I must agree that this is a likely possibility.
Reporting of negotiations by one or the other side during negotiations is a negotiation ploy to put the other side on the defensive.
Government quiet because they do not want to sabotage the negotiations by reporting that natives are demanding too much or that the government is told to keep quiet under threat of natives walking away.

There is also the possibility that negotiations are not going well and both sides being not competent are both keeping quiet lest they be seen with egg on their face.

I lean to the natives being most of the cause. Tell tale sign is the four communities E/W road study, why is it so long in coming. Having been given money for the study more $s is waited for, why else for the delay?

One thing that we all could agree on, these negotiations are taking way too long and are too costly to the public, also mentioning to investors of the Ring.