Improved succession and dispute resolution core of Ture Whenua changes

  • Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Māori Development

A Bill that proposes targeted changes to simplify the processes for Māori land owners when engaging with the Māori Land Court has had its First Reading today.

“The approach taken by the Government is to ensure that the protection of Māori land remains a priority as we seek to improve how the legislation works for whānau,” says Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta.

“Te Ture Whenua Māori Act has been in operation for over 25 years and continues to provide a sound framework for the way Māori land is governed.” 

“However, we have heard that navigating and complying with the current legislation can be difficult and frustrating, and can discourage owners from taking steps to realise their aspirations for their whenua.”

Te Ture Whenua (Succession, Dispute Resolution, and Related Matters) Amendment Bill will simplify the process for uncontested succession so that such applications will be managed by a Māori Land Court registrar rather than a judge.

The lack of a mediation process is also addressed, with the Bill providing for whānau to resolve disputes about Māori land with the assistance of a mediator and with greater cognisance of tikanga to support a constructive outcome. “Currently disputes can only be heard through a Court process with a Judge and can cause longstanding conflict among whānau,” says Minister Mahuta.

One of the main obstacles to the development of papakāinga housing on Māori reservations will be removed. Enabling a lease or occupation license to be granted for periods longer than the current 14 years will assist whānau obtain funding for papakāinga development.

The Bill will make improvements to the way the Māori Land Court functions, such as allowing a registrar to deal with simple and uncontested applications relating to Māori land trusts. It will also ensure the remedies available to enforce a decision are practical and effective. Other changes will allow the Māori Land Court to hear applications relating to Māori land for matters associated with a range of other legislation.

“The targeted amendments contained in the Bill will enable the Māori Land Court to oversee matters that lead to better protection over whenua Māori,” Minister Mahuta says.

“I am also working on legislation to address issues associated with the rating of Māori land and public works acquisitions, which I intend to introduce later in this Parliamentary term. I am interested in hearing from whānau about what else needs to be done to optimise the use of Māori land, and will set up a process for having these conversations next year” says Minister Mahuta.

The proposed changes are part of the Government’s investment of $56 million over four years for the implementation of the Whenua Māori Programme. The programme is jointly led by Te Puni Kōkiri and the Ministry of Justice.

The Whenua Māori Programme was designed to directly address the issues raised by Māori land owners who face many challenges with accessing and managing their land productively, because the systems in which they have to operate are complex. 

The Programme will support landowners to use their land – take part in its governance and management, and have a say about future growth and opportunities.

Minister Mahuta encourages Māori land owners to make a submission about their experiences managing their whenua.

For more information, go to tpk.nz/whenua

Te whakapaitanga ake o te tuku ihotanga, o te whakatau tautohe hoki te matū o ngā huringa ki Te Ture Whenua

Kua pānuitia tuatahitia i tēnei rā tētahi Pire e arotahi ana ki ngā huringa e whakamāmā ana i ngā tukanga mā ngā kaipupuri whenua Māori e toro atu nei ki te Kōti Whenua Māori.

“Ko te huarahi i whāia e te Kāwanatanga ko te mātua whakarite ka noho matua tonu te haumarutanga o te whenua Māori i a mātou e whai ana ki te whakapiki i te hua o te ture ki te whānau.”

Kua neke atu i te rua tekau mā rima tau te Ture Whenua Māori e tū ana, ka mutu, he āhuatanga pakari tonu mō te āhuatanga o te whakahaere whenua Māori” te kī a te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, a Nanaia Mahuta.

“Heoi anō, kua puta te rongo he uaua te kimi i ngā ara tika hei whai, otirā, he mahi uaua, mahi pōkaikaha hoki te whakatutuki i ngā herenga o te ture o nāianei, e aukati ana i te whakatutukinga wawata a ngā kaipupuri mō tō rātou whenua.”

