The New Zealand proof

NEW ZEALAND has continued to work towards addressing and trying to resolve claims of the Maori people since the Treaty of Waitangi Act, passed by parliament in 1975. In its reports to the United Nations working group, the New Zealand delegate has outlined the steps being taken in New Zealand.

New Zealand’s attempts to address Maori claims began in 1975 when parlia ment passed the Treaty of Waitangi Act, which in turn established the Waitangi Tribunal to investigate claims from 1975.

This was amended in 1985 to allow addressing claims dating back to the first signing of the treaty on February 6, 1840.

In his statement to the UN, the head of the New Zealand delegation outlined his country’s determination “to face up to matters which have gone wrong in the past, and to seek agreement to resolve them in a satisfactory way”. There has also been a quickening of the pace at which claims are to be resolved. “Our

approach to negotiations is far less adversarial than in the past”, says del egation head Roger Farrell.

Significant developments he outlined to the UN last year were a procedure by which surplus Crown land held by Railcorp would be disposed of allowing Maori interests to be protected; committment to rebuild Maori presence in the fishing industry; the Ka Awatea report relating to Maori health, educa tion, training and economic resource development; the setting up of the Ministry of Maori Development. The government is also determined disparities between Maori and other New Zea landers in education, training, health and resource development do not continue.

Above all, the government is commit ted to looking at the treaty “for guidance as we navigate this last decade of the 20th century”.