Hon Christopher Finlayson

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) : I welcome those who have travelled from the Ngāti Apa rohe and are here in the gallery today to listen to the third reading of the Ngāti Apa (North Island) Claims Settlement Bill. Some people in the gallery may have found it a little strange that I exited the House when Mrs Turia was speaking. The reason for doing that was that I am the Minister in charge of the passage of the bill, and I am not allowed to be in the House if another Minister is addressing it. So it was not out of any disrespect to her—far from it. She is an outstanding ministerial colleague and valued parliamentary colleague. I think she is an utterly principled and brave member of this Parliament, and out of deference to her it was entirely appropriate that she led off the debate today, and that is why I left. Mind you, there are other people in the House for whom—from a point of principle—I leave, as soon as they stand up to speak. Mrs Turia is not one of them. Maybe a ginga on the other side of the House could come into that category.

Hon Parekura Horomia: Oh, Minister!