5. DAVE HEREORA (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
What recent steps has the Government taken to further its commitment to settle all historical Treaty of Waitangi claims?
Hon MARK BURTON (Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) Link to this
On Sunday I announced new funding of $5.2 million over the next 4 years. That will provide the Office of Treaty Settlements with the additional staff and resources to further progress Treaty settlements.
What other initiatives have been taken through the Treaty negotiations portfolio towards meeting the 20/20 deadline?
The new funding builds on the momentum of the past 6 years by the Labour-led Government to settle historical Treaty claims in a fair and a timely manner. We have continued to improve the claims process—for example, through funding a claims development team that facilitates claimants going into negotiation. That is in addition to bolstering policy, legal, and, in particular, front-line negotiation capacity. These improvements are reflected in the escalating pace of negotiations entered into and, most important, settlements reached.