be returned to Māori ownership. The Tribunal can register the claim of any Māori with a grievance against a policy, practice, act, or omission of the Crown. The Tribunal is not required to check that a claimant has a mandate from any group, but it may refuse to inquire into a claim that is considered to be frivolous or vexatious. The Tribunal process is inquisitorial, not adversarial. It seeks to get to the truth of the matter. The aim is to determine whether a claim is well founded. Tribunal members The Tribunal may have a chairperson and up to 20 members at any one time. Members are appointed by the Governor-General on behalf of the Queen on the recommendation of the Minister of Māori Affairs in consultation with the Minister of Justice, for a renewable term of up to three years. For specific inquiries, a panel is composed of three to seven members, at least one of whom must be Māori. The chairperson of the Waitangi Tribunal can also appoint a Māori Land Court judge to act as presiding officer. This panel is then known as the Tribunal for that inquiry, e.g. the Central North Island Tribunal or the Taranaki Tribunal. As of September 2021, the membership of the Tribunal was: Chairperson Chief Judge Wilson Isaac, Chief Judge Māori Land Court Deputy Chairperson''' Judge Patrick Savage, Māori Land Court Other Māori Land Court judges Ordinary members Dr Robyn Anderson, historian Ron Crosby, lawyer Derek Fox Prof Susy Frankel Dr Paul Hamer Prof Rawinia Higgins, academic Dr Ruakere Hond, academic Prue Kapua, lawyer Prof Sir Hirini Moko Mead KNZM, academic Basil Morrison CNZM, former Local Politician and President of Local Government New Zealand Kim Ngarimu, consultant Dr Hana O'Regan Dr Ann Parsonson, historian Dr Grant Phillipson, historian Kevin Prime Dr Thomas Roa, Kaumatua Tania Simpson, Policy Advisor Prof Linda Tuhiwai Smith CNZM, academic Dr Monty Soutar ONZM, historian Prof Sir Pou Temara KNZM, academic The Waitangi Tribunal Unit The Waitangi Tribunal Unit is a special jurisdiction unit of the Ministry of Justice which provides support and services necessary for the Tribunal to do its work. Approximately 60 full-time staff work at the Tribunal, who are divided into the research, corporate and support services, claims and registration, report writing, and editorial teams. See also Treaty of Waitangi Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements Office of Treaty Settlements New Zealand Wars New Zealand