Te Arawa Lakes Settlement Bill
Third Reading
Te Ururoa Flavell; Member for Waiariki
Kei nga uri o Ngati Ohomairangi. Tena tatou katoa.
He aha ta tatou i te ra nei?
Kua haere mai tatou o Te Arawa ki tenei wahi, ki te whakatikatika i tetahi nawe kua roa e noho ana i roto i te ngakau i
te wairua o te iwi, ara, ko te mana o nga roto o te kainga. E te iwi nau mai haere mai.
Kei waenganui nga roto nei i te hohonutanga o te ngakau, i nga waiata, nga pepeha, nga hitori me kii kua whakairohia i
te ngakau o nga uri whakatupu. Na runga i tera whakaaro, ara ano etahi e kii ana, kaore tera mana i ngaro i a tatou.
Tera korero tera.
I te tau tahi mano iwa rau, rua tekau ma rua, kaore e kore, ara noa atu nga tumanako o nga koroua i haina i tetahi
whakaaetanga i waenganui i a tatou o Te Arawa me te Karauna. He aha te putake o taua whakaaetanga? Ko te mana o nga
roto!
I timata mai ai tenei take i te tau 1909. I taua wa, i haere a Te Arawa ki te Kooti, kia riro mana, ma te Kooti te take
o te mana o nga roto, e whakatau. Nawai ra, nawai ra, i whakataruna te Karauna i nga hiahia o Te Arawa, he mahi huna te
mahi, kia kore o tatou tupuna e whiwhi i nga mahere a rohe hei awhina i a ratou i nga kooti. I te tau 1920, i tono te
Karauna ki a Te Arawa me tona hiahia ki te whakatau i nga take o Te Arawa.
Katahi ka whanau mai ko te whakaaetanga i waenga i a tatou ko te Karauna i te tau 1922, penei ano i te mahi i te ra nei.
Ko tona tikanga, i whai hua a Te Arawa, i taua wa. Ko te mate, kaore ano kia tutuki, a, tae noa ki tenei rangi.
Heoi ano, waru tekau, iwa tekau tau i muri mai, he hokinga tuarua mai tenei, kei te hoki tatou ki te puehu i tutu ai i
nga tau kua hipa.
Na te Karauna tenei korero, e hoa mai, ehara na Te Ururoa.
Ko ta te Kawanatanga, i hara a ia. Hei tana:
- Ae, i whakakohatuhia te nui o te putea ki te ono mano pauna mo ake tonu atu;
- Ae, kaore a ia i arotake i te nui o te putea a tau, no reira i whakakorehia te wariu o taua putea i nga tau
- Ae, nana ano nga ika hou i tuku mai. Ka mutu ka ngaro nga momo ika e mohiotia ana e tatou.
- Ae, na raua ko te kaunihera a rohe i whakariterite i nga ahuatanga a tiaki o nga roto, me tona mutunga ake, i paru
katoa nga roto;
- Ae, i hamenehia nga uri o Te Arawa mo te hi ika kore raihana i raro i nga ture o te Kawanantanga;
- Ae, ahakoa ko nga petihana, nga tira haere o Te Arawa ki te kuaha o nga Kawanatanga, ki nga Kooti, ki te Taraipiunara,
kaore ia i aro mai ki te whakatikatika i ona hara.
Koia ta te Kawanatanga e kii nei. Ko taku, ko te tautoko, Me tuohu te mahunga ka tika.
Heoi ano, kei konei tatou i te ra nei.
Tera pea, me harikoa tatou.
1. He kupu pouri ta te Kawanatanga. Me whakatikatika te tangata tana he, me muru i ona hara. Ha, ko te kupu tuatahi ko
te muru i te hara, i te kupu tuarua, ka mahi ano hoki ia i te mahi huna. E kiia ana te korero, he korero tonu ta te po,
he korero ano ta te ata.
