ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to identify some of the trends that are apparent now and comment on how they might form part of the context in which the Treaty is interpreted in the future. It examines some of the legacies of the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process on how the Crown–Maori Treaty relationship might practically manifest itself. The imminent end of the historic Treaty settlement process will inevitably entail a renewed forward-looking focus, including navigating the ways in which the Maori and Crown Treaty relationship should be reflected. The settlement process is a landmark development in New Zealand history and from it flow particular impacts: some good, some bad, and some unintended. The chapter discusses two areas that are likely to be particularly relevant going forward, including inequality and the disproportionate number of Maori that feature across negative statistics, and constitutional reform. The resolution of Treaty settlements has been a time-consuming and extremely challenging process for Maori.
