Can Govt Get Treaty Settlements Done By 2014?
April 23rd, 2009
In setting the ambitious target of completing Treaty settlements by 2014, the Govt believes all NZers will stand to gain from a faster completion of the process. John Key says the Govt wants to be more flexible about the way Maori and the Crown work together, and is seeking a more collaborative and open approach. The increased political engagement is reflected in the re-establishment of a Cabinet Committee devoted to the settlement process. More leverage might be given to the Office of Treaty Settlements, external facilitators employed more extensively and more resources applied to the process. These ideas will considerably increase the momentum of the settlement process. Questions yet to be answered are whether Maori will accept the move to speedier settlements, or whether they will only create demands for re-litigation of past settlements.
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Duncan Cotterill