2. He putea kua tukuna mai ki a Te Arawa. Tekau miriona taara te nui. Ka pai, ka pai. Engari, i here tera nui ki te
kopaki o te Karauna i kawe haerehia e ia i nga tau kua hipa, ara ki te kopaki i kaha whakahengia e te motu.
Ko ta nga mea e matatau ana ki enei take, he kotahi o rau noa iho te nui o te putea ko te tikanga ka whiwhi i a tatou.
He kongakonga noa iho mena ka titiro tatou ki te nui o nga mea kua ngaro nei ia tatou. Kei hea te painga? Kei te
Karauna, kei te Kaunihera, kei te hapori, ehara i a Te Arawa. Koia te take o te haere mai i te ra nei. Me harikoa? Kao.
3. Me harikoa i te mea kei te hoki mai nga roto. Ka pai hoki! Taihoa, ko ta te Kawanatanga, ko nga roto kei te hoki mai
engari kaua ko te wai. Ko etahi o koutou, o te kainga hoki, i patai i te patai. Ha, he aha tenei mea o te roto mena
karekau he wai o roto!!! Katahi te mahi rorirori ko tera!!
Engari kaore i mutu i reira. Kua puta te korero, nona te wai, nona te rangi i runga ake o te whenua. Naku tonu i
whakatakoto i te patai, “ E kii, e kii, na wai i kii nou tenei mea ko te “Crown Stratum”.
Ko ta te Minita, no mua noa atu, no te Land Act 1948. E hoa ma, karekau he korero i reira, ko tenei te wa tuatahi kua
puta tenei korero ki te motu. Ko etahi ka kii, a, he aha te raru o tera? Me kii mena ka whakaaetia mai ai i konei, kua
mana tera korero, a, ka paa ano te hohonutanga o tera korero ki nga iwi, hapu e whai paanga ana ki tenei mea ki te wai.
Me kii kei te whakaae tatou ki ta te Kawanatanga korero nona era ahuatanga katoa ahakoa, kaore ano tera whakaaro kia
whakamatauria i nga kooti, i hea ranei. He mahi raupatu te mahi, ko Te Arawa te utu, na to tatou whakaaetanga.
4. Tera korero tera. Na, kua kii mai te Kawanatanga, he ropu whaiti ka whakaturia hei whakapaipai ake i nga roto. He ta
te Pire nei, ko nga mea o Te Kaunihera a Rohe, ko nga mea o Environment Bay of Plenty, a, ko te tokorua o tatou o Te
Arawa. E kii, e kii, tokorua nga mea o Te Arawa engari karekau he paku korero mo te tokomaha o aua ropu e rua, ka tahi,
ka rua, mena ka riro ki a tatou te mana o nga roto, ko tona tikanga, kei a tatou te kupu whakamutunga? Koi na te
tikanga!
Ko tona tikanga, kua orite te tokomaha o Te Arawa ki te kotahitanga o nga ropu e rua? Kao, kaua i tenei pira. Ko te kupu
whakamutunga kei tangata ke ki a ratou te hunga i tuku i te pirau ki nga roto i te tuatahi. Ehara i te mea kei te kii
au, me pana atu. Kao, me noho atu engari me waiho, ki a tatou te kupu whakamutunga.
5. Ae, ko nga roto kei te hoki mai, me kii ko te whenua i raro i te wai. Me harikoa ano tatou kua whiwhi i a tatou ko
nga pirau, ko nga paru, ko nga tutae, ko nga hamuti i waihotia mai ai e te Kawanatanga, e te Kaunihera. Koia nei te
tutae i kitea mai ai, i korerohia mai ai e etahi o te kainga. Ko te tutae te hoa haere ia ratou e kaukau ana i te awa o
Utuhina.
