Hundreds of Whanganui people will be at Parliament on Wednesday for the third reading of the bill settling one of New Zealand's oldest Treaty of Waitangi claims.
The Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement Bill) passes into law after its reading this morning.
More than 250 Whanganui people will be at Parliament to hear it, 135 of them travelling on buses. They are to be greeted on the Parliament forecourt at 9am, by the Parliamentary Kaiwhakarite, Kura Moeahu.
At 9.50 they proceed through security and into the gallery to listen to the various political parties speak about the bill. After the reading and speeches they bus to Pipitea Marae, for lunch.
Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall, deputy Mayor Jenny Duncan and CEO Kym Fell will be among those present at Parliament. Mr McDouall said it was important to support the occasion and he expected a "who's who of Maoridom" to be there.