June 24, 2024
Goldsmith says no change on large natural groupings
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Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says he’s sticking with the policy of large natural groupings for treaty settlements.
Mr Goldsmith fronted up to the Maori affairs select committee last week for a scrutiny hearing on the activities of Te Arawhiti, which is responsible for negotiations.
There has been little activity in the portfolio, apart from progressing legislaton for settlements done by the previous Government.
Mr Goldsmith says the process will never achieve perfection, and ministers are looking for settlements the majority of an iwi or hapu are comfortable with.
Large natural groupings have been the basis of the process.
“Just from a pragmatic point of view, ultimately if it divides down to a whanau level then we would literally be her 100 years and so it’s a question of trying to find large natural groupings and then secondly to achieve comprehensive settlements,” he says.
Minister Goldsmith says in some settlements, elements such as rivers have been set aside to be negotiated separately.