By Audrey Young
Treaty of Waitangi settlements will be settled in well under 10 years, Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said last night, outbidding Act's target of 10 years.
She also said Maori had to get out of the courts, get themselves mandated and get on with settling claims.
"I seriously believe the end
is in sight but it will require absolute commitment and determination. I think it [treaty settlement] will be finished by 2010, easily. Let's get on with it."
Act's improving poll results are seen as coming partly from its stance on treaty settlements. It says they must be finished by 2010 and the Waitangi Tribunal wound up.
Mrs Shipley conceded that the National Government's commitment to settlements was an electoral liability.
"We don't win votes from this. We probably lose votes.
"But what we are absolutely agreed on is that unless you get this stuff behind you, there is always an excuse for someone to blame someone else, or excuses as to why we are held back.
"If Maori get out of the courts and on with the mandating and negotiation, we can see the end in sight for this issue."
The Government was now very experienced in handling claims and "very used to determining that which is authentic and that which is vexatious."
It had a lot of work in progress and was about 65 per cent of the way through the land settlements.
Responding to questions about republicanism as Australia prepares to vote on the issue tomorrow, she said she did not believe republicanism was a burning issue here and it could not be until the treaty settlements were over.
"It's a bit like unfinished business. I think New Zealanders need to free themselves up so we can be optimistic, forward-looking and unified. That's why the treaty issues are so important to me and the National Party."
After that, republicanism might become a relevant issue, she said.
"But I won't be one who will be pushing it. I am personally a monarchist.
"The current position serves us very well. It is efficient. It doesn't interrupt good government in New Zealand and yet it still represents the ties historically."
