Trust Contributions

Since its establishment in 1990, the Trust has worked to facilitate the settlement of Māori claims against the Crown, by providing assistance to Māori in preparing, presenting and negotiating claims involving Crown forest licensed land.

For example, the Trust funds approximately 80 percent of the claimant research used in Waitangi Tribunal inquiries.

How Trust assistance is funded

All the Trust's financial assistance to claimants, research services and operating expenses are paid for entirely from the interest received on the investments of annual licence fees for Crown forests.  The principal amount is left untouched, and accumulates year-on-year, pending return in full to the forest owner after recommendation by the Waitangi Tribunal or through settlement negotiations with the Crown.

Funding Allocations

For detailed information about Trust allocations of funding and assistance to claimants, see the Trust's Financial Statements within its Report To Appointors 2007 - 2008.

Trust Activities and Claimant Progress

A very considerable commitment of time, effort and resources is required by claimants preparing for, and engaging in, the Treaty settlement process.  The Trust assists eligible claimants by providing: 

• Funding.
• Research planning, contracting, and quality control.
• Relationship brokering between claimant groups and other key settlement process participants.
• Information about the settlement process.

Each year the Trust reports activities for the year and progress of claimant groups it has funded over the previous 12 months.