The claim by Mike von Lande (June 29) that Treaty settlement payments already total many $billions is completely contradicted by official figures from the Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS).
Mike says that the fisheries settlement transferred over a $billion to Maori. OTS says $170 million.
He says that some tribes have received settlements of half a $billion in forestry assets. OTS says the forestry settlement was $160 million for all tribes to share.
He says that there are scores more payments like Ngai Tahu and Tainui for hundreds of $millions each. OTS says that Ngai Tahu got $170 million, Tainui got $170 million, and only one other tribe has got over $50 million.
Official figures from OTS are available at the Wikipedia site 'treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements”. The total for claims from 1992 to 2008 is $950 million. Completed settlements since then are about $200 million making a total to date of just over $1 billion.
Since 1992 total Government spending has been over $1000 billion (Treasury), so $1 billion of Treaty settlements is 0.1% of Government spending.
Treaty settlements are not gifts. They are a justified compensation for Government injustice. They are not an excessive cost to the taxpayer.

Peter Dey, Welcome Bay.