Update! Significant changes to draft Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill reported…

Many Māori land owners will be aware that the important Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill is being drafted at the moment.

It has been reported that following public consultation the Government has made significant changes to the draft Bill. As reported, these changes include:

1. That existing Māori incorporations and trusts should have the option to retain their current governance model or change to the Bill’s new rangatopu model.
2. Whanau will no longer be required to set up a whanau trust where a Māori landowner dies intestate, and individuals can obtain succession to the land.
3. The Māori Land Court will have greater discretion when hearing applications to remove the status of Māori freehold land.
4. The proposal to allow the Māori Land Service to appoint external managers (managing kaiwhakarite) for Māori freehold land has been removed.

The full text of the amended draft Bill has not been released. The Government has said it will continue to consult with stakeholders to further develop the Bill, and plans to introduce the Bill to Parliament in March 2016.

The Waitangi Tribunal will shortly hold a hearing about whether some of the changes proposed in the Bill breach the Treaty of Waitangi.

Whether the Tribunal hearing process will affect Te Ture Whenua Māori reform is not yet clear.

We will keep you advised of further key developments relating to the Bill and the proposed reforms to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.