stars in the sky so great is Rangitāne on the earth.” When we talk about that it is that we need to look back to actually move forward. So when this bill will come to the Māori Affairs Committee it is that process that starts here. It goes to its first reading second reading Committee stage third reading and then passes into law.Just to touch on a few of the main points here particularly the historical perspective the Crown’s dealings with Rangitāne began in 1843. The Crown acted without ever consulting with Rangitāne—and we see this commonality again with the New Zealand Company. It is acknowledged also that most of the claims by Rangitāne under the commission to investigate the involvement of land that was meant to be sold to the New Zealand Company were rejected. We talk about within this those sites of significance—wāhi tapu sites as well particularly Raukawa Pā and in particular the Awapuni Lagoon. Within that being addressed are the Rangitīkei-Manawatū Blocks and so on.I think one thing travelling across the rohe or the takiwā of Rangitāne is a reflection of what was done to Rangitāne o Manawatu particularly around that policy of granting individual titles. What that did—again as part of this “divide and conquer” policy—was actually around eroding the traditional tribal structures which is reflected today in the number of marae that are actually situated or located across Rangitāne. This billwill help in some ways to address the rebuilding of your marae. As we have found in Kāi Tahu there are opportunities here now. We will never ever be able to give full restitution—we know that—but at least this is a start.On that note can I acknowledge all of the rakatira all of the iwi of Rangitāne o Manawatu—those who have actually taken Rangitāne o Manawatu on this journey and to here. One of the major milestones is to bring this bill to the House for the first reading. Nō reira e Kurahaupō Waka me Te Iwi o Rangitāne ka nunui te mihi e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.[And so to you the canoe of Kurahaupō and the tribe of Rangitāne I commend you highly and congratulate you all.]I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Labour—Palmerston North): Tini whetū ki Te Rangi Rangitāne ki Te Whenua tīhei mauri ora![Myriad of stars up in the sky Rangitāne upon the land; behold the breath of life.]It is an enormous privilege to be able to participate in this first reading debate on the Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill. When we gathered in the sunshine on the “Manawatū Riveria” as my friend Wīremu Te Aweawe would say in November last year it was my first opportunity to witness a Treaty settlement signing and it was my first opportunity to see the coming together and the joining of cultures around this idea that we have to move forward together we have to acknowledge our history we need to come to some agreement and that we need to move on together. The feeling of warmth and the feeling of togetherness on that day was something that I will never forget. It was truly a privilege to be there and to be able to witness it as it is a privilege to be able to participate in this debate today.This as other speakers have said is just one step along the journey—and my goodness; it has been a long long journey. The Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations outlined and my friend Adrian Rurawhe outlined the history of the settlement claim the history of alienation of the people of Rangitāne from the land of Rangitāne and the Minister touched lightly on some of the challenges that have presented themselves through the negotiation process.You have come through all of those and you have reached this point which is just another one of the steps along the way—but an important milestone because this is the point at which we all get to share the journey with you. I think it is a privilege for us to be able to share that journey with you in its very final stages—the stages that are most public perhaps and the stages that finally reach the point where you get the acknowledgment that you deserve and you get the redress; not that you deserve but that you are prepared to accept from the Crown. We all acknowledge the fact that the redress that this bill affords is nothing like what Rangitāne o Manawatu actually deserves for what has gone on in the past. But it is a recognition from both sides that settlement is important and moving forward together is important.I want to acknowledge as others have some of the key players some of the people who have really been the driving force. Many have passed but many are with us