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Associate Minister of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Mita Ririnui supported the second reading of the Maori Purpose Bill in the House yesturday, stating that it is important to increase the upper limit of the membership of the Waitangi Tribunal from 16 to 20 members. 

Minister Ririnui said the need for an extra four members is to assist the already busy yet effective Waitangi Tribunal in their work with treaty claims since the Labour led Government made a conscious commitment to having all treaty settlements finalised by 2020. 

“This (Maori Purpose Bill) policy recognises the importance of the Treaty Settlement Process for New Zealand, while ensuring that historical Treaty settlements are attained in a fair manner and within a reasonable time frame.” 

Minister Ririnui continued by saying that the introduction of 4 new members to the Waitangi Tribunal would ease the workload for the existing 16 members and increase productivity to accommodate the increasing number of claims being dealt with by the Tribunal. 

 “The workload of the historians and kaumatua members will intensify over the next few years as the number of historical claims needing inquiry increases and the tribunal reports back on these inquiries over a more concentrated time frame.”

 “The efforts and expertise of all tribunal members are invaluable to the work of the tribunal and provide immense support for both claimants and Crown alike. The support of up to four additional members over this time period will greatly assist with the responsibility the tribunal still faces.”     

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