Smith Murray: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Murray: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:608;Page:5693] 
11.  
MURRAY SMITH (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister for Courts 
: Does she consider that Waitangi Tribunal inquiries are being completed in a timely fashion? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON (Minister for Courts) 
: 
 Yes. 
Murray Smith 
: How can the Minister claim that inquiries have been completed in a timely fashion when the Department for Courts assessment of the new approach inquiry process makes it clear that resolution of claims by 2010 will occur only if the Government provides greater financial resourcing to enable it to do so? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: The Government in 2002 committed $1.5 million to support that process and we can I am sure look forward to some good news tomorrow. 
Hon Georgina te Heuheu 
: Does the Minister expect the Waitangi Tribunal to receive extra funding in the near future to ensure that its inquiry process—so critical to the final settlement of claims—is able to keep pace with the Crown’s negotiations with central North Island iwi in respect of their hundred or more claims which are scheduled to reach formal agreement within 2 years as indicated in her address to claimants on 23 April? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: The member will know the answer to her question tomorrow. 
Georgina Beyer 
: Could she enlighten the House on the pace of settlements that the Government has been able improve upon? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: The Government has been able to make considerable progress through the settlement of claims and at the moment we have increased the pace of settlements to the unprecedented rate of two deeds of settlement yearly. 
Metiria Turei 
: Can the Minister clarify whether the $5.5 million of additional funding for the treaty settlement process will be directed to the Waitangi Tribunal rather than to the Office of Treaty Settlements given that in the last year the Office of Treaty Settlements underspent its operational budget by almost $3 million an amount equivalent to half the Waitangi Tribunal’s total operational funding? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: The member is correct that funding is required both for the tribunal process and for direct negotiations. Funding is being directed to both those parts of the settlement process. 
Murray Smith 
: Given the Minister’s advice concerning greater resourcing of the tribunal will she commit herself to doing all that she can to ensure that enough resourcing is provided to the tribunal to implement the new approach for all claims given her promise to the House on 17 October 2002 that if the Government could resolve historical grievances before 2010 it would? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: Yes. 
Murray Smith 
: Given the Minister’s commitment to assisting the tribunal to complete its investigations by the 2010 deadline is she willing to commit herself to a target date of 2015 by which to have 90 percent of historical treaty claims fully settled; if not what date is she prepared to target? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: I am confident that we will still be the Government at that time and yes we will put forward our best endeavours to be able to achieve that target. 
Murray Smith 
: How does the Minister intend to address the concerns expressed in the assessment of the new approach inquiry process that there are insufficient experienced historians skilled inquiry facilitation personnel and historical report writers all of whom are vital to the process? 
Hon MARGARET WILSON 
: We are in the process at the moment of trying to refine the processes and align them better with the process through the tribunal and direct negotiations to make sure that the resources available are used efficiently and productively. 
Murray Smith 
: I seek leave to table the Department for Courts assessment of the new approach inquiry processes of the Waitangi Tribunal. 
Document not tabled.