Overview

The Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry (Wai 2500) will hear all claims involving past military service undertaken directly for or on behalf of the Crown in right of New Zealand or, in earlier colonial times, for or on behalf of the imperial Crown in New Zealand.

This extends to all types of military service, whether operational or routine, whether in time of war or peace, and whether at home or abroad. It includes the military service itself and the rehabilitation and remediation of service-related impacts on ex-service people and their whānau.

There are 109 claims that have been deemed eligible to participate in the inquiry. There are also eight interested parties to the inquiry.

Hearings and events

In 2016 the Tribunal held oral evidence hearings in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Northland, Whakatane, and Christchurch, to hear evidence from surviving ex-servicepeople and their whānau. 

In December 2022 the Tribunal released the Tribunal Statement of Issues, outlining the main issues for the inquiry. The inquiry into these issues will proceed in two stages.

Stage one

Stage one of the Wai 2500 inquiry will focus on claims concerning military service after World War Two, which include operations in Korea and South-East Asia (c.1950-1990s), Antarctic operations, nuclear testing and peacekeeping (c.1950s-2010s), and current Crown policy and practice in relation to concerns raised by Māori ex-servicepeople and their whānau.

The first hearing for stage one was held in Rotorua in June 2023. 

Stage two

Stage two will focus on claims concerning the Second Anglo-Boer War and World War One (c.1890s-1920s), as well as World War Two and the occupation of Japan (c.1930s-1940s).

Tribunal-commissioned research

Following the initial oral evidence hearings, the Tribunal commissioned six research reports which were produced between 2016 and 2020. These are:

• Māori Military Service for the Crown, 1840 – 1899
• An Overview of Māori Military Service for the Crown, 1899 – 1945
• Māori and Military Service for the Crown, 1946 – 2017
• The Economic Rehabilitation of Māori Military Veterans
• Health and Social Impacts of Māori Military Service for the Crown, 1845 – present
• Māori Returned Servicemen and the Omana, Awamate, Huramua, and Rakaukaka Farm Settlements, Gisborne and Wairoa District, 1920 – 1958

Document requests:

For all document requests for this inquiry, including for electronic copies of the above reports, email: WT_Requests@justice.govt.nz

Inquiry requests:

For all inquiry related requests, email: WT.Registrar@justice.govt.nz