6. Me harikoa, i te mea hei ta te Karauna, ehara no Te Arawa te hee mo te ahuatanga o te paru o nga roto. Na, ka pataia
te patai ma wai te he e whakatika? Ma wai nga roto e whakatika? Ko tona tikanga ma te Karauna, ma te Kaunihera a Rohe,
me te Environment Bay of Plenty. He pehea te nui o te putea hei whakatika i nga roto. Ko te nuinga kei te kii, rahi ake
i te rua rau miriona. Kaore ano au kia rongo i te nui o te koha o tena o tena o nga roopu nei. Me mataara tatou.
Ko ta te Karauna, koia nei te whakamutunga mai o nga korero, kaore he haerenga atu, kaore he hokinga mai. Penei i a
tatou e hoki nei ki nga korero o nehe, ka pera ano hoki nga tamariki, nga mokopuna a tona ra. Ehara i te mea na te
ngakau kaiponu, kao, na runga ke i te korero, “me whakatika i te he ki te tika”.
Hei ta te Pire nei, e kore e taea e Te Arawa te hoki ki nga kooti ano a muri ake nei. A tena, me pehea e taea ai e tatou
te whakatikatika i te Karauna mena ka hara ano, mei kore a ia e whai ko tana i kii ai? Me patai i tenei patai i te mea,
koia na te ahuatanga o te Karauna, o nga kawanatanga. Kua whakatauirahia i roto i nga mahi i tenei rangi tonu nei.
E te iwi, naku enei korero katoa i whakatakoto ki mua i te paremata i tenei wiki tonu nei. I te mohio tonu ahau, ahakoa
pehea aku korero, he turi te kawanatanga, e kore a ia e aro mai. He hiahia noku ki te whakatikatika i nga mea huna. Ko
nga korero katoa, i hinga. Engari i tona mutunga i whai au i te korero, “kei mate wheke, me mate ururoa”.
Koia nei te ahuatanga o enei mea o nga whakataunga a kereme. He mahi huna. Koia na nga korero o nga kaikorero o Ngati
Awa, o Te Ati Awa, o Te Uri o Hau, o Ngati Mutunga, o Ngati Tama o etahi atu. He mahi huna te mahi.
Ko te kupu pouri o te Kawanatanga kei te kii, ae:
1. Kua whai a Te Arawa i nga herenga me nga kawenga o te Tiriti o Waitangi
2. Ae, i kaha tautoko nei a Te Arawa i te haerenga ki tawahi ki te pakanga. Ko te Hokowhitu a Tu tera
3. Ae, i koha a Te Arawa i etahi wahanga o te putea i tukuna mai e ia i te 1922, ki te motu i nga tau toru tekau, wha
tekau
4. Ae i ngana a Te Arawa ki te mahi tahi me te Karauna
5. Ae, he kaha ano no Te Arawa ki te tautoko i nga mahi turuhi mo te painga o te motu, o Rotorua tonu.
Na he aha te whakaaro nui, he aha te hokinga mai? He paku kongakonga.
I tena ra nei kia mohio mai koutou, tokorua o matou kei te tautoko i te pire nei, ko te tokorua, kaore i te whakaae,
kaore i te whakahe. Kei te marama tonu matou ki te hiahia o etahi o koutou, o etahi o te iwi i te kainga.
Engari, e kore rawa au e whakaae ki nga mahi a te karauna me ana mahi whakaiti, whakaparahako i a tatou. Kore, kore,
kore rawa. Kaore aku raru ki nga korero a etahi e whakahe nei i tenei tu. Koia ra te hunga i whakaae kia taka mai ko te
takutai moana ki raro i te mana o te Karauna, ara ko tera mahi muru whenua. Me whakairi i taku ingoa ki te taha o tera
hunga? Kore rawa!
E te iwi, anei nga korero a Ta Apirana Ngata i te tau 1929 i te Whare Paremata nei, mo tetahi moemoea ona.
Hei tana:
“I rapidly came to the conclusion before I woke up that the Arawa tribe had been cheated out of their proper due and
that they should have received more than six thousand pounds. - And then I awoke”.
