Extra funding to reach Treaty settlement goal

Budget 2009 includes an extra $22.4 million over the next four years to achieve the Government's goal of settling all historical Treaty of Waitangi claims by 2014.

The extra money, which includes $22.2 million in operating funding and $133,000 in capital funding, will allow the Office of Treaty Settlements to conduct more negotiations faster, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson says.

It will also provide resources for extra facilitation and mediation assistance to claimant groups. The Government expects that this will result in more settlements being reached sooner.

"Reaching just and durable settlements of historical claims is a priority for the Government," Mr Finlayson says. "Doing that in a timely fashion requires proper resourcing of the negotiators dealing with claimant groups."

"Meeting our settlement goal is positive for New Zealand. Treaty settlements recognise the wrongs of the past, and also help iwi unlock economic potential and provide a welcome economic boost, particularly in regional and provincial areas."