I move, that the Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill be now read a second time. 

I am grateful for the Māori Affairs Committee for its work in considering the Bill, for its report on the Bill, and I acknowledge all of the submitters who participated.

There can be no doubt that the subject of this Bill has captured the hearts of many a tourist, historian, archaeologist or writer.

The brilliance of the geothermal landscape; the legacy of the late Guides Sophia Hinerangi, Rangi Dennan, and the more recently departed ‘Bubbles' Mihinui; the mighty Pohutu geyser; the unique fact of approximately 500 hot springs; the spectacular displays of the geothermal resource - all of these are features which make Whakarewarewa, the Living Thermal Village; on a par with the natural wonders of the world.

And so it is a debt of nationhood that is seen in this Bill finally giving effect to the deed entered into by Ngati Whakaue, Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao and Te Pumautanga trustees, and the Crown. 

That deed, entered into on 5 August 2008, transfers three areas of recreational reserve lands, Whakarewarewa Valley land (Southern Arikikapakapa Reserve, and the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs Reserve) and the Roto-a-Tamaheke Reserve to the iwi of Ngati Whakaue and Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao. 

The reserves have the status of recreation reserves and are presently administered by the Ministry of Tourism under the Reserves Act 1977. 

I want to emphasize from the start, this Bill is not part of a Treaty Settlement. 

It was deemed appropriate for the Minister of Māori Affairs to progress this proposal outside the Treaty Settlement framework because it was considered to strengthen the Crown - Māori relationship generally, and it was not providing any settlement redress to Ngāti Whakaue.

I spoke earlier about some of the distinctive history attached to this area.

The leadership of Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao and Ngāti Whakaue approached Government back in April 2008, with a proposal to on-vest the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs and Roto-a-Tamaheke reserves into a new Joint Trust once they had transferred to the Affiliate Te Arawa Treaty Settlement entity. 

But there is a particular story that I must tell which helps to explain something about why we have come to this point today.

In order to do so, we must travel back to the decade between 1883 and 1893, when the Whakarewarewa Valley was subject to no less than three Native Land Court hearings.

The absence of fairness and transparency in the Court's processes of establishing ownership over lands held according to Māori custom is now generally accepted.

Suffice to say, the history reveals that the Court originally established that ownership was to be shared by the hapū of Ngāti Wāhiao and Ngāti Whakaue. 

Halfway through this time, a remarkable event occurred, as the eruption of Mount Tarawera brought forth a torrent of mud, ash and steam; a series of violent earthquakes occurred; and the  settlements of Te Tapahoro, Moura, Te Ariki, Totarariki and Waingongogongo had were either destroyed or buried.

In the wake of the eruption, Tūhourangi evacuated from Tarawera and they were welcomed into Whakarewarewa, where they have settled, married into Ngāti Wāhiao and remain to this day. 

Yet the outcome of the Native Land Court hearings continues to be hotly contested by the iwi parties today.  As a consequence of the Court's decision, the lands surrounding the Village passed into Crown ownership. 

But despite the Crown's administration of these reserve lands, initially by the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, and more recently the Ministry of Tourism, the whenua itself has never ceased to hold immense significance to the iwi.  It has always been, and always will be, central to the identity of Ngāti Wāhiao, Tūhourangi and Ngāti Whakaue. 

Today I remain absolutely confident that all iwi and mana whenua interests in the Reserves will be able to participate in the arrangements for their management and allocation in the future.

A recently concluded facilitation process, conducted by Te Ururoa Flavel and John Clarke, which I would like to acknowledge for all their hard work, allowed iwi and mana whenua to discuss such future managements. I am pleased to hear that the four koromatua whakapapa lines will be the basis for mana whenua settlement.

This Bill supports cultural identity in so many ways - including the fast emerging trend of iwi management of critical cultural assets, self-determination by Māori over the activities undertaken on and around the iwi kāinga, and the accompanying realisation of tino rangatiratanga. 

The Bill also reflects that the iwi parties have agreed to initiate a process, after the Bill becomes law, which will allow iwi to determine the allocation of mana whenua interests in the land.  The Bill itself does not provide for this process to occur.  This is a matter for the iwi parties to determine, and I understand that the process will be undertaken in accordance with tikanga. 

The mana whenua process may result in the reserves being administered by the hapū, in whom the Native Land Court originally established ownership. 

This is exactly how it should be, for at the end of the day, mandating and management issues are always the domain of iwi and hapu to sort out; and we will all await the results with interest.

I want to remind the House too, that many of these issues have endured over generations, and no doubt will continue to be the subject of debate amongst the people. 

I think about a comment from Ngati Whakaue website I think might apply more broadly for all hapu and iwi implicated in this Bill.

Hei aha noa ake i mate ai au ka tipu aku pākārito

It does not matter if I die I am survived by my descendants

We know that matters of land, ownership and tino rangatiratanga are the issues most passionately contested, jealously guarded and vigorously upheld by the people - and will continue so, after this Bill is passed into law.

However I am absolutely confident that the iwi have the capacity within themselves to manage the mana whenua process in a way that reflects their tikanga, and enhances the taonga associated with this land.

There is no one else better, no one more capable than the tangata whenua to manage their own whenua; and the taonga associated with that whenua.

I note that the iwi have agreed to maintain the reserve status - that creates an ongoing relationship with the Minister of Conservation; this is a manifestation of their rangatiratanga - their noble commitment to the Crown / iwi relationship.  I am humbled by their graciousness.

E te Mana Korero, he tika tonu te whakamihi ki nga kaumatua o nga iwi nei kua ngaro i te kitenga kanohi. Moe mai ra e koro ma, e kui ma i te po.  Ka mihi hoki ki nga uri e whai tonu ana i nga moemoea o ö ratau kuia, koroua mo te whenua tipuna nei.

E hika ma, tenei ka whakatutuki haere i te kupu a te Karauna i ki ai, no koutou tenei whenua, ma koutou e whakahaere.  Kei te whakamihi au ki te wahanga o tenei pire e kia ana, ma koutou ano e whakariterite te mana whenua, i runga ano i a koutou tikanga.  Kia kaha ki a koutou.    E te Mana korero, tenei ka tuku i te Pire nei ki mua i te aroaro o te whare. 

I commend this Bill to the House.