Ko tona moemoea tera, a he orite tonu ki nga moemoea kua tau mai ki runga i au i nga po kua pahure ake nei.
Heoi ano, he ra ano apopo, ka whiti mai te ra. Kua ea te wahanga ki a au.
Te Arawa Lakes Settlement Bill
Third Reading (Interpretation into English)
Te Ururoa Flavell; Member for Waiariki
I greet the descendants of Ngati Ohomairangi.
What is our purpose for this day?
We of Te Arawa have come to this place to remedy a pain that is long lingered in the hearts and souls of our people;
that is the ownership of our lakes. Welcome.
Our lakes are deeply embedded in our tribal spirit through our songs, our proverbs, our history. Let us say that it is
carved in the very souls of the descendants of Te Arawa. Because of that, many would suggest that the ownership was
never relinquished. Let that statement stand.
In 1922, with a vision for a better future, in an honourable gesture, our elders signed an agreement between Te Arawa
and the Crown. What was the basis for that honourable act? The ownership of the lakes.
This issue has its genesis in 1909. At that time, Te Arawa turned to the Court, for a ruling to determine ownership of
the lakes. Over time, the Crown used stalling tactics to delay the process and in doing so, stifle the desires of Te
Arawa.
Our ancestors were denied access, particularly to maps and survey plans which could assist in the just settlement of the
issue.
In 1920 the Crown approached Te Arawa to negotiate a settlement of claims.
From here was born an agreement between us and the Crown, in 1922, just as we are doing today. It was thought that the
benefits would flow to Te Arawa following that agreement.
But the problem is, that justice has not been done. Justice has not been done right through to the present day. So here
we are…..eighty or ninety years on, returning a second time, a return to the sands that were disturbed of that time.
This is what the Crown had to say; not myself.
The Crown confessed to its sins. They say,
- Yes, we set the annuity at six thousand pounds, in perpetuity;
- Yes, they did not renew the yearly annuity, and therefore acknowledge a depreciation of the value of the annuity;
- Yes; they also introduced a new species of fish. The end result was the destruction of indigenous species;
- Yes, along with the Council they determined the nature of the care of the lakes, resulting in its severe pollution of
all the lakes;
- Yes; the descendants of Te Arawa were prosecuted for fishing without licenses, according to the law of the Government.
- Yes; despite petitions and delegations by Te Arawa to the Government, to the Court, to the Tribunal; the Government
has refused to remedy that which it has despoiled.
This is what the Crown says. For my part, I agree. It is right and proper that they should bow their heads in shame.
And here we are today. Perhaps we should be happy!
The Crown has an apology. It is only right that he, who has erred, should repent. On the one hand, while uttering
remorse; on the other they repeat their offence.
It is said that the words of the night differ from the murmurings of the dawn.
We have got some money. Ten million dollars. Awesome. Hear hear! However, the amount is bound to the fiscal envelope of
the Crown taken by them in the years past and vigorously rejected by Maori.
According to those who are knowledgeable on these issues, we will only ever get one percent of the real value of that
which was illegally taken. These are mere crumbs when compared to what was lost. Who are the beneficiaries? The Crown,
the District Council, the community. NOT Te Arawa. That is the reason for this journey today. Should we rejoice?
We should also give thanks, for the return of the lakes. That’s great. Wait up, according to the Government, the lakes
are indeed going to return, but not the water. Some of you and those from home, have posed the question.
So, what is this thing called a lake if it does not contain any water? What a stupid thought that is.
But the stupidity didn’t stop there. The statement has been made, that the Crown owns the water and the sky above the
land. I asked the question, “So, who said you owned this thing called the Crown stratum?”
The Minister’s response was that, that thought had always been there. Right from the Land Act, 1948. You need to know
there is no statement there and this is the first statement there; and this is the first time this statement has been
made public.
Some would say, what’s the problem? Let me put it this way. If it is agreed to here, and becomes law, the implications
will be profound, and felt by those other iwi, and hapu, whose claims will follow ours.
