Labour unveils deadline to treaty claims

Labour will today unveil its fourth campaign pledge - a deadline on the filing of historical land claims with the Waitangi Tribunal by 2008.

It will also set a date by which all of the settlement negotiations should be concluded, expected to be 2020.

The pledge is an attempt to counter National plans to campaign heavily on the Treaty of Waitangi and related issues - the topic of leader Don Brash's first Orewa speech, which catapulted him up the polls. Dr Brash has been relatively quiet on that front in recent months but has signalled he expects to return to the issue.

Labour has traditionally scorned talk of the imposition of settlement deadlines, but soon after the Orewa speech early last year indicated it was considering a change of heart.

The filing deadline is unlikely to spark a major reaction among Maori groups because almost all of the big tribal land claims have been filed.

Senior Waitangi Tribunal presiding officer Joanne Morris told the Herald last year she believed it could be time to impose a filing deadline.

Most significant claimant groups have settled, are already engaged in or awaiting hearings before the tribunal. Alternatively, they are involved in or waiting to begin settlement negotiations with the Office of Treaty Settlements.

The tenor of the reaction to the time limit on settling claims could depend on just how definitive it actually is - a firm target or a definite cut-off date. It is unlikely the Government would opt for the latter, which would raise significant human rights issues. Under National's policy, claims must be filed by next year and all settlements completed by 2010.

It has pledged to increase tribunal funding to speed up the process.

New Zealand First wants claims lodged by 2010 and settled by 2015.

Office director Andrew Hampton has told parliamentary select committees he expects all major settlement negotiations to be concluded in 10 to 15 years.

About three claims are being settled a year. The office estimates there are up to 50 to go - unless there is a change to the "large natural grouping" policy which generally stops small groups negotiating their own settlement.

The policy is controversial - attracting the ire of some Maori MPs and a number of claimants.

A total of 1236 claims have been registered since 1975; 134 claims have been dealt with and the tribunal has fully reported on, is inquiring into or preparing to inquire into 762 claims - 69 per cent of all claims subject to inquiry.