Waikato University Law Professor Al Gillespie suggests the Government should look to Canada, Australia and the United States before it responds to the Waitangi Tribunal report on Maori culture and identity.
he says those three countries deal with exactly the same issues that the Crown is about to examine.
Professor Gillespie says there are big questions, such as who would get the money from a medicinal product created from a species on land run by an indigenous community.
He says the landmark findings in the Waitangi Tribunal WAI 262 report pointed out problems, including the number of iwi that are not represented on conservation authorities throughout the motu, or land.
But Professor Gillespie says the report didn't necessarily provide answers.
Through his project studying environmental customs and traditions in different countries, he says he hopes to come up with a set of options for solutions.
