Business Unit Introduction

Under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975, the Ministry of Justice is charged with providing support and other services necessary to enable the Waitangi Tribunal to carry out its work. It does this through the Waitangi Tribunal Business Unit. While the Tribunal itself is part of the judiciary, and therefore independent of the Crown, the Waitangi Tribunal Business Unit staff are employees of the Ministry of Justice.

The director of the business unit, as well as having statutory roles and duties, is the department's senior operational manager responsible for the delivery of services to the Tribunal. The director reports to the general manager, special jurisdictions, who is directly accountable to the chief executive for the overall governance of the Waitangi Tribunal Business Unit. 

The business unit carries out many functions for the Tribunal, ranging from providing financial and administrative support services to registering claims, conducting and analysing research, liaising with claimants, running hearings, and assisting in the writing and production of reports. 

Although business unit staff are the most frequent point of contact that claimants have with the Tribunal, the staff cannot bind the Tribunal itself. The Waitangi Tribunal Business Unit currently has a staff of about 50.