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Part 1 Purpose of Act, acknowledgements and apology, interpretation provisions, settlement of claims, and miscellaneous matters

CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) : I will take just a brief call on Part 1. It contains the usual clauses one expects to find in Part 1 of a settlement bill. It sets out the purpose, makes certain acknowledgments, contains the apology, and then has various interpretation and jurisdictional provisions.
 
 
CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) : As previous National speakers have said, we will support the second reading of this bill. We will also support the Government’s proposed Supplementary Order Paper 250 and its amendment to clause 12. I am particularly pleased that the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations has tabled an amendment to clause 5, which we can deal with when the Committee discusses Part 1.
 
 
Part 4 Commercial redress

CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) : I will take a brief call on Part 4. I do not intend to say much about Subpart 1, which deals with the “Transfer of commercial redress properties”. These properties are defined by clause 10 as meaning “the licensed land” and “a deferred selection property”. That is all in order and can be supported.
 
 
CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) : As my colleague Georgina te Heuheu said, National supports the third reading of the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi and Hapu Claims Settlement Bill and congratulates all those who have put so much work into it. I believe that above all this bill is evidence of statesmanship by the affiliate, which has shown a huge willingness to compromise. As the Minister rightly said, huge generosity of spirit was shown by the affiliate’s leaders throughout this entire process. That has resulted in this settlement and the central North Island settlement, which we will consider shortly. I have always enjoyed my meetings with the leaders of Te Arawa. They are principled and they are patient, especially in the face of delay and disappointment. To paraphrase what a former English judge said of himself—probably incorrectly—they have every Christian virtue except resignation; they have soldiered on very well. A third reading is not the place for reviewing the mistakes of the past. Now we must all move forward in a spirit of generosity.
 
 
CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) : As my colleague Mrs te Heuheu has said, National will support the first reading of the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi and Hapu Claims Settlement Bill. She, Mr Henare, and I very much look forward to working on it in the Māori Affairs Committee, of which the three of us are members. I also endorse everything that Mrs te Heuheu has so eloquently said about the value of Treaty settlements. For over 10 years she was a distinguished member of the tribunal, and was an Associate Minister to Sir Douglas Graham. She instinctively understands these matters and I can do no better than endorse what she said about the importance of Treaty settlements.