Hon Christopher Finlayson

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations): I move, That the Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill be now read a third time.

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi o Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, he rā nui, he rā tino whakahirahira tēnei. Kei te mihi atu ki a koutou i runga i te aroha me te harikoa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[To the authorities, languages, and people of Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, this is a great and magnificent day. I greet you with affection and happiness; greetings, greetings, and greetings to you all.]

I acknowledge those iwi who form Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika: Te Ātiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Tama, and other iwi from the Taranaki region. I welcome those who have travelled from Taranaki and throughout the Wellington region and are here in the gallery today to listen to this third reading.

This bill is the final settlement of all the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of those represented by the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust. They are claims that relate to the Port Nicholson Block, which lies within the Wellington and Hutt Valley areas. The bill gives effect to certain provisions of the deed of settlement that settles the historical claims of Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika in the Port Nicholson Block.

The claim commenced in 1987 with the lodging of Wai 145 with the tribunal. Those claims and the claims of the other Wai claims that are settled with the passing of this legislation were reported on by the tribunal in its Wellington district inquiry in 2003. The Port Nicholson Block Claims Team was then appointed to negotiate the historical claims in this area. The passing of the bill concludes a long journey for Taranaki Whānui, and I acknowledge all those who are part of the collective and who have worked so hard for many years to make this day possible.

I acknowledge the many kuia and kaumātua who are no longer with us and who provided leadership and inspiration to all negotiators. I am sure the whānau of those kuia and kaumātua are immensely proud of their actions and that their descendants will benefit from this settlement. I am pleased that many of them are here today to witness their Treaty settlement now passing into law.

As I have previously stated in the second reading, the sad reality is that as a result of the actions or inactions of the Crown and its agents, Taranaki Whānui have been deprived of almost all their lands in the Port Nicholson Block. Although the initial purchase was negotiated by the New Zealand Company, the Crown instigated a commission of inquiry into the company’s purchase, and despite reservations about that company’s process it none the less completed the transaction. The Crown did not ensure that the interests of the Māori owners were protected; the Crown acknowledges this. Taranaki Whānui suffered prejudice when their valuable urban tenths reserves were taken as endowments for public purposes; the Crown acknowledges this.

In short, the Crown failed to ensure that the agreements reached in 1839 by the New Zealand Company—and, later, the Crown—and those iwi who now make up Taranaki Whānui were, in fact, honoured. Those iwi also suffered a loss of their connection to Wellington Harbour, their forests, their waters, and their natural resources in the Port Nicholson Block. The deprivation caused by those losses cannot be measured. These losses have inflicted profound suffering. This bill enables the Crown both to recognise its past wrongs and to provide some atonement for its actions and inaction.

The Crown is providing cultural redress over a number of areas to Taranaki Whānui. This includes the vesting of the Wellington Harbour islands in the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, with all current reservation classifications in place. The trust and the Department of Conservation will jointly manage the islands. The Pencarrow Lakes will also be returned as cultural redress, as will the Korokoro Gateway site and the Point Dorset Recreation Reserve.

Another site of great significance to the iwi is Pipitea Marae. The marae land and the improvements will be vested in the new Pipitea Marae Charitable Trust, in which the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust and the Ngati Poneke Maori Association will have equal representation. This arrangement allows the Ngati Poneke Maori Association to continue its role in promoting Māori culture while providing for the iwi of Taranaki Whānui to re-establish their connection with what was formerly their kāinga.

The bill also provides for the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust to purchase, and in some cases lease back, a number of commercial properties in the Wellington and Lower Hutt areas. This will enable Taranaki Whānui to enhance the economic capacity of their members, and to regain their position as a key player in the local economy.

In its apology the Crown says it is deeply sorry it has not always lived up to its Treaty of Waitangi obligations and that it has breached the Treaty in its dealings with Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika. The Crown apology states that through this settlement the Crown is seeking to atone for its past wrongs, restore its honour, which has been tarnished by its actions, and begin the process of healing.

Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika has provided a statement of forgiveness to the Crown in response to the Crown apology. This enables both the iwi collective and the people of New Zealand to close the circle on this Treaty grievance and move on. This is a unique and special event that humbles me as Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations. The willingness of Taranaki Whānui to draw a line under the past signals a strong desire to place a firm emphasis on the future.

I particularly want to acknowledge the leadership and generosity of spirit that Sir Paul Reeves has shown, both in initiating and indeed in penning the statement of forgiveness. The full account of the Crown’s apology will be delivered by the Prime Minister in the Beehive theatrette immediately following the enactment of the bill. Sir Paul will respond by formally delivering the statement of forgiveness to the Crown.

Another initiative in this settlement is the formation of a whole-of-Government relationship between the Crown and the Taranaki Whānui community. The focus of the relationship is on supporting the desire of the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust to provide for the enhanced well-being, revitalisation, and protection of its members. This will include an annual hui involving relevant Ministers of the Crown and the trust. Hopefully, this will provide the basis for a solid foundation for further iwi-Crown relations.

In conclusion, I acknowledge the role of the trust in drawing together a range of iwi with interests in the Port Nicholson Block. This is a testament to the efforts of Professor Ngātata Love in working across iwi for a collective benefit. I recognise the roles of others within Taranaki Whānui in negotiating the deed of settlement as trustees of the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust. For the Crown, I want to acknowledge my predecessor the Hon Michael Cullen for his work. I also acknowledge the work of former Associate Ministers the Hon Shane Jones and the Hon Mita Ririnui for their work. I acknowledge with pleasure the presence in the House of the Hon Mahara Okeroa, and I thank him for his good work and for what he is now doing for me.

I commend the work of the Office of Treaty Settlements in negotiating this settlement on behalf of the Crown. I acknowledge the work of Mr Brian Roche in negotiating the settlement. The bill signifies an important achievement for Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, the Crown, and the people of Wellington. I have moved that the Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill be now read a third time.