Little AndrewAHURIRI HAPŪ CLAIMS SETTLEMENT BILLFirst ReadingHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): I move That the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill.I'd like to extend a very special welcome to the people of Ahuriri hapū who are with us at Parliament today to hear the first reading of their settlement bill. Ahuriri hapū iwi rau rangatira mā. Ko aku mihi atu ki a koutou nau mai haere mai.[Hapū iwi and leaders of Ahuriri. I would like to acknowledge you all; welcome welcome.]I particularly want to welcome the kaumātua and kuia who honour us today with their presence. For decades they have worked tirelessly to ensure Ahuriri hapū's voice has been heard by the Crown. I regret that many kaumātua—and in particular Rururarau Heitia Hiha—have passed on before they could bear witness to this bill's first reading. Piki mai haere mai ki a koutou. Since the Wai 55 claim was lodged in 1998 Ahuriri hapū have been resolute in achieving this milestone. Thirty-two years later the Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill has begun its passage through this House. Mana Ahuriri Incorporated received its mandate to negotiate the settlement of these claims in 2010. Since then the Ahuriri hapū negotiation team never lost sight of the future it envisions for its people—a future where each member of the iwi knows and appreciates their history where their language flourishes and where iwi members thrive economically and socially. Through long days and many nights the Ahuriri hapū negotiation team of Piriniha Prentice Joinella Maihi-Carroll and Barry Wilson have progressed the negotiations for the Ahuriri hapū settlement. To the negotiation team I acknowledge your mahi and the mahi of those who have supported you and I congratulate you on your achievement today. I'd also like to acknowledge the work of the Crown team led by chief Crown negotiator the Hon Paul Swain with support from Te Arawhiti the Department of Conservation Land Information New Zealand the Ministry of Education Te Puni Kōkiri and the Ministry for the Environment. Before I move on to detail the features of this bill I'd like to acknowledge the long history between Ahuriri hapū and the Crown which makes this settlement necessary. When the Treaty was signed in 1840 Ahuriri hapū envisioned a partnership with the Crown. However as has so often been the case in our history this aspiration was not realised as the Crown repeatedly breached its obligations under the Treaty. Ahuriri hapū did not receive the full ongoing benefits from European settlement that the Crown led them to expect when in 1851 they agreed to sell the Ahuriri block for the price that the Crown offered. After Ahuriri hapū did agree to sell the Ahuriri block the Crown failed to ensure adequate reserves were protected in their ownership. The Crown also negotiated to purchase contested lands in Hawke's Bay despite being aware that its approach to land purchase negotiations was provoking tensions that might lead to conflict among Māori who asserted interests in the blocks. In 1857 these tensions led to armed conflict among Hawke's Bay Māori including some of the Ahuriri hapū. Despite the Crown's actions there was no fighting between the Crown and Māori in Ahuriri before 1866. However in 1866 the Crown initiated hostilities when its forces attacked Māori at Ōmarunui and Herepoho and as a result 30 Māori died defending themselves against Crown attacks which were launched before the Crown made a reasonable attempt to negotiate a continuation of peace in the district. The Crown captured Ngāti Matepū and Ngāti Māhu individuals during this conflict and imprisoned them on the Chatham Islands without trial in harsh conditions for two years. After the wars the combined effect of Crown land-purchasing and the native land laws contributed to Ahuriri hapū being virtually landless by 1930. This had a devastating impact on their cultural social and economic wellbeing. This bill gives effect to the deed of settlement signed in 2016. There have been delays to the introduction of this bill and it's regrettable that it has taken this long. The processes have been worked through and as a result of the Waitangi Tribunal decision at the end of last year we've been able to reach agreement on the basis of which we could bring this bill to the House and it is now here. Mana Ahuriri Trust has given an undertaking that it will hold elections before this bill is finally enacted and that has enabled us to bring the bill to the House and to send it to the select committee and put it through its stages. The Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill includes redress designed to aid Ahuriri hapū on their journey to achieve their aspirations. In particular I'd like to draw attention to Te Muriwai o Te Whanga the Napier estuary. Following the devastating 1931 Napier earthquake Te Whanga was reclaimed dredged and heavily polluted. The Crown recognises the role of Ahuriri hapū as kaitiaki of Te Whanga. For Ahuriri hapū Te Muriwai o Te Whanga is a taonga of great significance and they are committed to healing the damage that has been done to it and restoring it to its previous condition. The Ahuriri hapū settlement seeks to do this with this bill establishing a permanent statutory committee called Te Komiti Muriwai o Te Whanga which will be led by Ahuriri hapū. The purpose of Te Komiti is to provide guidance and coordination in the management of Te Whanga to local authorities and Crown agencies that exercise functions in relation to the Te Whanga. This is an important opportunity to have the estuary restored as a place where the people of Napier can go to enjoy its beauty and receive physical and spiritual sustenance.There's also a number of sites of cultural significance being returned to Ahuriri hapū including Heipipi Pa and Pakake. The settlement provides financial and commercial redress for Ahuriri hapū including $19.5 million in financial and commercial redress. Although no settlement can ever fully compensate for losses—in this case for Ahuriri hapū for the prejudice they have suffered as a result of the Crown's actions and inactions and omissions—the introduction of this bill heralds the entry into a renewed relationship. This has been a long and testing road to get to this point in the settlement process but now we can step forward and as the Waitangi Tribunal recommended proceed with urgency. I therefore propose the bill proceed without delay to the Māori Affairs Committee. I commend this bill to the House. Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.