Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) : Can I begin by thanking all members of the House for their help in progressing this legislation. I particularly acknowledge the advice and the guidance that I received from the previous speaker, Mr Horomia, and also Mr Jones. It is always great to be out on the road, signing these deeds of settlement with Mr Horomia. They are occasions when you put aside party politics, because we are all interested in doing the right thing for iwi.
I also want to welcome those members of the iwi who have made their journey to Parliament for this very happy occasion. Dr Sharples has gone through the details of the bills, the Ngāti Mākino Claims Settlement Bill and the Ngai Tāmanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill, in some considerable detail, and I do not intend to repeat that material in my speech. But I do want to say that engagement in settlement negotiations, in my experience of a little over 3 years, requires a tremendous amount of commitment and courage for those involved. It involves difficult trade-offs, both professionally and personally. Just the other day I heard of one negotiator for an iwi who had spent his redundancy working for his iwi to get to the stage where a deed of settlement could be signed. So with that in mind, I acknowledge the negotiation teams of both iwi, those who have made these Treaty settlements possible because of their dedication, their hard work, and the leadership of their governance entities. I pay tribute to the leadership, the pragmatism, and the hard work of both negotiation teams. It is through the diligent labour of these people that we are able to have this occasion here tonight.
It would be inappropriate to single out individuals, but I have to single out that wonderful New Zealander Nolan Raihānia of the C Company of Māori Battalion. As he says, he is ubiquitous. He will be sitting next to Api Mahuika in about an hour for the second reading of the Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill. It is great to see you in the Chamber tonight, and it is great to place on record your tremendous contribution, both to your iwi and to New Zealand throughout the course of your lifetime.
In reaching this milestone it is important to acknowledge that full compensation to Ngai Tāmanuhiri and Ngāti Mākino for their losses is simply not possible. Through entering deeds of settlement with the Crown, both iwi have offered to forgo full compensation in order to contribute to the future development of New Zealand, and I want to thank them for that act of generosity. The introduction of these bills will begin the last stage of the settlement process for both iwi. Both iwi have, as Mr Horomia said, waited a very, very long time for this day, and they can be very proud of what they have achieved. Through this legislation a platform has been set for a new relationship between Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Mākino, and the Crown—a relationship that I certainly hope will be based for the future on mutual trust, cooperation, and a respect for the Treaty.
This contribution is necessarily short; I have offered to give Dr Sharples the chance to set out the full detail. He is a valued colleague and friend, and I am working closely with him now in the Māori Affairs portfolio, and I will have my longer speech at the third reading stage. But I do emphasise that this is a bipartisan exercise. I do emphasise that it is something all New Zealanders should be very proud of. The Crown cannot brush under the carpet longstanding and legitimate grievances of the iwi of this country, and it is going to seek to respond appropriately to well-founded claims in a manner designed to achieve a better New Zealand for all of us.
So thank you once again to those who have contributed so much to this great day. Thank you for coming to Wellington. I very much look forward to, as Mr Horomia said, the harmonious conduct of these bills in the Māori Affairs Committee. With the great Tau Henare as chair, it could only be harmonious, and I am sure that in double-quick time the bills will be back to the House for the remaining stages.
It would be inappropriate to single out individuals, but I have to single out that wonderful New Zealander Nolan Raihānia of the C Company of Māori Battalion. As he says, he is ubiquitous. He will be sitting next to Api Mahuika in about an hour for the second reading of the Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill. It is great to see you in the Chamber tonight, and it is great to place on record your tremendous contribution, both to your iwi and to New Zealand throughout the course of your lifetime.
In reaching this milestone it is important to acknowledge that full compensation to Ngai Tāmanuhiri and Ngāti Mākino for their losses is simply not possible. Through entering deeds of settlement with the Crown, both iwi have offered to forgo full compensation in order to contribute to the future development of New Zealand, and I want to thank them for that act of generosity. The introduction of these bills will begin the last stage of the settlement process for both iwi. Both iwi have, as Mr Horomia said, waited a very, very long time for this day, and they can be very proud of what they have achieved. Through this legislation a platform has been set for a new relationship between Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Mākino, and the Crown—a relationship that I certainly hope will be based for the future on mutual trust, cooperation, and a respect for the Treaty.
This contribution is necessarily short; I have offered to give Dr Sharples the chance to set out the full detail. He is a valued colleague and friend, and I am working closely with him now in the Māori Affairs portfolio, and I will have my longer speech at the third reading stage. But I do emphasise that this is a bipartisan exercise. I do emphasise that it is something all New Zealanders should be very proud of. The Crown cannot brush under the carpet longstanding and legitimate grievances of the iwi of this country, and it is going to seek to respond appropriately to well-founded claims in a manner designed to achieve a better New Zealand for all of us.
So thank you once again to those who have contributed so much to this great day. Thank you for coming to Wellington. I very much look forward to, as Mr Horomia said, the harmonious conduct of these bills in the Māori Affairs Committee. With the great Tau Henare as chair, it could only be harmonious, and I am sure that in double-quick time the bills will be back to the House for the remaining stages.