still: Danielle Harris Maurice Takarangi and Matua Tokatū Moana who have been the driving forces at the negotiating table particularly Danielle. Thank you for picking up where your mum left off and for continuing on this process which is a process that is so important not just to Rangitāne but to the whole Palmerston North and Manawatū community. It is going to be an exciting time when this is all done and you are able to look forward to your future. Your future and Palmerston North’s future and the Manawatū future are shared and you are going to be incredibly important participants in that future just as you are incredibly important participants in our community right now. So I want to congratulate you on all the work so far. I want to welcome you here today on this important milestone and I want to say that we all in this Parliament look forward to sharing the journey with you from here on in and we look forward to the future and everything that you will continue to contribute to our community in Manawatū.With those few words I want to say that I also commend this bill to the House. I look forward to the select committee process I encourage you to participate strongly with the select committee process and we all look forward to coming back here for the final stages of this bill when we get to celebrate this settlement properly.JONO NAYLOR (National): Tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawa. He mihi ki a koutou ki a Rangitāne o Manawatū nau mai haere mai ki Te Whare Pāremata. He pai te rā mō Rangitāne o Manawatū mō te rohe o Manawatū he pai te rā nei mō Aotearoa New Zealand.[Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. I acknowledge you Rangitāne of Manawatū; welcome come hither to Parliament House. It is a good day for Rangitāne of Manawatū the region of Manawatū and New Zealand today.]This is a great day for Rangitāne o Manawatu this is a great day for the region of the Manawatū and it is a great day for New Zealand.My journey with Rangitāne in particular around the Treaty settlement started I guess when I was elected to the Palmerston North City Council in 2001. Since that time I feel like every time I speak to someone from Rangitāne I am like the little kid who sits in the back of the car on their way to a holiday and says: “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”. Well today: “Irā titiro ki te moana!”—Look I can see the sea! We are almost there. This journey is coming to its conclusion and this is just the first stage in this House.I acknowledge that today our time is restricted and I only hope that I can make more of a contribution in further readings but today I commend this bill to the House and I say congratulations to all from Rangitāne o Manawatu. I look forward to the progress of this bill and I commend the bill to the House.METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green): Tēna koe Mr Assistant Speaker. Tēnā koutou e te Whare. I too want to stand on behalf of the Green Party and acknowledge Rangitāne o Manawatu and Tānenuiarangi in particular for all of the hard work over the last more than 20 years in bringing this settlement legislation to the House. Settlements are always bitter-sweet. They come at great cost particularly to the iwi and hapū who work so hard to negotiate those very tricky waters of the Waitangi Tribunal and the Government negotiation process and their own issues within their own iwi and hapū too to bring settlement to the House. It is always great to come to this part the final part of the process to have the settlement legislated for but we must also recognise the cost—the cost in lives and the cost in time and the cost in relationships too. So I want to acknowledge Ruth Harris and her passing and also as other members have done Danielle Pikihuia Harris and the whole team for the work that they have continued on with.But I also want to acknowledge those who have concerns about the settlement. They too are entitled to a voice and to be recognised for their work in trying to uphold from their point of view—whether you agree with it or not—the rightfulness of their claim the acknowledgment of their own loss and the difficulty that they have in negotiating also these very difficult waters of settlement. So Ko Te Pou Marangatahi O Rangitāne Ki Manawatū I want to acknowledge you for the efforts you have made to see justice for yourselves. It has been a long and difficult process for you as well.In the select committee we will no doubt hear more about the history of this settlement given it has been a very long and somewhat contentious history. As someone who was