The Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 introduces new provisions that allow owners of Māori land and water service providers to appeal to the Māori Land Court over decisions about access to Māori land for water infrastructure.
What has changed? The Local Government (Water Services) Act (the Act) has made the following changes to the Māori Land Court’s jurisdiction.
For example, a private mediation appointed by consent under the Act, cannot create an outcome whereby the parties have agreed to a change of status from Māori Land to General Land in their mediated agreement and expect that to be rubber stamped by the Court.
Former Chief Māori Land Court Judge, who then became a Justice of the High Court, ET Durie provided the following analyses of the nature of Māori rights to land; Maori see themselves not as masters of the environment but as members of it.
Documents/Judges-corner-articles/JWI-ACPECT-Presentation-2022.pdf (540 kb)
GENERAL LAND OWNED BY MĀORI General land is a land which is owned by a Māori or by a group of people majority of whom are Māori.
Documents/Guides-Templates-Factsheets/MLC-2023-Glossary-of-terms.pdf (278 kb)
In this context, the current review of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 and Māori land law in general is to be welcomed.
From 1 July 2025, the Māori Land Court fees will increase by 3.65%. The details are set out below.
Documents/Articles/Detailed-list-of-fee-changes.pdf (287 kb)
The changes affect all trusts, including Māori land trusts created through the Māori Land Court (such as ahu whenua, kaitiaki, and whānau trusts) and existing trusts established before the law came into force.
Documents/Guides-Templates-Factsheets/Factsheet-for-landowners-Trustee-Act.pdf (68 kb)
Freehold titles are often divided by partition order. The land retains the status of Māori land. The status of the land will continue to be Māori land unless and until the Māori Land Court makes an order changing the status of the land.
Documents/Guides-Templates-Factsheets/MOJ0217.5E-OCT21-Title-Improvement.pdf (357 kb)
Special fixtures are arranged and advertised in accordance with the provisions of the Mäori Land Court Rules and they may not necessarily be listed in this publication.
Documents/Panui/1002422-Ministry-of-Justice-National-Panui-November-2022-web22.pdf (633 kb)
