Te Puni Kōkiri administers Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 (the Māori Land Act), which enables the legal processes related to whenua Māori. In August 2020, Te Ture Whenua Māori (Succession, Dispute Resolution, and Related Matters) Amendment Act introduced changes to the Act to better support Māori land owners to connect with and use their whenua. The changes come into force on Waitangi Day, 6 February 2021.
Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 upholds Māori land as a taonga tuku iho, a treasure handed through the generations, with special cultural significance to Māori. The Act facilitates the occupation, development and utilisation of that land by its owners and their whānau, hapū and descendants.
You can view the Act on the legislation website.
Te Ture Whenua Māori (Succession, Dispute Resolution, and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2020
Recognising Te Ture Whenua Māori Act could work better for whānau, some targeted and practical changes were made in August 2020 to reduce the complexity and compliance that Māori land owners encounter when dealing with the Māori Land Court about their whenua.
The following pages set out the major law changes for whānau, land owners, governance entities and the Māori Land Court. These changes come into effect on Waitangi Day, 6 February 2021.
