The Minister in Charge of Treaty Negotiations Margaret Wilson will meet the Muriwhenua groups again this week. This will be the fifth major meeting Ms Wilson has held with the groups this year, as Muriwhenua works towards mandating a representative group to negotiate its Treaty claims.

"There has been very good progress," said Ms Wilson.

The Muriwhenua Treaty claim process has long been considered one of the most difficult claims to progress. This is because of the large number of different groups with an interest in the claim and the subsequent difficulty of arriving at a joint position.

"I have been following the approach agreed by the Labour-Alliance government and talking an active part in supporting the those involved as they move towards a common position," said Ms Wilson.

"A combined effort will produce results much more rapidly in an area in which many have expressed the desire to move on beyond the grievances," said Ms Wilson.

"This has not been an easy process. It is hard for those outside to appreciate the amount of hard work and compromise of long-held positions that has been needed to move the process forward. That progress is being made is a great tribute to the leadership of the several groups involved.

"But in the end the adoption of a common approach and a common representative body is a matter for the peoples of Muriwhenua.

"From the government's point of view, I have been able to assure each group that the government will work hard to bring an end to the long-held justified grievances in the Muriwhenua region."

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