Mā Te Ture Whenua Māori (Succession, Dispute Resolution and Related Matters) Amendment Bill e whakamāmā ake te tukanga mō te tuku ihotanga kāore e tohea ana, kia whakahaeretia kētia ēnei tono e te kairēhita o te Kōti Whenua Māori, kaua mā te kaiwhakawā.

Kua whakatikangia hoki te korenga o te tukanga takawaenga, ā, mā te Pire e tautoko ngā whānau ki te whakatau i ngā tohe whenua Māori mā te whakarite kaitakawaenga e matatau ana ki ngā tikanga e puta ai ngā hua tōtika.  I tēnei wā ka rangona ngā tautohe i mua i te aroaro o te Kōti, he tukanga whai Kaiwhakawā, mā konei pea ka nui ake, ka roa hoki ngā raruraru i waenga i te whānau,” te kōrero a Minita Mahuta.

Ka tangohia hoki tētahi o ngā aukatinga matua ki te whakawhanaketanga o ngā whare papakāinga i runga i te whenua Māori. Kia whakaaetia te rīhi, te raihana noho rānei neke atu i te tekau mā whā tau; he āwhina tēnei i te whānau ki te kimi pūtea hei whakawhanake i te papakāinga.

Ka whakatikatikangia ake e te Pire te āhua o ngā mahi a Te Kōti Whenua Māori, pērā ki te tuku i te mana ki te kairēhita hei whakatikatika i ngā tono māmā, kāore hoki e tohea, e pā ana ki ngā kaitiaki whenua Māori. Ka whakatauhia hoki he whai tikanga, he whai hua hoki ngā rongoā e wātea ana ki te whakamana i tētahi whakatau. Mā te Pire e āhei ai te Kōti Whenua Māori te rongo ki ngā tono e whai pānga ana ki ētahi atu take whenua Māori e pā ana ki ētahi atu momo ture.

“Mā ēnei huringa i roto te Pire e tuku mana ki Te Kōti Whenua Māori ki te tirotiro i ngā take, e whakapakari ake ai hoki i ngā mahi tiaki i te whenua Māori,” te kī a Minita Mahuta.

“Kei te mahi hoki au i runga i ngā ture ki te whiriwhiri i ngā take reiti whenua Māori me ngā murunga whenua tūmatanui ka whakatakotoria e au i tēnei wāhanga Pāremata ā taihoa ake nei. Kei te hiahia rongo mai hoki au i ngā whānau mō ētahi atu mahi e tika ana kia mahia e whakapiki anō i te whakamahinga o te whenua Māori, ka whakarite tukanga au hei te tau hou kia pai ai te kōrerotanga o aua kōrero” te kī a Minita Mahuta.

He wāhanga ngā huringa o te whakapau pūtea a te Kāwanatanga $56 miriona i ngā tau e whā e tū mai nei mō te whakatinanatanga o te Hōtaka Whenua Māori. E whakahaeretia ngātahitia ana e Te Puni Kōkiri me te Tāhū o te Ture.

The Whenua Māori Programme was designed to directly address the issues raised by Māori land owners who face many challenges with accessing and managing their land productively, because the systems in which they have to operate are complex. 

I whakahoahoatia te Hōtaka Whenua Māori kia hāngai tonu ki ngā nawe a ngā kaipupuri whenua Māori e tukituki ana ki ngā wero ki te whakamahi, ki te whakahaere hoki i ō rātou whenua kia whai hua, i runga i te mea he whīwhiwhi ngā pūnaha mahi kei reira rātou e mahi ana.   

Ka tautoko te Hōtaka i ngā kaipupuri whenua ki te whakamahi i tō rātou whenua - te whai wāhi atu ki tōna poari, otirā, ki tōna whakaherenga, me te whai wāhi atu anō hoki ki te whakaputa kōrero mō tōna whakatipu me ngā huarahi o te āpōpō.

Kei te tino whakatenatena a Minita Mahuta i ngā kaipupuri whenua Māori ki te tuku kōrero mai e pā ana ki ō rātou wheako e whakahaere ana i tō rātou whenua.

Mō ētahi atu kōrero, toro atu ki tpk.nz/whenua