12 Sep 2012

Tuhoe deal will trigger payouts to other iwi

7:15 pm on 12 September 2012

A plan for Tuhoe to settle its grievances with the Crown will soon trigger top-up payments for two of the biggest iwi.

Tuhoe and the Government on Tuesday announced they're ready to sign their Treaty settlement.

That will prompt the Relativity Clause to kick in for Ngai Tahu and Waikato-Tainui - meaning the tribes will collect more Crown money, under a deal struck when their Treaty settlements were signed.

The special clause takes effect when total financial redress throughout the country breaches $1 billion.

Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Chris Finlayson says that's likely to happen soon.

He says the figure at the moment is about $970 million.