Another 60 historical treaty claims have to be settled before the process is complete, a hui called to find ways to speed it up was told today.
"The good news is that half of those are currently in the negotiation process," Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson said.
"But it is clear that we cannot reach our goal of 2014 using nothing but the existing methods - we need a dramatic increase in the rate of settlements to achieve that."
Prime Minister John Key said the process needed to become more flexible if the goal was to he achieved.
"Breaches of the treaty by actions of the Crown have caused great harm to Maori. It is time those breaches were dealt with and the wounds they have caused were healed," he told the hui.
"I am impatient to see all Maori standing strong, economically independent and fulfilling their true potential. I see the completion of historical treaty settlements as an essential part of achieving that."
Mr Key said many parts of the settlement process were working well and would not be interfered with and there would be no fundamental policy re-think.
"Even so, there are certainly areas where experience suggests we can do much better."
Finance Minister Bill English said there would be more money for the settlement process in his May 28 budget.
He also told the hui that because the Government was strapped for cash, future settlements were likely to be made up combinations of money and assets.
The Government called the hui in Auckland to consider ways to achieve its 2014 goal for settling all historical claims.
Opposition parties are sceptical and say it can't be done without compromising the process.
About 120 Maori leaders, representing 60 claimant groups, attended the hui.
Ministers put up seven "potential options" to speed up the process:
* More use of mediation at an early stage, particularly in relation to mandates and overlapping claim disputes;
* Providing more support and information to iwi;
* Encouraging iwi to form groups so they could enter negotiations together;
* More transparency around who the Crown intends negotiating with;
* More use of Crown-funded facilitators and more senior chief negotiators;
* A reduced role for the Crown in the allocation of settlements, with iwi making decisions; and
* Streamlining the legislative process to reduce delays.
Mr Key emphasised the high priority the Government placed on settling claims and said the Government was prepared to provide more resources.
