5. COLIN KING (National—Kaikōura) Link to this
to the Minister of Fisheries
What progress is the Government making on settling the Crown’s obligations to Māori in relation to the Māori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004?
Hon PHIL HEATLEY (Minister of Fisheries) Link to this
This afternoon the Prime Minister, a number of Ministers, and I will be signing a deed of settlement with iwi of Te Tau Ihu, Ngāi Tahu, and iwi represented by the Hauraki Māori Trust Board. This gives effect to a $97 million early settlement of the Crown’s pre-commencement space obligations to iwi, as per the Māori aquaculture settlement. The Crown promised iwi the equivalent of 20 percent of aquaculture space created between 1992 and 2004, and 20 percent of new space. This Government has great pleasure in being part of such a historic occasion.
As new aquaculture space has not flowed through in recent years, because the aquaculture reforms failed dismally, it was acknowledged that to meet the settlement obligation, a payment of the financial equivalent would be necessary. Iwi actually approached the Government with a number of parties, and have been involved in negotiating the settlement. The Government certainly acknowledges their work, and the work of previous Ministers and agencies such as the Ministry of Fisheries, as well as Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Ltd iwi leaders and negotiators, for their good faith and pragmatic approach.
The settlement of Treaty of Waitangi grievances is a very high priority for this Government. We have set a target of 2014 for settling all historical Treaty claims. The Government believes that all New Zealanders stand to gain from faster completion of the settlement process. The Ministry of Fisheries has played, and will continue to play, a key part in this process and will continue to work with our Government departments and iwi and hapū to make it actually happen.
Rahui KateneWhy have iwi not benefited from a single transaction for marine farms created before the signing date of 2004, when the original deal gave them 20 percent of all marine farm space created between 1992 and 2004?
That is because the previous Government’s solution, which was passed into legislation in 2004, has not resulted in a single hectare of new aquaculture marine farming area anywhere in New Zealand, so, unfortunately, we were not able to pass sea space over to iwi; we have to give them a cash equivalent instead.
Hon Parekura Horomia Link to this
Why do we not take the Government seriously when it talks about—[ Interruption]
Mr SPEAKERI beg the member’s pardon but I ask members to be a bit more reasonable with the noise. The Hon Parekura Horomia has the floor.
Hon Parekura Horomia Link to this
How can we take the Government seriously when it talks about its obligations to Māori when it is clearly failing its obligations to hold a mana-enhancing relationship with its coalition partner the Māori Party, and does the Minister agree with his National colleagues that the allocation of aquaculture space to Māori was going to cause bitterness and grievance, and that Labour was encouraging a race-for-space mantra; if so, why?
The Māori Party will be joining us today as signatories for the aquaculture settlement. I am a little bit confused, given the track record of Labour delivering no new aquaculture space at all to anyone in the industry, and therefore, by default, no new aquaculture space to Māori, that it is making some sort of claim to fame. I know that Parekura Horomia, having had his 9 years of opportunity and failing in this area, feels ashamed. It would be better if the little man could hide.
What progress has been achieved in working with iwi who should have been covered by the Act but have not negotiated a settlement to date?
That is a very fair question. This Government is committed to its Treaty obligations. The Ministry of Fisheries is working with Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Ltd to provide an early settlement with the remaining regions—between 17 and 19 of them. The Ministry of Fisheries has engaged expertise to investigate the value of the pre-commencement space obligations for the remaining regions. Over a range of areas of Government we are actually making progress and getting runs on the board. I know that New Zealanders, and certainly Māori, are delighted with that.