District Inquiries

The Tribunal's strategy of grouping claims for research and hearing is based on the division of the country into 37 inquiry districts. Forward programmes are drawn up showing when each district will be researched and prepared for hearing.

When determining the order by which inquiry districts are to be brought onto the hearing programme, the Tribunal has regard to:

• the priority that it has accorded districts with a raupatu element;
• the readiness of the claimants to proceed;
• whether there are any overlaps with districts already under research or in hearing;
• the findings of the Rangahaua Whanui National Overview regarding the comparative degree and history of land and resource losses;
• the preference of the claimants to go through the Tribunal process (where that is known); and
• the presence of any other relevant factors.