November 24, 2021
Tribunal grants urgency for pandemic hearing
The New Zealand Māori Council has kicked down the door for a Waitangi Tribunal inquiry into the crown’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tribunal says it will hold an urgent hearing in the week starting December 6, putting off a scheduled hearing on the disability phase of the WAI 2575 Health Services Claim.
Some of the WAI 2575 claimants have indicated they want to join the new claim.
Council spokesperson Donna Hall say there will also be representatives from Māori nurses and doctors’ organisations, the National Urban Māori Authority, the Māori Women’s Welfare League and the Federation of Māori Authorities.
The hearing will be conducted by audio visual link.
The tribunal says interested parties will be granted participation rights based on their existing status in WAI 2575, and their level of involvement in implementing or responding to the crown’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.