9 Aug 2011

Waitangi Commission 'badly needed'

9:57 pm on 9 August 2011

The iwi-led Independent Constitutional Working Group says a Treaty of Waitangi Commission is badly needed.

The Mana Party also wants a commission, and since 2004 the Maori Party has had a policy to appoint a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty.

All want a body that scrutinises the rules that are made and to ensure the benefits from Treaty settlements trickle down to all tribal members.

The convenor of the Independent Constitutional Working Group, Margaret Mutu, says settlements are one-sided and the situation at the moment is crazy where the Crown dictates what happens in Treaty settlements.

Ms Mutu says there is a lot of work a commission could do and one should have been set up long ago.

The Maori Party MP for Waiariki, Te Ururoa Flavell, says the Mana Party alone will struggle to have a commission established.