Two types of Māori land are defined - Māori freehold land and Māori customary land.
As a result, from time to time the Māori Land Court receives applications to extend existing urupā, or to set aside Māori freehold land, or sometimes General land owned by Māori, as new urupā reservations.
The Māori Land Court In 2003, the Minister of Māori Affairs applied to the Māori Land Court for an inquiry pursuant to s 29 TTWMA as to successors to the four remaining SILNA blocks.
Other status types As this update is specifically for Māori Customary Land and Māori Freehold Land it excludes the following land status types that fall within the jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court: Crown Land Crown Land Reserved for Māori General Land (which maybe vested in a Māori Land Trust) General Land Owned by Māori (which maybe vested in a Māori Land
Documents/Maori-Land-Updates/Maori-Land-Update-2014.pdf (572 kb)
Other status types As this update is specifically for Māori Customary Land and Māori Freehold Land it excludes the following land status types that fall within the jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court: Crown Land Crown Land Reserved for Māori General Land (which maybe vested in a Māori Land Trust) General Land Owned by Māori (which maybe vested in a Māori Land
Documents/Maori-Land-Data/Maori-Land-Update-2014.pdf (572 kb)
Judges acting as mediators Kaiwhakawā Wilson Isaac Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu Judge Wilson Isaac was appointed to the Māori Land Court in March 1994. He was appointed as Deputy Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court in 1999 and the Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court, and Chair of the Waitangi Tribunal in August 2009.
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.
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.
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.
The Act also allows for appeals to the Māori Appellate Court in relation to decisions of the Māori Land Court around access to Māori land for water infrastructure.
