Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:629;Page:1575] 
7.  
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations 
: What initiatives if any are under way to ensure that historical Treaty claims are able to be settled expeditiously? 
Hon MARK BURTON (Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) 
: 
 This Government has already implemented a number of initiatives to expedite the Treaty settlement process such as establishing three additional teams to assist claimants to enter negotiations and to achieve settlements. It is our manifesto commitment that all historical claims be lodged by 1 September 2008 so that we can proceed to settle all claims by 2020. 
Pita Paraone 
: Has the Minister seen the draft report from the Law Commission entitled  
Waka Umanga: A Proposed Law for Maori Governance Entities 
 which contains the recommendation that Maori-specific corporate entities should be established and mandated for iwi groups at the beginning of the settlements process; does he not agree that the adoption of that recommendation would speed up the entire Treaty settlements process? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I am indeed aware of the report. I can say to the member that this year officials are working on a series of initiatives to further streamline all aspects of the claims process. The content of that report will certainly be taken into account. 
Dave Hereora 
: What progress have those additional teams made towards just and timely settlements? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: As to the teams that I referred to in my initial answer over the last 3 years we have seen six deeds of settlement reached and 13 groups have entered negotiations—five of those in 2005 alone. Three settlement bills were passed last year and I expect another three to be introduced this year. Currently the Government is in negotiations with over 20 groups covering several hundred Wai claims. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Can the Minister confirm that the briefing paper to the incoming Minister in 2005 indicated that terms of negotiations have been signed with only 10 outstanding claimant groups and that at the current pace it would take at least 15 years to conclude those negotiations and settle claims; if so how can his claim that he is making progress more speedily than before be believed? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: As I indicated in my answer to the initial question the pace of settlement in part because of the initiatives taken by the Government in the last few years is increasing. In the last 3 years six deeds of settlement have been reached. Three settlement bills were passed last year as the member knows and I anticipate another three being introduced this year. The pace is increasing and I anticipate that it will continue to do so with the initiatives the Government is taking. 
Pita Paraone 
: Does the Minister agree that the establishment of Maori corporate entities such as those recommended in the  
Waka Umanga 
 report that have sufficient flexibility to meet the legal demands of accountability and corporate governance while also embracing Maori cultural realities is a positive step both for the settlements process and for Maori in general? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I agree that the proposals in the report warrant serious consideration and they certainly will get it.