So you know, if we agree to what the Crown says that those aspects belong to them; even though it has never been tested
in Court - or anywhere else - that is confiscation.
As a result of our acquiescence, we will become implicated along with the Crown.
Leave that thought there. The Crown has said that there is a working group that has been established to revitalise the
lakes. According to this Bill, the committee will consist of members of the District Council and Environment Bay of
Plenty; and two from Te Arawa. Is that how it should be?
What arrogance. Firstly, only two from Te Arawa and not a mention of the number from those other two groups. Secondly,
if we are the owners, then surely we must be the decision makers?
Shouldn’t it be that the numbers for Te Arawa is equal to the collective numbers of the other two groups? No, not in
this Bill. A final word rests with other people to those who allowed the pollution of the lakes in the first place. It
is not as if I am saying to get rid of them. No, they should stay, but the mana should be with us.
Yes, the lakes are returned, well at least the land below the water. We should rejoice that we now possess the filth,
the pollution, the excrement, left by the Government and the Council. This is the excrement that was seen by, and spoken
about, by some from home. Faeces became the swimming companion for those bathing in the waters of the Utuhina stream.
We should be happy because it was the Crown, not Te Arawa, who abdicated responsibilities for the pollution of the
lakes. So one has to ask the question, who will fix it? Who will clean up the lakes? It would be appropriate for the
Crown and the Rotorua District Council and Environment Bay of Plenty. How much would it cost to remedy the situation?
Many would say that it is in excess of two hundred million dollars but I haven’t heard about the contribution of these
respective groups. Let us be aware.
According to the Crown, this is a full and final statement. There is no return. But just as we are doing today, our
children and grandchildren will return in time. This will not be out of a spirit of selfishness, no, it will be as the
result of a belief that every wrong must be remedied. Justice delayed. Justice denied.
According to the Bill, Te Arawa can never relitigate. So how can we hold the Crown to account if it is responsible for
further breaches? If it does not hold to honour, what it has said it will do.
We should ask this question because this has been the track record of this and successive Governments. It is
demonstrated in the actions today.
People, I set out these concerns in Parliament, just this week, with the full knowledge of what I had to say, the
Government would not listen or take notice. It was my desire to correct those things which weren’t nakedly apparent. All
that I put forward was voted down, but I thought it best, to be defeated fighting like a shark rather than to limply
surrender like an octopus.
This is how claims are done. It is sinister. This is what negotiating from Ngati Awa, Te Atiawa, Te Uri o Hau, Ngati
Mutunga, Ngati Tama and others have said. It is deceitful.
The Crown apology says; YES,
1. Te Arawa has honoured its responsibilities and obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi;
2. Yes, we have contributed to the war efforts overseas;
3. Yes, we contributed gifts portions of the annuity for the national good, in the 1930s and 1940s;
4. yes, demonstrated a record of co-operation with the Crown;
5. and yes, made a significant contribution to tourism, and the wealth of New Zealand and Rotorua.
So what is the compensation? What is the return? Breadcrumbs.
Today, you need to know that two of us will support this Bill; and two of us will neither agree nor disagree. We
understand what is wanted by some of you and those at home.
But I will never agree, to the processes of the Crown, and its behaviour of belittling us, and treating us with
contempt.
Never, never, never. I have no issue with those who may disagree with me and the position I am taking. They are probably
the ones that agreed that the Foreshore and Seabed should come under the Crown. That act of land confiscation.
Will I hang my name beside them? No way.
This is what Sir Apirana Ngata said in 1929. He was explaining to the House, a dream he had had the previous night.
He said:
“I rapidly came to the conclusion before I woke up that the Arawa tribe had been cheated out of their proper due and
that they should have received more than six thousand pounds. - And then I awoke”.
That was his dream and is similar to the dreams that I have had over these past few nights.
But tomorrow is another day. The sun will shine. I have completed my responsibilities.
ENDS