Proposals to change the way Māori land is administered will contribute to building a more productive and competitive economy as part of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda, Associate Minister of Māori Affairs Hon Christopher Finlayson says.

“There is huge potential in Māori land that has been held back by flawed legislation and complex regulation,” he says.

In early April, he and Māori Affairs Minister Hon Dr Pita Sharples released a discussion document from Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 Review Panel.

“We want to ensure that Te Ture Whenua Māori Act unlocks the economic potential of Māori land while preserving its cultural significance for future generations,” Minister Finlayson says.

There are over 27,137 blocks of Māori land under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act, comprising 1.42 million hectares, or around 5% of the total land in New Zealand.

Dr Sharples says it is not about telling landowners what to do with their resource, but to ensure that the law governing land use is not detrimental to Māori structures of land ownership.

“Whenua is a cornerstone of our Māori identity. Māori land owners should be supported to develop or retain their resource, in line with the aspirations they have for their own development.”

The focus of the Review Panel’s consideration was the struggle over many generations to find a way to provide for the use and management of what is a communal heritage.

The Panel proposed that landowners who are active in making decisions about their land (for example take part in voting processes) should be empowered to make decisions.

The Panel also proposed:

• Changes to the role of the Māori Land Court.
• Introducing mediation as a first step in Māori land disputes.
• Better alignment of the rules affecting Māori land trusts and incorporations with the rules applying generally.
• Tighter governance arrangements of bodies administering Māori land including allowing for the appointment of third party administrators and managers, to develop the land while protecting the interests of wider beneficiaries.

The expert panel to review Te Ture Whenua Māori Act was announced by Associate Māori Affairs Minister Hon Christopher Finlayson in June last year.

The panel was chaired by lawyer Matanuku Mahuika. Other members were Toko Kapea, Patsy Reddy, and Dion Tuuta.

The ultimate outcome sought is to empower Māori land owners to achieve their aspirations while enabling the better utilisation of their land.

The Panel was asked to make recommendations on what form of legislative intervention might best support the owners of Māori land in reaching their aspirations.

The report was released in early April and submissions closed on 14 June, after a series of 16 hui throughout the country.