Heatley Phil: Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Heatley Phil: Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:654;Page:4127] 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 I move  
That the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. 
 At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be referred to the Maori Affairs Committee that the committee present its report to the House on or before the 30 September 2009 and that the committee have the authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting except during oral questions and during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 187 and 190(1)(b) and (c). 
This bill will address the limited prospects of the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004 generating settlement assets for iwi by 2014 by providing the Crown with an additional option for complying with its pre-commencement aquaculture space obligation. The additional settlement option is regional agreements where iwi aquaculture organisations or recognised iwi organisations in a region and the Crown plus the trustee agree on how to settle the pre-commencement space obligation in that region. Additionally the bill will give effect to an agreement between the Crown and iwi of the South Island and Hauraki for an early settlement of the Crown’s pre-commencement aquaculture space obligations in those regions. 
In 1992 the Crown reached a full and final settlement with Maori for all claims under the Treaty of Waitangi relating to New Zealand’s wild fisheries. Since 1992 settling Maori claims to commercial aquaculture with the principal Act in 2004 has been an important element in the relationship between tangata whenua and the Crown. Unfortunately the transfer of aquaculture settlement assets to iwi did not happen as was anticipated in 2004. Engagement between the Crown and the iwi of Te Tau Ihu Ngai Tahu and the Hauraki Maori Trust Board over how to meet Crown obligations for pre-commencement aquaculture space has identified a wonderful option to settle the Crown’s pre-commencement aquaculture space obligation for those iwi in a single transaction. The Crown and iwi have agreed that it is the best way to meet the Crown’s obligation and have signed a deed of settlement agreeing to this approach. Indeed I signed that deed. 
It is historic that so many iwi would come together to sign a settlement like this. It is historic that the settlement would be agreed on so quickly and that all the iwi of the South Island could put aside old differences and come to an agreement together. It is a fantastic achievement to reach this point. I acknowledge and thank everyone who has contributed to the successful negotiation of an early settlement on this matter. That includes both current and previous Ministers including my colleague Parekura Horomia. I would like to acknowledge his work along with that of Dr Cullen iwi leaders negotiators of course Te Ohu Kaimoana and Crown officials led by the Ministry of Fisheries all of whom contributed to the negotiations. 
The bill that I am introducing today is required to give effect to this agreement. It will settle the vast majority of the Crown’s pre-commencement aquaculture space obligations in the Marlborough Sounds Tasman Bay—would you believe it—and the Hauraki Gulf along with the rest of the South Island. The bill provides for regional agreements which will allow for the early financial settlement of the Crown’s pre-commencement aquaculture space obligations in other regions as well. The Crown is willing to engage with iwi in the remaining regions on this issue. It is absolutely willing. We need to finalise these aquaculture settlements. We need to ensure that settlements reach their targets and start to provide the benefits that they promise as soon as possible. 
This bill demonstrates that the Crown and iwi can work through these issues together in good faith and in partnership. Those are the qualities that underlie the relationship between tangata whenua and the Crown. I commend this bill to the House.