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The House sat extended hours this morning to pass the third reading of the Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū Claims Settlement Bill, which will give effect to the hapū’s historical Treaty settlement with the Crown. 

The Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū Claims Settlement Bill will settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of the Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū, comprising Ngāti Kurumokihi, Ngāti Tu, Ngāti Whakaari, Ngāi Tauira, Ngāi Te Ruruku ki Tangoio, and Ngāi Tahu Hapū. 

The Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū are based north of Napier in the Hawke’s Bay.

The Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill, which will modernise the governance structure of the Waitangi National Trust Board, passed its first reading in the House today.

The board was set up in 1932 by Lord and Lady Bledisloe when they gifted to the people of New Zealand the 506-hectare Waitangi estate, which includes the Treaty Grounds.

Under the Waitangi National Trust Board Act 1932 the board is responsible for caring for one of New Zealand’s most significant heritage sites.

The Government is drafting a new Te Ture Whenua Māori bill to reform the governance and management of Māori land based on the findings of an expert review panel released today, Associate Minister of Māori Affairs Christopher Finlayson has announced.

Mr Finlayson today released the final report of the panel reviewing Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, which outlines the panel’s recommendations for reform of the laws that will serve as the basis for new legislation.

Key features of the bill will include:

The Government has released the criteria for the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG) that comes into effect from today.

The NZSPG combines the Large Budget Screen Production Grant and Screen Production Incentive Fund into a new grant agreed by Cabinet in December 2013.

Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson says he is pleased with the progress being made on the construction of the National War Memorial Park. 

“The project took a major step forward today with the pouring of the first of the concrete roof sections for the underpass,” said Mr Finlayson. “This not only marks the transition from a trench to a tunnel, it marks a major step towards completion of the Park which will be built over the top of the road.”

The Crown has signed an Agreement in Principle to settle historical Treaty of Waitangi claims with Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tamaki Nui-ā-Rua, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tamaki Nui-ā-Rua are virtually landless today due to the actions and omissions of the Crown.  As a result, since the nineteenth century, they have struggled to maintain their identity and connection with their own land and cultural traditions,” he said.

Bruce Corkill QC of Wellington has been appointed as an Employment Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Mr Corkill was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2007. He has been a barrister since 1997 and is a LEADR mediator. His major areas of practice comprise employment law, professional disciplinary work and other civil litigation including Trusts and relationship property, ACC, personal injury, and coronial work. 

The Crown and Whanganui Iwi negotiators have initialled the Whanganui River Deed of Settlement and Te Awa Tupua Framework Document which, if agreed to by Whanganui Iwi members through a ratification process, will settle historical Treaty of Waitangi claims relating to the Whanganui River, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Tony Lendrum, barrister of Auckland and New Plymouth, has been appointed as an acting District Court Judge with general and family warrants for a period of two years, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

He will be based in the Hawke’s Bay.

Thirteen inaugural members have been appointed to the new Arts Council, established by the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa Act 2014, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“I am delighted with the calibre of the members who have made themselves available for the new Arts Council,” Mr Finlayson said. “The new Council has a good balance between members of the previous entities and new blood. It also has a wide representation which reflects the diversity and breadth of the arts in New Zealand.”

The House sat extended hours this morning to pass the third reading of the Raukawa Claims Settlement Bill, which will give effect to the iwi’s historical Treaty settlement with the Crown. 

The House also passed the Nga Manawa Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau Collective Redress Bill and the Nga Punawai o Te Tokotoru Claims Settlement Bill through their second readings.

Two new acting District Court Judges have been appointed for terms of two years, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Auckland lawyer Kevin Glubb has been appointed with general and jury warrants and will be based in Waitakere.

Auckland Crown Solicitor Simon John Eisdell Moore QC has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice Moore graduated with an LLB from Auckland University in 1980 and was employed as a law clerk at Meredith Connell in Auckland, becoming a Staff Solicitor in 1982. In 1985 he was admitted to the partnership of that firm, and has been Chairman of Partners since 2003.

In June 1994 Justice Moore was appointed Crown Solicitor for Auckland.

The Crown has signed a deed of settlement for all outstanding historical Treaty claims with Te Kawerau a Maki at Makaurua Marae in Mangere, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The Crown was represented at the signing by Mr Finlayson, Minister for Whanau Ora Tariana Turia and Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga. The signing was witnessed by Members of Parliament Claudette Hauiti and Tau Henare. The Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia, and representatives of other iwi also attended.

All Ngāpuhi members will be entitled to vote in elections for representatives to the independent mandated authority that will negotiate the iwi’s historical Treaty settlement with the Crown, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson and Minister of Māori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples announced today.

Acting Principal Environment Judge Laurence Newhook has been appointed the permanent Principal Environment Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Newhook graduated LLB (Hons) and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1972. He worked as staff solicitor and later partner at law firm Towle and Cooper and successor firms Brandon Brookfield, latterly Brookfields, until his appointment to the Environment Court in 2001.

The Crown has signed a Deed of Settlement for all outstanding historical Treaty claims with Ngāti Kuri at Waiora marae at Ngataki, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The Crown was represented at the signing by Mr Finlayson and Hon Tariana Turia.  The signing was witnessed by local Member of Parliament Mike Sabin and Member of Parliament Claudette Hauiti.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today that an appointment round for Queen’s Counsel will take place in 2014. 

Appointments of Queen’s Counsel are made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Attorney-General and with the concurrence of the Chief Justice. The Governor-General retains the discretion to appoint Queen’s Counsel in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the law in fields other than advocacy.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson has paid tribute to Lambton Quay landmark Parsons Books and Music as it prepares to close its doors after 66 years in business.

Brother and sister Julian and Beatrice Parsons are retiring from the bookshop founded by their father, as Roy Parsons Bookseller, in 1948.

“As a customer from long before I entered Parliament to the present day I am personally sad at the closure of this special Wellingtonian institution,” Mr Finlayson said.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson expressed his disappointment in the Law Society’s continued and wilful misrepresentation of New Zealand’s human rights record.

“The Law Society has an important role to play in contributing to the creation of quality legislation,” Mr Finlayson said. “But it diminishes its standing by continually crying wolf over non-existent human rights issues that really just reflect the personal taste of some of its members.”

The House last night passed the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa Bill, which will streamline the governance of Creative New Zealand and improve its effectiveness.

The bill addresses the previous overly complex structure of Creative New Zealand, consisting of four governing boards with 28 members, and replaces it with a single governance body with 13 members.

Barrister Warwick Alexander Smith has been appointed an Associate Judge of the High Court, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Associate Judge Smith graduated with a LLB from the University of Otago in 1974 and commenced work as a solicitor with John O’Neill & Devereux in Dunedin, where he had been employed as a law clerk for the previous two years.

District Court Judge Susan Elizabeth Thomas has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice Thomas graduated with a BA and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 1982 and joined the Auckland firm of Holden Horrocks as a solicitor.

The notion of legal action against a coffee roaster for t-shirts showing a clear parody of the New Zealand coat of arms substituting a surfboard into the image is ridiculous, Minister for Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson said today.

“I saw the news item last night in the Chatham Islands where I was staying,” Mr Finlayson said. “It is the first I had heard of it, and I dismissed it as a joke.”

“No action will be taken against Raglan Roast for the simple reason that they are doing nothing wrong.”