Chris Finalyson MP
National Party Treaty Negotiations Spokesman

1 August 2007

Approach to Treaty negotiations damned again

"The latest report by the Waitangi Tribunal on the Crown's approach to negotiating the Te Arawa settlement continues the trend of damning reports," says National Party Treaty Negotiations spokesman Chris Finlayson.

Mr Finlayson is commenting on the release today of the Waitangi Tribunal's final report of the impact of the Crown's settlement policies on Te Arawa waka and other tribes.

"The Tribunal is scathing of the Crown's approach.

"The Tribunal found that the Crown's processes for dealing with overlapping groups was inconsistent and aspects of the settlement itself are inconsistent with the Treaty.

"This Government and the Minister do not seem to understand that all New Zealanders, Maori and non-Maori alike, want to see durable settlements that will stand the test of time.

"Quite how they think settling breaches of Treaty duties with an agreement that the Waitangi Tribunal itself says is inconsistent with the Treaty is beyond me.

"The Tribunal also criticised the Government for 'picking favourites', making decisions on tribal interests in isolation, and without inadequate information.

"Perhaps most damning of all, the Tribunal has said it simply cannot endorse the Te Arawa settlement in its current form.

"Coming on the back of the damning Waitangi Tribunal report on the Crown's approach to negotiating the Ngati Whatua settlement - described as the most flawed settlement negotiating process the Tribunal had ever seen - and the Tribunal's June report on the Te Arawa settlement, this new report is a severe indictment on the Crown's approach to negotiating Treaty settlements.

"It represents the deep rot that has set in under the current Minister, Mark Burton."

ENDS

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