born and raised in Palmerston North I really am looking forward to working with and talking to all of the whānau involved about whether there are improvements we can make and making sure that we really listen to the issues that are raised.Finally because I know that we are short on time I want to echo the statements of Pita Paraone in the last bill about the generosity of iwi in agreeing to these settlements. In my calculation—and I have never been the best at maths—the settlement is around $27 an acre. That is the reparation: about $27 an acre. We are talking about the Manawatū here right? My dad was a farm labourer all his life and we know that the Manawatū area is extraordinarily valuable in terms of land—possibly less so for dairying these days but none the less valuable land—and goes for thousands of dollars an acre in a commercial sense. Let us be really clear about the cost—the economic cost—that this iwi is prepared to bear in order to see progress for their people and about the economic contribution they are making to New Zealand society to the New Zealand economy and to the local economy in the Manawatū - Palmerston North area. Let us also just acknowledge the special treatment that Māori talk about when we say “No thank you.” to that kind of special treatment.I will finish here with another really important statement from my point of view acknowledging my particular interest in this settlement as Rangitāne from Manawatū and Wairarapa and also again acknowledging all of the hard work that has gone into bringing the settlement here to us today. I am looking forward to engaging with these issues to the completion of the settlement in time. Tēnā koutou katoa.PITA PARAONE (NZ First):Tihei wā mauri ora![Behold the breath of life!]I want to just acknowledge Rangitāne o Manawatu.Nā reirakoutou nō te hau kāinga tēnā koutou tēnā koutou. Tēnā hoki koutou ngā whanaunga mai i Te Waka o Kurahaupō. Tēnei te mihi o ō whanaunga e noho nei i roto o Murihiku—arā ko Te Aupōuri tēnā. Nā reira tino koa te hari o te ngākau ka kite ana i a koutou i roto i Te Whare i te rā nei.Tua atu i tēnā kei te tautoko i ngā mihi i mihingia ki tēnā o ngā mate kei waenganui i a koutou. Ka kite atu i a koe e te tuahine Daniella nā ka hoki ngā mahara ki tō whaea ā ki tō tupuna a Barbara Devonshire. I rongo i a mātou i te kōrero o ētahi atu tō kaha tō māia. Mōhio ana au ā tēnā toto i heke mai i ngā e kī nei ngā Celtics—kia aha tia? E mihi hoki ki a Maurice me Matua. E kī nei te kōrero o te kāinga ā ko koutou ngā tokotoru tapu e kawe atu ana i tēnei kaupapa i mua i a tātou i tēnei wā nā reira ngā mihi hoki ki a koutou!E mihi hoki ki tēnā o ngā mate i ngaro atu ki te tirohanga kanohi. E tika ana kia mihi kau ana ki a rātou nā te mea nā rātou i kawe atu tēnei kaupapa mai rā anō. Nā reira kua ea te wāhi mā rātou ka hoki mai ki a tātou te hunga ora; tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā koutou.[And so to those of you from back home greetings acknowledgments; and to you as well the relatives from the Kurahaupō canoe. This acknowledgment is from your kindred folk living in Murihiku—in other words in Te Aupōuri. Therefore the heart is absolutely overjoyed when I see you in the House today.Further to that I endorse the tributes paid to the dead in your midst. Whenever I see your sister Daniella well memories of your mother and your grandmother Barbara Devonshire come to mind. We heard the talk by others about your endurance and capability. I know it is said that that blood is inherited from the Celts—so what? I salute Maurice and Matua. Back home you are the three holy persons bearing this responsibility before us at this moment in time so I compliment you three.I pay tribute to those who have been lost from sight. It is fitting that they be remembered because they were the ones who began this journey long ago. So that segment pertaining to them is settled and we return to us the living; greetings salutations and best wishes.]As mentioned by the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations this is a claim lodged back in 1990 and it has taken a long journey to get to this stage. It has not been without sacrifice. It has not been without commitment and a desire on the part of Rangitāne o Manawatu to do something about future generations. This is what this settlement is all about.The bill records the apology of the Crown for the prejudice and loss suffered by Rangitāne o Manawatu. It also by virtue of their acceptance of this settlement recognises again the “generosity of the iwi to our nation”. As the previous speaker Metiria Turei quite correctly articulated