Our key purpose is to promote the retention of Māori land in Māori hands, and to support landowners to use, occupy and develop their whenua for the benefit of all landowners, and their whānau and hapū. As a court of record, we are responsible for the accurate documentation of the succession and management of Māori land.
Chief Judge Fox (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Whānau a Apanui) is the 17th
Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court, and the first wahine Māori to hold the role.
“Pātaka Whenua also enables a connectedness that has not existed before – whānau living in across the ditch and further afield will have the same access to the court record, a taonga tuku iho, as those who are able to visit us in person today.”
Ko Kaiwhakawā Matua Fox (nō Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Whānau ā Apanui),
te Kaiwhakawā Matua tekau mā whitu o Te Kooti Whenua Māori, ā, ko ia hoki te
wahine tuatahi ki te whiwhi i tēnei tūranga.
Since the passing of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, our role is to:
promote the retention of Māori land in the hands of its owners, whānau and hapū
facilitate the occupation, development and use of Māori land
ensure that decisions made about Māori land are fair and balanced taking into account the needs of all the owners and their beneficiaries.
It’s not about the backlog, rather it’s the impact that the delays have had on Māori land owners, their whanau and their hapū, as ultimately justice delayed is justice denied.
The new mediation provisions give the Court and Māori land owners a grand opportunity to
define how we will resolve differences for the benefit of whānau, hapū and iwi.
Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu, (with feathers the bird will fly)
Mauri ora
