Ririnui Mita: Nga Wai o Maniapoto (Waipa River) Bill Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill Ngati Pahauwera Treaty Claims Settlement Bill 
Ririnui Mita: Nga Wai o Maniapoto (Waipa River) Bill Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill Ngati Pahauwera Treaty Claims Settlement Bill 
[Volume:672;Page:18723] 
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Labour) 
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 Kati ra tena tatou katoa kei nga maunga rangatira koutou ra kua takahia mai ra te huarahi kia tae mai ra koutou ki roto i te Whare nei; kia tutuki pai ai nga ahuatanga e pa ana ki o koutou kereme a me nga moemoea o ratou kua ngaro a-kanohi atu. Ahakoa tera kua tae a-wairua mai ratou ki waenganui i a koutou hei ata whakarongo ki nga tautohetohe kai roto i te Whare i te rangi nei. No reira hore taea e tenei ki te whakahua ko wai ko wai ko wai kua tae mai kei mahue ake wetahi ki waho. No reira kei nga maunga rangatira nga wai kua rere mai kua waipukehia te Whare nei. Tena koutou tena koutou hara mai hara mai hara mai.  
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Well then greetings to us and to all lofty chiefs who walked the path that enabled you to arrive here in this House to ensure that aspects relating to your claims are settled well and that the aspirations of those who are no longer before us are fulfilled. Even though they are no longer here physically they have arrived spiritually to be amongst you and to listen carefully to the debates in the House today. It is impossible for this one to acknowledge each of you who have arrived here in case someone is left out. So I say to you lofty chiefs the waters that flow towards us have flooded this House. Greetings to you greetings to you and welcome welcome welcome. 
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I acknowledge the presence in the House today of the representatives of Ngati Maniapoto Ngati Porou and Ngati Pahaurewa who have come a great distance not just today but over a number of years to see this important occasion happen in the House today. I certainly acknowledge their presence. I also congratulate the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations on grouping these bills and bringing them to the House all at one time. It is the first time this initiative has been tried in this House although many—none on this side of the House—were sceptical about that approach. I think their concerns can be allayed here today. I certainly congratulate the Minister on that initiative. If I have any criticism it is not of what he has achieved today but of the slow progress he has made in other claims currently before the Crown. 
Paul Quinn 
: What? 
Hon MITA RIRINUI 
: I think the gentleman across the House knows exactly which claim I am talking about. I certainly congratulate the Minister on the initiative. 
I think I am one of those in the House who can say I got up close and friendly with the claimants’ negotiators over a period of about 6 years in my time as Associate Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations. I have heard all the issues. 
In particular I will touch on Ngati Maniapoto. You see the previous speakers have touched on a range of issues in all three bills but for me a particular part of the Nga Wai o Maniapoto (Waipa River) Bill touches a soft spot. It is to do with the main provisions or the co-governance framework. I know that the previous speaker—the ACT member John Boscawen who claims to be a champion on Maori issues—has an issue with Maori being involved in co-governance arrangements. Well the world has changed I tell Mr Boscawen. He had better get used to it because from here on Maori will be wanting co-governance arrangements over all of their lands over all of their estates over all of their reserves and particularly over their waterways—their rivers their tributaries or the takutai moana around the coastline. This is the way the Government is going. It is following the progress that the previous Government made. I congratulate that side of the House on that. 
Co-governance arrangements reflect Maori ownership interests in particular areas. In this case for Ngati Maniapoto it reflects not only their ownership interest but their kaitiakitanga responsibilities over the Waipa River. As one of the earlier speakers my colleague the Hon Nanaia Mahuta mentioned this is a continuation of the Waikato-Tainui settlement of the Waikato River. During our negotiation during our discussions with Maniapoto and with Waikato-Tainui there was an issue about water quality or the health of the Waikato River. It was the view of many at that time that the Waipa River was a major contributor to the pollution of the Waikato River. I did not get involved in that debate but certainly science indicated that that was the case. Some of the practices by users along the river contributed to that pollution. I am happy looking through these co-governance arrangements and what they actually mean that these problems over time may be alleviated if not completely eradicated. 
I am involved in a particular area where co-governance is a big issue over certain waterways in particular the Tauranga moana. The reason I was so interested in these arrangements is that they are probably the same sort of arrangement that other iwi are looking towards securing through the settlements process. The framework in particular for the Waipa River provides recognition of the specific and enduring relationship of Maniapoto with the Waipa River. That is an important issue: the development of objectives by Maniapoto for the Waipa River. I realise that the ACT member is totally opposed to that as only elected members should be involved in these types of arrangements. Well the Maniapoto representatives will be elected members elected by Maniapoto. I am sure he should have concerns about that but obviously he does. 
It also provides “legislative recognition of the vision and strategy extending over the whole of the Waipa River including the ability to amend the vision and strategy to achieve the overarching purpose of the deed insofar as the vision and strategy relates to the Upper Waipa River;”. That is an all-encompassing objective with which I am sure Ngati Maniapoto along with other river users will be able to find solutions as a result of their discussions. It also grants “functions and powers to the Waikato River Authority through legislation in respect of the Upper Waipa River; and clean-up arrangements for the Upper Waipa River … (from its source at Pekepeke Spring to its junction with the Puniu River)”. 
Ngati Maniapoto have a wide-ranging arrangement with the Crown. Those co-management arrangements at the next level down certainly will give all the hapu who have kaitiaki responsibilities over certain parts of the Waikato River the opportunity to ensure that the life-force or the mauri of the river is not only restored but maintained for eternity for future generations to enjoy the benefits of it as my colleague the Hon Parekura Horomia mentioned. The kai in the river or the aquatic life is not of the best quality as we have known in previous years in the Waikato River and its tributaries. But certainly the clean-up programme for the Waipa River that has been agreed to in this case will improve the quality and standard of aquatic life and also encourage more use of the resource by future generations. 
I congratulate the representatives of Ngati Maniapoto who have come here today basically to observe the first reading of their settlement legislation. I also note that this in no way affects the historical Treaty claims of Ngati Maniapoto. I am sure the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations has already made inroads into ensuring that those discussions follow close behind this settlement legislation. Once again I remind him that he needs to look seriously at other waterways in close vicinity of the Waikato River and the Waipa in terms of the co-governance arrangements. 
Moving on to Ngati Porou my colleague the Hon Parekura Horomia touched on every possible aspect of the Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill that he possibly could have. I just make an observation and a comment having been involved in these negotiations that this is the most brilliant piece of negotiating I have ever seen. One had to be in the room to actually appreciate it. Something that started from nothing and ended up being greater than everything all in a few hours by one particular person needs to be mentioned. All the cynicism relating to Ngati Porou and the actual extent of their losses faded into insignificance as the negotiations proceeded. I say although he has already complimented himself that the former Minister of Maori Affairs played a magnificent role in achieving that outcome. 
By the time this legislation passes through the House the actual quantum figure—the interest on the quantum agreed to by the Crown and Ngati Porou—will have increased by $12 million. How is that for negotiating? That is brilliant. I congratulate the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations on the part he played in the negotiations and in bringing the legislation to the House today. I do not see the particular person I was referring to in the House today but that is OK; we will get around to congratulating him at some stage. 
I read in the Ngati Pahauwera Treaty Claims Settlement Bill—I know I have very little time left—the historical account of Ngati Pahauwera. I have read many historical accounts and it is probably one of the most devastating I have read. The detail is unbelievable. When we see people rising out of the ashes to achieve this we have to congratulate them all. Tena koutou. Ka nui nga mihi. Kia ora tatou. 
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Well done. There is much appreciation and thank you. 
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