Clendon David: Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeClendon David: Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 20 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3494. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DAVID CLENDON (Green): Kei te mihi ki a koutou. May I begin by also acknowledging the very untimely and sad passing of an extraordinary man. Ērima Hēnare had a lifetime—a far too brief lifetime—of service to his hapū to Tai Tokerau and indeed to all of New Zealand in the tradition of that family I must say. It was an honour genuinely to be present at Mōtatau for his final farewell. The atmosphere the speeches and the very presence that was at that place reflected something of the man himself. I think we can be assured that our colleague Peeni Henare in his time in this House and indeed outside this House will continue to add mana to the name he bears. Kia ora.I would like first to reflect on the fact that the wide and genuine support for this bill is a reflection on the good work of the Māori Affairs Committee. It seems to me that that committee has ways of its own of getting things done. It works in mysterious ways on occasion but it seems to generate good work and get good outcomes and this bill is I think a good example of that.I admit I must say that I was initially sceptical when I saw the first draft of this bill because the first thing that struck me about it was that it has the Government and senior politicians giving away power and authority and that is completely counter-intuitive to anybody who has been in politics for any length of time. But indeed that is in a sense what is happening with this bill. It is reallocating responsibility and authority for the management of that unique place—for Waitangi—and I do think it is a move for the good. As I say my initial scepticism was laid to rest and it does indeed seem a genuine attempt to update a governance and management structure that was in need of some work and in need of some attention. I think that what has come out is something that will serve us well acknowledging of course there is to be a further review—and that is a good thing too—just to see that we do get this right.It is difficult to overstate the importance of Waitangi—the house the grounds and the area around it—to this country not least of all culturally. It is the site of the signing of the document that gives this Government—of which we are all part—legitimacy and that gives the Crown its legitimacy in this country. We must continue to return to that—that it is absolutely fundamental; it is a living document that is as valid today as it was in 1840 when it was first signed. I must confess that even to this day when I meet New Zealanders who have never visited Waitangi it always comes as a surprise but OK for some people it is a long way from home. My own memories of it go back to when I was sort of 4 or 5 and I am privileged to still live nearby so I am a regular visitor. It is extraordinarily important culturally politically constitutionally and dare I say it the site also has some significant economic importance for Northland particularly.It is important that the governance and management structure is right so that we maintain the quality of the experience for the people who do visit that place and it is important that we seek to enhance that experience not only because of the fact that it is literally the place where our nation Aotearoa New Zealand began but because it is a site of historical significance. I think we need to do our very best to ensure that it retains the value and qualities that ensure that people go there remember the experience reflect on it and tell others about it.Indeed as an aside I think that we are nowhere near exploiting the potential of the wider heritage of Northland and of the sites—and some have been mentioned—of Waitangi Russell Paihia Mangungu Waimate Kerikeri the mission house and dare I say it Clendon House. The more that people become aware and start to join the dots about the extraordinary stories of those remarkable people both Pākehā and Māori actually who made this remarkable agreement and who lived through those times in the late 18th century through to the 19th century and did some extraordinary things—I think to some extent all history is social history. I think we are very fortunate in New Zealand that we still have the artefacts like the homes and the furnishings and indeed the very close relationships. A generation or two back we can look to people who were actually there on the day in Waitangi and that is something to be treasured I think and to be shared not only with each other with New Zealanders but with others who come here to find out what this—to some people—remote country is all about.That is slightly an aside but I have to say that I think the bill has advanced the management and governance potentially of the place. We are particularly pleased of course—and the point has been mentioned already—that embedded in this bill is a commitment to having a presence on the board of the descendants of Hone Heke Maihi Kāwiti Tāmati Waka Nene and of course Pōmare. At one point it seemed as though that inclusion might need to await the review which could have delayed it for some time. So I am particularly pleased that as I say the interesting machinations of the select committee have ensured that that commitment is embedded in this bill at this point and I do hope that the bill goes through without further delay. I see no reason why it should not. It is a good document it will achieve some good things and we certainly look forward to the work that we hope the board will do in future to continue to add value to enhance that place and to get the visitor centre there. To have the original document there would be extraordinary and that would be a wonderful thing so we hope that this is as successful as we all hope it will be. Kia ora.