Ngati Whatua has told the Government that instead of the Crown employing experts to validate Treaty claims the tribes could do it themselves.
Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua's spokesperson Tame Te Rangi says this would allow the Crown to be brought in at the negotiating stage to settle claims.
He says Maori should employ historians and other experts to help overcome resource shortages and help the Government keep to the deadline of settling all claims by 2014.
Waatea News reports claimants would contract reputable specialists in commercial, economic cultural, historical and social fields whose findings would be seen as validation of the claims.
The Government has asked for suggestions from iwi about how to speed up the Treaty settlement process.
