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Wai 2800: Inquiry into Remaining Historical Claims

Make sure claims go forward by providing up-to-date contact information.

Richard Liddicoat

— 2 min read
Wai 2800: Inquiry into Remaining Historical Claims

What is the Wai 2800 Inquiry into Remaining Historical Claims?

The Wai 2800, Inquiry into Remaining Historical Claims was set up in September 2018 to hear any remaining Treaty claims with outstanding historical claim issues that have not yet been heard or resolved to date, and that claimants still wish to bring before the Tribunal.

What is a historical claim?

A historical claim is a claim that:

  • was lodged with the Waitangi Tribunal on or before 1 September 2008; and
  • relates to Crown enactments, policies, practices, acts or omissions that occurred before 21 September 1992 – regardless of whether the claim also raises later issues occurring after 21 September 1992.

Why is the Tribunal reviewing its historical claims now?

Over time, most historical claims have either been addressed in Tribunal district inquiries (and subsequently often addressed in Treaty settlements), have been addressed in other Tribunal inquiries, or the claimants have advised they no longer wish to proceed with their claim.

As the Tribunal approaches the completion of its district inquiry programme, it is timely to address any remaining historical claims with outstanding historical claim issues.

The Tribunal has also recently released its Strategic Direction: 2025-2035, which sets out a strategic goal of completing the Inquiry into Remaining Historical Claims by 2030.

If you are a claimant with a historical claim:

If you:

  • have a historical claim with the Waitangi Tribunal; and
  • have outstanding historical claim issues that have not been addressed or are not being addressed in other Tribunal inquiries;

you must advise the Waitangi Tribunal whether you intend to participate in this Inquiry into Remaining Historical Claims.

This applies to all claimants who submitted historical claims up to or on the statutory deadline of 1 September 2008.

To check whether your claim was filed before or on 1 September 2008, please visit the Tribunal’s website.

Please e-mail your indication via the template which can be found on the Tribunal’s website to the Waitangi Tribunal’s Registrar at WT.Registrar@justice.govt.nz by Monday 11 May 2026.

If the Waitangi Tribunal does not receive an indication or response from you, the Tribunal will regard you as not seeking an inquiry into your historical claim, and the claim may be dismissed.

You should also note that, with the exception of other inquiries currently underway, the Tribunal will not hold any further inquiries into historical claims under its Strategic Direction 2025-2035.

What happens next?

Once the Tribunal has received the claimant responses, the Tribunal will:

  • assess the responses; and
  • convene a judicial conference to discuss how the inquiry will proceed.

More information

For more information, please see the recent memorandum-directions of the Presiding Officer Judge Wara regarding the inquiry which are on the Tribunal’s website.

For further information or assistance with your claim, please see:

Or, please contact:

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