Mark RonHon RON MARK (Minister of Defence): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. Tīhei mauri ora tīhei; Ngāti Tamaoho haere mai haere mai ki Te Whare Pāremata haere mai ki te huihui nei [I sneeze the breath of life I sneeze; Ngāti Tamaoho welcome welcome to Parliament welcome to this gathering] and welcome to this third reading of your Treaty settlement bill. My name as the Assistant Speaker has just announced is Ron Mark and I've got the privilege and the honour of speaking on behalf of New Zealand First although I have to state right from the outset that I did not sit through the Māori Affairs Committee hearings on your settlement and I've just had the opportunity just now to peruse the document before me.My name is Ronald Whiti o Maaka and I am Ngati Porou Ngāti Kahungunu Raukawa and Te Arawa descent and also of Tūwharetoa and I'm also—it's out of my head—descended from my people from over in the Horowhenua area and Te Ātiawa. My bones go back down actually into the top end of the South Island in around Motueka being one of those people from Whakatū. You could say that my ancestral lines cover everything south of the Bombay Hills so I don't know too much about your rohe. But I've just had the opportunity to peruse the settlement.As a former lead negotiator for the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-ā-Rua Treaty settlement it is interesting for me when I read page 2 in particular and then go into the summary of historical account. Those deeds that occurred from 1840 on for which you have sought redress are very very similar to those issues those grievances that my Ngāti Kahungunu people have also been seeking redress for and which I hope to see settled in the same manner through this House in time. Can I congratulate you. I note that Ngāti Tamaoho Trust and Ngāti Tamaoho members negotiated your deed of settlement. That they first got Crown recognition—that is the deed of mandate—in 2010 and that you progressed through in December 2016 to initial a deed of settlement actually says to me that you moved at quite some speed. We took about that length of time in the Wairarapa just to agree to appoint a group of people who would actually undertake obtaining the mandate and setting up the trust. I think we took about six years to get through that process as we discussed the matter amongst ourselves. So I have to say congratulations to you because those formative years of setting up your trust and getting concurrence and agreement from your iwi as a whole would not have been an easy step but it was the most important step. Getting mandate recognised by the Crown as having had the mandate to progress the claim on is the first step forward.That you had a Treaty settlement signed in April 2017 and that we are here in 2018 and completing the third reading indicates an eight-year period in total which I'm quite astonished by because we're still working in the Wairarapa. I'm hopeful that we might see that settlement pass through this House just as yours is now during this term of Parliament.The overlapping claims issues are briefly discussed on page 2 of the bill. Can I say that we recognise the challenges that you would've faced. Some of those are outlined in here with other iwi. It is interesting that when you get to that part of the claim it requires your trustees your negotiators to enter into those often sensitive overlapping issues. Sometimes agreement is easy to find; sometimes because of disputes—and I'm only drawing on my own experience as a lead negotiator—the contesting of views and things of history of whakapapa and of ownership of eponymous ancestors they can prove to be challenges. I'm not sure in my mind right now whether you faced exactly the same challenges that other iwi have faced in that area. All I do know is that at times it can become very demanding very testing very challenging very emotional and very difficult. That you as an iwi have progressed to this point suggests that you found pathways through or indeed that you found compromises that today you are prepared to accept and live with. May I wish you all the very best as you progress beyond this point carrying those issues with you as I know you must.I've had a brief scan of the summary of the historical account and it's interesting to me to read the activities of your iwi prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi as you sought to engage with Pākehā settlers and sought to engage in what would've been productive land transactions designed to enhance your own economic circumstances and give your people that ability to move forward as one with Pākehā settlers. The same happened in the Wairarapa and I can see also the changes that occurred post the Treaty settlement and clearly Governor Grey's influence in legislation—again the very same issues that other iwi have faced as well and in particular in the Wairarapa where leasehold agreements were signed and were later crushed by the Crown in particular Governor Grey of the time.I and New Zealand First acknowledge that when your iwi entered into these negotiations you would've had to accept that the final document would be full and final and that the final document would contain an apology from the Crown and that the final document the agreement laid out in here would be enduring. It would last in perpetuity. Those are interesting conditions to enter into at the outset and do I know pose challenges. Some would suggest it's hard to enter into negotiation where it seems that the railway lines have already been laid and to progress to the next station you have to stay on those railway lines—there is no deviation. That you are here now at the third reading and that you are asking the House to endorse this agreement indicates to New Zealand First that you have reached a full and final settlement that you are happy with the contents of this agreement that you—and I suspect you have scrutinised the apology that the Crown is issuing to ensure that it sits comfortably with your people that it does contain those points those aspects which you hold dear to and for which you seek redress and which you wish history to record.On the basis of that this appears to New Zealand First to be a document that Ngāti Tamaoho are happy with and it will lay the foundation for your future advancement of your people the establishment of a financial base from which you may be able to grow and develop opportunity. We in New Zealand First wish you all the very best as you move forward. Ka kite.