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Added: Feb 17, 2012
The Government’s commitment to progressing Treaty settlements is being boosted by extended House sitting hours and utilising cognate bill options, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson said today.
Mr Finlayson welcomed the decision of Parliament’s Business Committee to extend the House’s sitting hours for Thursday 16 February and to sit on Friday morning, in part to progress at six bills giving effect to settlements of historical Treaty claims.
“The government is committed to continuing the increased momentum in Treaty settlements of recent years,” Mr Finlayson said. “Innovations such as the use of cognate bills and extended sitting hours keep things moving and reduce the time iwi have to wait to take full advantage of settlement benefits. It also avoids the House having to go into urgency, and means that the wider legislative program is not affected.”