Natural Resources committee  It's a really good question again—and it's happening. As I said, it's an “and, and”. First, we are now repeating our interests in and thoughts about the free trade agreements at the invitation of the New Zealand government. That's intended to be an enduring process and contribut

Natural Resources committee  I can offer one really important and related point. You've heard it from Raylene and from me. It is this very close connection that the Maori have with indigenous people of the world, including first nations people. By that I mean that all of the knowledge and everything we have

Natural Resources committee  We're still very far behind in terms of absolute numbers, but the point is the compound annual growth rate, and this is certainly what our governments are paying attention to. There are ministers of our government now who are saying that the Maori economy has become the cornersto

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  That's right. There are really very good reasons, in my view—and certainly it's happening in our country—to pay attention to the interests of the indigenous communities.

Natural Resources committee  There's no one absolute point. I've been asked that question several times in the last few days and weeks. Was there a critical turning point? It's hard to put a finger on it. It happened some time in the last 20 to 30 years, and it was an accumulation of effort and events, but n

Natural Resources committee  Ted, again, thank you for the question. I make the point that the development capital that became available through the treaty process was a hugely important catalyst. Beyond that, I think it's education. I don't want to keep belabouring it, but it is education. You make the po

Natural Resources committee  I think that's a great question. It's in two parts. Why is it that the Maori economy is achieving these phenomenal growth rates? First, we have to acknowledge that the treaty settlement process has, if you like, created a pool of development capital available to Maori people t

Natural Resources committee  Yes, Ted, it was particularly in relation to the treaty process, not general litigation. The treaty process, from our experience, can be lengthy. That typically means a process that can take tens of years and have a very high cost. In our experience, it can be quite divisive and

Natural Resources committee  I'm going to just underline the previous points we've all made, namely, the need to start the discussion early and that both parties to that discussion be very honest, sincere and transparent. Certainly in our experience in New Zealand, as many of our people have gone off and bec

Natural Resources committee  It's really interesting. Again, I'm thankful for the line of questioning. Often, particularly when you go into a commercial discussion, most of the discussion is around the commercial elements of that negotiation, i.e., the quantum of financial redress. Treaty issues, however, ar

Natural Resources committee  It's a very good question. Thank you, Kent. How did it come about over the last 20 or 30 years? I really have to hold very firmly to the view that it was through the drive of our leaders and our community, who not only encouraged but also literally forced every one of us to go

Natural Resources committee  Thank you for the acknowledgement of New Zealand, Richard, and for the question. I think it's a great question. The simple answer to your question is that it's “and, and”. The treaty is a catalyst and is always leaned on now in terms discussion between Maori people and the New Ze

Natural Resources committee  You're exactly right again. There is that growing acceptance. It's taken time. In my view it's taken 10, 20, 30 years to achieve that kind of acceptance. I will use one other example just to illustrate the point. One of the other things that I've been asked to become involved in,

Natural Resources committee  Jamie, let me give a New Zealand sort of response to that. Part of the context of the answer is that in New Zealand, in 1804, we signed a treaty that was, if you like, an agreement between the indigenous people of New Zealand and the state at that time. That treaty effectively s