The Waitangi Tribunal has recommended changes to the way the Crown establishes who has the mandate to negotiate on behalf of Treaty claimants.
At the same time, the Tribunal has turned down a request from three East Coast hapu to delay negotiations with Te Runanga o Ngati Porou.
The hapu argued that they are not Ngati Porou, and therefore the rununga does not have a valid mandate to represent them.
However, the Tribunal found that while there are flaws in the mandating process, they're not serious enough to delay the settlement.
The Government has welcomed the decision and says the Office of Treaty Settlements is considering the Tribunal's recommended changes to the mandating process.
