Treaty of Waitangi Settlements

The settlement of iwi claims under the Treaty of Waitangi has been a prominent feature of New Zealand's political landscape over the last thirty years. It is one that has drawn international attention, as other nations seek ways to redress historic grievances and build new relationships between indigenous peoples and the state.

As the Treaty settlement process draws toward a close, it is timely to examine its achievements and controversies. Leading scholars from the fields of law, history and politics provide a detailed and comprehensive account of the settlement process. The contributors examine the history of Treaty claims and the way they have been handled by the Waitangi Tribunal and by politicians. They look too at the impact of Treaty settlement on lands and estates, forests and other taonga, fisheries and other assets.

The economic and social consequences for Maori are considered, along with changes in the Crown's relationship with Maori. The Treaty of Waitangi Settlements concludes with an in-depth analysis of the overall purposes of the Treaty settlement process. How successful the settlement process has been in redressing historic grievances? Can the Treaty settlements truly be "full and final"? Have major issues been left unresolved? And how does New Zealand's attempt to build a new relationship between indigenous people and the state rate internationally? Nicola Wheen is Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Otago. Janine Hayward is Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Otago.