Māori Purposes Bill receives first reading today

The Māori Purposes Bill, which received its first reading in the House today, will make improvements to the Māori Trusts Boards Act, the Māori Fisheries Act, and legislation affecting the estate of Pukepuke Tangiora, as well as a number of technical amendments to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act, said Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples.

"The existing Māori Trusts Boards Act has a paternalistic level of accountability to the Minister of Maori Affairs," said Dr Sharples. "This Bill will make Trust Boards more accountable to their beneficial owners, requiring Trust Boards to hold an Annual General Meeting and enabling them to appoint their own auditors, instead of the Auditor-General reporting to the Minister.

"It will also amend provisions of the Māori Fisheries Act to enable the transfer of assets from a Mandated Iwi Organisation to another entity that represents the same set of beneficiaries.

"Legislation affecting the estate of Pukepuke Tangiora will also be amended, to remove Crown involvement in the administration of the estate and extend the distribution period for the estate.

"Through these amendments we should see improvements for Māori, such as greater accountability of Māori Trusts Boards to their constituents, reduced fragmentation of governance arrangements within iwi, and reduced Crown involvement in the administration of the Pukepuke Tangiora estate.

"Together the amendments support our drive towards Maori decision-making over their own affairs," said Dr Sharples.

More information about the Māori Purposes Bill can be found at: www.tpk.govt.nz/en/consultation/reform