I cried, the women next to me cried and the big Maori guy in front of me was crying. Many others wept. We were at the apology and deed of settlement signing for between the Taranaki Iwi and the Crown.

I think the woman cried because of the stories of suffering. I cried because I had never been more proud of New Zealand – with dignity and substance we dealt with injustice. Without violence an enormous social adjustment was being made.

I suspect the Maori people were crying for many different reasons. It was not about New Zealand’s history for them, but rather it was about their family history. It is also about their personal circumstances – wealth, mana and involvement with their iwi.

Progress
It is impossible to underestimate the importance for Taranaki of the event last Saturday. I do not mean for Taranaki Maori, the day was significant for everyone who lives in Taranaki. It may take up to two years for Parliament to ratify this agreement, let us hope it gets some priority.

The picture shows the group which made the chant to welcome the official party.

Wealth in Taranaki
Maori are the new rich guys in town. Maori are now major players in the Taranaki economy. We have dairy, oil, gas, and Maori. I do not put tourism in that list, but Maori are likely to advance Taranaki through tourism and visitor industry development. Somehow they have to integrate into our commercial community. Opunake’s economy will benefit.

David Tamatea
When I talked to David Tamatea at the Opunake floods meeting last week I called him the “seventy million dollar” man.

David is an elected member of the Taranaki Iwi Trust. This is the committee which has just signed the historic settlement with the Crown. He is also the chairman of Te Whare Punanga Korero (the health committee that represents eight iwi). Opunake should be proud of its citizen David Tamatea, not just because of his Queens Service Medal but because of his on-going leadership.

Cash
The deed of settlement gives the Taranaki Iwi $70 million in cash. Roughly speaking, this doubles their cash wealth. Probably, every Maori person registered with the iwi holds collectively something over $400.

Land
The deed provides for land restoration. There are 29 sites of “cultural significance”, currently government land. Some of this is an outright transfer of ownership. Some is ownership and management in partnership with others (for example the Department of Conservation).

Right to buy
The deed provides for the right to buy certain property if they so wish. There are 29 commercial properties in this category. Several are around Opunake.

The Opunake Court House (known to many as the doctor’s centre) is an example. If it is to be sold, and the government will want to sell it, the Iwi has the first right of refusal at a commercial price. My view is the site should be used for the “Opunake & Te Namu Museum”. The Opunake village needs a focus which is not a shop. We also need to display our history.

Tariana Turia
At the ceremony I was pleased to greet Tariana Turia again. It has been well over 10 years since we walked the same streets together. We campaigned on different sides of a political fence. I benefited from her warmth and admired her insight.

She looked really well last Saturday. Tariana has a pivotal role in the development of Parihaka.

Parihaka plan
Not as a part of the deed of settlement, but sitting next to it, is a plan to develop Parihaka. A working party called “Kawe Tutaki” had the task of developing the plan.

The panel included former Prime Minister Jim Bolger, politician Mahara Okeroa, Dr Ruakere Hond and Amokura Panoho. It was chaired by the aforementioned Dame Tariana Turia.

The committee’s task was to produce a strategic and practical plan to develop the spiritual site.  I have not seen the document, but it probably includes a balance of spiritual, cultural, educational and economic (visitor industry) goals. The plan has implications for Opunake and our coast. 

Jim Bolger
It was great that Jim Bolger attended the signing. It was more than the PM or the Deputy PM managed. I only ever met Jim once and that was at a National Party Conference at Flock House, outside of Bulls.

The National Party deserves full credit for the settlement of Treaty claims. A series of Ministers have shown sensitivity, resolution and skill. 

Chris Finlayson
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Chris Finlayson signed for the Crown. He is someone else from my Wellington past. You might think I have strange friends.

Chris was National’s 2005 candidate in the Mana electorate – as expected, he lost to Labour’s Winnie Laban.

Chris is a great personality. It is always a joy to talk to Chris on any topic, but if there are two sides to a political argument he will only be able to see one of them. He taught my son constitutional law at Victoria University and the students loved him.

Stony faced at the ceremony, Chris did not allow himself to show any emotion. He had a tough job on the day. Chris is a friend of our local MP Jonathan Young.

Wealth outside Taranaki
Talking of Jonathan and friends, I noticed he has some strange friends.

Speaking about the Taranaki economic downturn he cited the situation of poor Tag Oil. Tag Oil has had its gross profits reduced to $17.9 million for 2015. A reduction in your profits is not really the same thing as running at a loss or losing your job.

Tag says they are debt free and have $26.1 million in working capital (cash in the till), and are still making good money in the tough times. They still pay their chief executive well over $500,000 a year. They boast about low royalties and favourable commercial terms.

Listed on Canada’s largest stock exchange (Toronto) the company is owned in North America. I do not know why Jonathan worries about these foreign fat cat investors. They do not worry about us.

Jobs
Perhaps Jonathan thinks Tag Oil is a great employer. On their website, their chairman says they are “socially and environmentally responsible”. Fine words they speak about themselves, but that is not what the unemployed workers in the pub at Opunake tell me.

Investor websites say Tag only employs 23 people full-time.

What Tag does is make our workers bottom-feeders through short-term contracts. They offer no job security. I do not blame Tag. Our government is responsible for labour laws and company tax rates.

The main effect of global capitalism in New Zealand is to make the poor poorer and the rich richer.
Robert Shaw