New Zealand Parliamentary Debate

Gisborne DC (Alfred Cox Park) Validation Bill [4442]

I hara mai matou ki tenei Whare ki te patai i te patai; he orite te mana o nga hoa Tiriti? Ae ranei, kaore ranei? Mehemea i pera i te wa i panuitia nga tono a-hapori i te Hongongoi ki te Hakihea o tera tau, kua kitea i whai wahi te Kaunihera a-Rohe o Turanga ki te korero tahi me Rongowhakaata. Ko te noho tahi, ko te korero tahi, koia tera? Ko tona tikanga, ka kaha nei nga kaunihera a-rohe, a-motu hoki, ki te noho tahi ahakoa whanau, hapu, iwi ranei.

E ai ki ta te Taraipiunara titiro ko te noho tahi i runga i te tika me te pono, me whakanui tetahi hoa Tiriti i tetahi. I takahia, i tukinohia, te rangatiratanga o te iwi e nga whakatau a te Kaunihera a-Rohe o Turanga me nga mema Paremata na runga i to ratou kore korero ki nga tangata whenua, to ratou kore aro mai ki te tino rangatiratanga Maori na runga hoki i te kore hiahia ki te korero ki te tangata whenua. He huri tuara ke.

Kei te marama tonu tatou me hapaitia nga tikanga o tenei Whare. He aha te take kaore i perahia nga tikanga mo tenei pire? Ko nga matapono o te noho rangapu, ara, ko te noho tahi, korero tahi i runga i te whakaaro ngatahi, ko te tikanga ka korerohia te pire nei ki te taha o nga iwi o Te Tai Rawhiti. Ko ta te Torangapu Maori i roto i nga korero nei he tono i a Anne Tolley ki te hoki ki te putake o tenei take, ara, ki te korero ki a Rongowhakaata me Turanga Tangata. E ai ki ta matou e rongo nei, kua pera ke te kaunihera o Turanga, kua aro pai ia ki te tikanga o nga matapono o te Tiriti o Waitangi i raro i tenei pire.

E tika ana ta matou pakanga mo nga korero hitori o Te Tai Rawhiti me to ratou kaha hiahia ki te tiaki i nga ingoa rangatira i roto i o ratou whakapapa, ka mutu, ki te whakanui i wo ratou tupuna. I tona mutunga, ko ta matou noa iho me wananga tenei take. He kaha nei to matou nei whakapono ma te iwi Maori ano ana huarahi e whakarite. Kua timata tera ahuatanga ma tenei pire, ara, ko te Gisborne District Council( Alfred Cox Park) Validation Bill. Kei te harikoa hoki te Pati Maori kia kite mai ai ko te haki tino rangatiratanga e iri ana kei runga ake hei whakanui i te wairua o te Tiriti. Kia ora tatou.

An interpretation in English was given to the House. Greetings to you, Madam Assistant Speaker, and to us all, as well as to those at home listening in. There is a saying: A treasured kite, lost to the winds, brings much joy when found again. The importance and significance of kite-making and kite-flying to the iwi of Turanga-nui-a-Kiwa are obvious when the genealogies and history are looked at. In particular, as relevant to the purposes of this bill, Rongowhakaata was a kite flyer of some repute. In many ways, this was what the Maori Party was attempting to do, when we raised the importance of consultation and involvement of mana whenua, Rongowhakaata. We were flying the kite of justice for the importance of an appropriate and mandated consultation process with tangata whenua.

It is highly appropriate that this bill comes before the House on a day when we are debating the constitutional significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We recall the Court of Appeal in the New Zealand Maori Council case, which declared that the Treaty relationship is akin to, or in the nature of, a partnership-a partnership between Pakeha and Maori that requires each of them to act reasonably towards the other, and with the utmost good faith.

What sort of partnership willingly sets up a scenario to create a silent partner? Rongowhakaata originally gifted the Alfred Cox Park, within the constraints of the Reserves Act 1977 and a deed of trust that represented the utmost good faith. Yet how were they treated? With the utmost contempt! The land from which this bill derives its source was wrongfully taken from Rongowhakaata under the Public Works Act.

The issues raised by the bill involve important principles of the Treaty of Waitangi that the Maori Party wanted to flag for the consideration of this Parliament. At both