Labour today confirmed its fourth election pledge -- for all Treaty of Waitangi claims to be lodged by 2008 and settled by 2020.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said today Labour was committed to completing historical treaty settlements and recognised the importance for Maori and all New Zealanders of doing so
as soon as possible.
"On the historical claims the time has come to seek finality. Today we are announcing that Labour is setting a date by which all those claims must be lodged so that we can conclude settlements within a reasonable timeframe," she said.
"Under our policy, claims will need to be lodged by 1 September 2008 so that our timetable for conducting all settlements by 2020 can be met," she said.
Under National's policy, claims must be filed by next year and all settlements completed by 2010, while under NZ First's policy claims must be filed by 2010 and settled by 2015.
Labour would continue to negotiate and settle claims with mandated groups and to support multiple iwi settlements, Helen Clark said.
"Many New Zealanders have found issues dating back to the signing of the treaty difficult to comprehend and hard to resolve. Yet in the international context, New Zealand's efforts to seek truth and reconciliation through the treaty settlement process stand second to none."
She told an audience in Auckland that eight treaty claims had been settled since the Labour-led Government got into office.
Discussions and negotiations towards settlements had occurred with another 26 groups.
"Settlements provide iwi with a platform from which to move forward in the next phase of their development, and provide the opportunity for new future based relationships with the Crown to be forged," she said.
- NZPA