the total value of the loss endured by Rangitāne o Manawatu cannot be fully compensated. So the fact that they have accepted this settlement is testament to their generosity.Between 1840 and 1863 Rangitāne o Manawatu encouraged European settlement in order to participate in the settler economy. Leased tracts of land between the Rangitīkei and Manawatū Rivers were made available to settlers. However in 1864 the Crown purchased 250000 acres in the Āhuatūranga Block from Rangitāne o Manawatu. The Crown continued to urge further sales of reserve land by the iwi reducing the amount of reserve land from 5000 hectares to just under half of that amount.Reserve lands did not include many sites of cultural significance for Rangitāne o Manawatu and the Crown declined the iwi’s proposals to have these culturally significant lands returned back to Rangitāne o Manawatu as reserves. In 1867 the Crown gave 71 acres of iwi land to another iwi without consultation. That land would eventually become the area known as Palmerston North. In 1866 the Crown purchased 241000 acres in the Rangitīkei-Manawatū Block from three iwi including Rangitāne o Manawatu for a total of £25000. This iwi campaigned for receiving a 20 percent share from that sale. They received only £600. There were no reserves allocated to the Rangitīkei-Manawatū purchase so they sought reserves of 3000 acres as compensation for a disappointing share of the purchase money. The Crown subsequently offered a 1000 acre reserve to the iwi. In 1869 suspended rents from the Rangitīkei-Manawatū Block were settled and totalled £4699 in payments distributed to the iwi.So that is just an indication of some of the injustices that the Crown by its actions imposed on the iwi during that time. This bill acknowledges that those historical actions did cause prejudice to the iwi and breached the Treaty. The apology is for its acts and omissions which breached the Treaty and caused damage to the iwi.As part of this settlement there are a number of different elements of cultural redress including an overlay classification or whenua rāhui for two sites in particular: the Himatangi Bush Scientific Reserve or part of that and the Mākurerua Swamp Wildlife Management Reserve. It also includes statutory acknowledgments of 12 sites deeds of recognition covering another 11 sites of which six are Department of Conservation sites and five are rivers. It also includes a formal acknowledgment by the Crown of the special connection of Rangitāne o Manawatu to Linton Military Camp and Manawatū Prison and in particular the land and the buildings thereupon not the number of people who are resident in those properties.The settlement also includes a number of elements of financial redress. I do not need to articulate the amount other than to say that there are still a number of issues. There is the mandate dispute: inclusion of Ngāti Tauira as a hapū of the Rangitāne whakapapa by the negotiated authority which is the Tānenuiarangi Manawatū Incorporated and of course Ngāti Tauira rightfully belongs to Ngāti Apa. I think a member of the House is aware of that particular situation. He is quoted as saying: “We are very annoyed that [they] continue to include our hapū in their negotiations.” That is why I look forward to this bill being referred to the Māori Affairs Committee because I know that as with all settlements not every member of the iwi actually supports these settlements. I would certainly like the opportunity to hear from them and for them to articulate their concerns. I commend this bill to the House and I wish our iwi all the best going forward here on in. Kia ora.MARAMA FOX (Co-Leader—Māori Party):Tēnā koe e Te Mana Whakawā.Tini whetū ki te rangiRangitāne ki te whenuaEkīai he iwi hūmariemaranga tū mai rā.Tēnā koutou ōku pou ōku rahi ngā hononga whanaunga kei waenganui i a koutou nei te mihi atu ki a koutou! Ā tēnei au e tū ake nei ki te tuku whakaaro ki a koutou me ō koutou tini mate ō koutou tupuna rātou kāre anō kua tae ki tēnei rangi i runga i te matenga ka tuku whakaaro ki a koutou!He rangi whakahirahira tēnei nei te mihi! Ka mihi nui ki a koutou i roto i te whakaititanga o ahau e tū ake nei hai whāki atu ki te tini me te mano e whakarongo nei ā kua tae te wā kua tae te wā!Nā reira ka tuku whakaaro ki tēnei iwi o tātau a Rangitāne. He ingoa anō tō Rangitāne ko Rangitānenui Tānenuiārangi Rāngitānehuiārangi nei te mihi ki a koutou! Nō hea? Ā nō Hawaiki tēnei iwi i tae ā-tinana ki tēnei Whare ki tēnei wā me ō koutou tupuna kai muri i a koutou ko Whātonga tēnā Te Kaihautū o Te Waka Kurahaupō tae atu ki a Nukutaurua. Ā ko tana mokopuna tēnā i moe i te mokopuna a Kupe kai roto i te toto te tipi me te haere kai roto i a koutou! Ā Rangitāne ki Te Wairarapa ki Tāmaki-nui-ā-Rua ki Te Wairau ki Horowhenua ā ki Manawatū.Nā reira kai te mihi kai te mihi ki a koutou katoa. Ā kua kōrero kē nei ōku hoa mahi i ngā take kai roto i tō koutou kerēme harikoa ahau kua tae ki tēnei wā. Kei konei koutou ā-tinana ā-kanohi ki te whakarongo ā-taringa kia kite ā-karu kia rongo ā-wairua hoki ki te hōhonutanga o tēnei pire. Nā reira kai te pīrangi au kia hāngai aku kōrero ki tētahi wāhanga ō tō koutou kerēme.[Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker.A myriad of stars in the skyRangitāne upon the landIt is said a humble people they arearise stand up.Greetings to you my pillars my many kinsfolk amongst you;I acknowledge you.I stand before you to express my thoughts and to pay a tribute to the very many of your dead and ancestors who did not make it here today before they passed away;my thoughts are with you.This is a magnificent day and I congratulate you. I have much admiration for you as I stand here humbly before you to reveal to the great and vast number listening in yes the moment and time has arrived.So some thoughts about this tribe of ours Rangitāne. It has other names: Rangitānenui Tānenuiārangi and Rangitānehuiārangi.I salute you.Where is this tribe from? From Hawaiki! It has arrived here bodily at this House at this point in time with your ancestors behind you; for example Whātonga commander of the Kurahaupō canoe including Nukutaurua. That grandchild of his married Kupe’s grandchildand so roaming around calling in at places is in the blood. It is in you! Examples of this tendency are Rangitāne at Te Wairarapa Dannevirke Blenheim Horowhenuaand Manawatū.And so I commend and congratulate you all. My colleagues have already alluded to the contents of your claimand I am overjoyed it has reached this stage. You are here physically to see and hear spiritually the connections of this bill. Therefore I would like to align my sentiments to a part of your claim.]I just want to concentrate for a short period of time on one aspect of the settlement—the awa the beating heart of Manawatū. Yes there are a number of other awa that are included in the redress. At the time when Manawatū the rohe was settled the awa its beating heart was in a pristine state. It is now considered one of the most polluted rivers in the world and this is how it is returned to you. Shame on us—shame on us. Our people live next to rivers. Manawatū wai was acknowledged as the life source of our people. We do not just say “he maunga tēnā he marae tēnā he awa tēnā” [“that is a mountain a marae and a river”]for fun. These are the things that kept us alive: our tūrangawaewae our maunga our pātūwatawata and our awa. And the beating heart of Manawatū pivotal to Rangitāne is being returned as one of the most polluted rivers in the world.I want to acknowledge Te Mana o te Wai fund and our work with the Minister Nick Smith in being able to provide some help some awhi to try to restore that river. There is no doubt that you will take the opportunity as kaitiaki restored again a-ture nei to you all to look after that beating heart—and who better? Who better? So I want to acknowledge you here today understanding that the settlement will never go as far as it needs to go. And here is the prime example of that. Alhough yes guardianship of the river is part of the settlement—the river is absolutely pivotal to you—this is the state it is returned in.I look forward to hearing your kōrero in this House when we meet as a select committee. I look forward to addressing you all. I look forward to the day when this process is finished and we can all move ahead again. We seem to be in limbo. I want to say that although the time is fast spent this is an important day. The last thing I want to say is that when you look around the Manawatū the region there is plenty of money there. There are plenty of flash cars plenty of beautiful houses but they all belong in the hands of the people who own the land and when you have been left landless it is a long haul back from there.Nā reira ahakoa te uaua o tēnei tūāhuatanga he rangi ātaahua tēnei! Ka taea te tiro whakamua mō ngā rangi kai te heke mai tēnā koutou tēnā koutou. Ka whakaae ana au ki tēnei pire. Kia ora.[And sodespite the difficulty of this type of situation this is a beautiful day. It is possible to look ahead to forthcoming days in the not so distant future. Well done and good on you. I commend this bill. Thank you.]Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato):Rangitāne o Manawatū tēnā koutou nau mai piki mai kake mai haere mai. Tēnei tētehi mokopuna nō Te Awa o Waikato e mihi ana ki a koutou ngā iwi whakatipu o Te Awa o Manawatū kia tae pai mai koutou i runga i tēnei huarahi ahakoa te aukaha o Te Awa ahakoa ngā pikopiko o Te Awa ahakoa ngā au ngā ripo ngā piki me ngā heke ā tāua nei Awa. Ko tēnei huarahi te pai o te tutuki o ngā take Tiriti. He mea kia āta whakaarohia e tātou ngā mokopuna ngā uri whakatipu o ō tātou mokopuna me ō rātou nei whāinga nō reira tēnei te mihi atu kia koutou.[Rangitāne of Manawatū welcome climb aboard ascend and greetings. I am a grandchild from the Waikato river extending a welcome to you the people who were raised alongside the Manawatū River so that you would arrive here well on this pathway despite the strength of the river its currents eddies and the ups and downs of that particular river. This is the best pathway to settle matters relating to the Treaty. It is a way of ensuring that we consider our grandchildren the offspring of our grandchildren and their aspirations and so I commend you.]It is important to be able to spend some time at this first reading recognising the important juncture that we are at. I would like to offer a few comments on the settlement mainly drawing from the contribution of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and some of the matters that he raised which will focus the efforts of the select committee.In no particular order I have highlighted Minister—both for your officials and for the technical team of the negotiators—some aspects that I intend to pursue as a means of seeking greater clarification around the intent of the deed of settlement and the way that it is reflected in legislation. Those issues go something like this. Firstly the advisory board for the Manawatū catchment—in the way that the legislation is portrayed it appears to me that the opportunity to disestablish the board might be preceded by the way in which the advisory board sees itself taking on greater functions in the freshwater management aspects of the Manawatū.If this is indeed the case under the current Resource Management Act the transfer of powers in section 33 certainly allow iwi to be able to take on roles and functions for that purpose. So I raise that as an issue because it may be something that the officials could offer us some advice on as to what the intent and purpose of the advisory board is and what the future opportunity space for the advisory board is in freshwater management.The second issue I would like to ask some questions around will be the ongoing management of reserves and how the thinking is proceeding along the responsibility and the funding of that particular delegation of opportunity. You will notice that these are quite technical questions to some extent but they are important ones when we start to pursue the submissions that may come to us.Given some previous settlements and the challenges around access provisions to private land and public land—and I notice there are some aspects of that within this bill—it is my view that it is worth the Māori Affairs Committee considering rights of access to protected sites; formal easements whether or not that is the intention of what is required here in some instances; and we would have to understand the nature of the sites that we are talking about.The last issue which has occupied the attention of the House for some time through various settlements is the way in which it is intended that the right of first refusal mechanism operates within the context of Rangitāne o Manawatu. This has been something that has popped its head up over all sorts of issues but it will require the diligence of the select committee to make sure that what is reflected in the legislation is what is intended in the deed of settlement.Minister you have had had a mammoth day today in bringing three settlement bills to the House. The efforts of your negotiating team and the negotiating team of Rangitāne o Manawatu is significant and we recognise that. Although the first reading does not allow for all the acknowledgments that must be said to be said be under no shadow of a doubt that once we go through the full process of the select committee and then back to the third reading members will be heartened to bring the full extent of our recognition to the House for your satisfaction.Nō reira e te iwi o Rangitāne ki Manawatū tēnei te mihi atu ki a koutou ki a tātou katoa.[And so to you the people of Rangitāne of Manawatū I congratulate you and us all.]Bill read a first time.Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.Waiata