July 03, 2014
Tribunal eyes veterans’ claim
The Waitangi Tribunal intends to start an inquiry of the rights of Maori war veterans as it moves into a new phase of its existence.
Its chair, Chief Judge Wilson Isaac, yesterday unveiled its strategic direction through to 2025.
He says the historic claims are almost complete with only six district inquiries still to be done, and they should be over by 2020.
The tribunal is keen to tackle a backlog of kaupapa and contemporary claims.
The war veterans claim is likely to include the impact of exposure to Agent Orange of Vietnam War veterans, many of whom were Maori.
Other kaupapa claims on the priority list include disproportionate funding for Maori health organisations, the coronial system, and gambling regulation.
The tribunal is barred from accepting any new historical claims, but it can take on contemporary claims relating to the application of the Treaty to issues that have occurred since 21 September 1992.
Chief Judge Isaac says the long-running district inquiry programme has helped iwi and the Crown to resolve historic claims, as well as broadening all New Zealanders’ understanding of the role of the Treaty of Waitangi in the nation’s past, present and future.
Comtemporary claims include this week’s Rena inquiry and kaupapa claims on issues of national significance, such as the te Reo Maori claim, the WAI 262 claim on Maori culture and identity, and national fresh water and geothermal issues.
Goals of the Strategic Direction include completing the final district inquiries and remaining historical claims by 2020, progressing high-priority kaupapa claims by 2020, and substantially advancing or completing the remaining kaupapa claims by 2025.
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