The details of the Māori Crown portfolio have been released, after a tumultuous fortnight saw the announcement delayed amid disagreements within the coalition Government.
Crown/Māori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis said today an agency would be created to look over the Government's work with Māori.
"Called the Office for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti (The Bridge), [it] will help facilitate the next step in the Treaty relationship," Mr Davis said.
It will finish Treaty Settlements and Marine and Coastal Area applications, ensure the Crown meets Treaty obligations, develop an engagement model for the Government, and provide leadership on contemporary Treaty issues.
Last week, 1 NEWS understood disagreements within the coalition forced Labour to abandon announcing detail of its Crown-Māori Relations portfolio.
The influence of Winston Peters is also believed to be putting the Prime Minister under pressure from rival MPs.
The Cabinet meeting was a chance for the Government to lay out the detail of its new Crown-Māori portfolio, but in an unusual twist the information didn't follow.
When asked by 1 NEWS if New Zealand First vetoed the establishment of an agency for the Crown-Maori portfolio in the Ministry of Justice, Winston Peters replied: "Well look I can't answer that question 'cause I don't have any recall of that."
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