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Māori Land Update –
Ngā Āhuatanga o te whenua
June 2025 | Hune 2025
This update is issued by the Office of the Chief Registrar, Māori Land Court | Te Kooti Whenua Māori
to provide key statistics on Māori land, including the number and total area of Māori Customary Land
(MCL) and Māori Freehold Land (MFL) blocks, and how many of these are managed by trusts or
incorporations versus those that are not.
You will also need to be clear what the plan is for building on
the land, including who the housing is for.
Contact a Māori Land Court offices for further information
about building on Māori land.
Good governance is the key From the experiences of Māori Land Court Judges, good governance is the key to effective utilisation of Māori land held in multiple ownership.
This form may be used to apply to the Court to confirm one or more resolutions passed by owners in Māori Freehold
Land or General Land owned by Māori who together are members of the same family and who have taken the
opportunity to meet together following a family gathering (such as tangi, wedding or reunion).
1 CJ Media statement, “Note from Chief Justice Winkelmann” released 25 March 2020. 2 Māori Land Court COVID-19 Court protocol as at 23 March 2020. 3 Māori Land Court COVID-19 Court protocol as at 20 April 2020. 4 Māori Land Court COVID-19 Court protocol as at 12 May 2020.
SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT Dated: / /
For more information visit www.māorilandcourt.govt.nz
MĀORI LAND COURT CONTACT DETAILS
This application may be lodged with the Registrar at any office of the Māori Land Court.
Now, landowners and other court users can choose to resolve
disputes related to Māori land through a free tikanga-based
dispute resolution service provided by the Māori Land Court.
She was sworn in as the Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court in August 2023. Her appointment to this role marks the first time since 1865 that a woman has led the Māori Land Court bench.
What you need to know:
• You can include Māori land, general land, or both.
• You can include land regardless of its location (for example, the blocks do not need to be
located next to each other)
