Expression of interest application form
Expression of interest information booklet
Applications must be sent to DRSexpressionofinterest@justice.govt.nz by 5:00pm on Thursday, 30 April 2026.
To support this initiative, the Court has established a dedicated monthly hearing for Fast-Track applications. The process has been designed to help whānau complete trustee changes more quickly, reduce waiting times, and provide a clearer and more efficient pathway through the application process.
To support you through the application process, four plain-language application guides have been developed:
How to apply for succession
How to apply for Partition of Māori freehold land
How to constitute a whānau trust
How to constitute an ahu whenua trust or whenua tōpū trust
These new guides are designed to help you identify the right application to make, understand where to begin, and prepare all the information needed before applying.
Te Kooti Whenua Māori is notifying all owners about the application for confirmation of a sale. Pursuant to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, Sections 147A and 152.
If
the problems cannot be resolved, the landowners can apply
to the MLC to:
• try and resolve issues through mediation using the Court’s
dispute resolution service
• review the terms, operation or other aspects of the trust
• add, replace or remove trustees
• investigate the trust
• enforce the terms of the trust
• vary the terms of the trust
• terminate the trust.
An application to the MLC needs to be filed on the relevant
application form and accompanied by the app...
Any member of the preferred class of alienees who wishes to be considered by the owners as
a prospective purchaser of the land must give written notice of his or her intention to pursue
the right of refusal at the hearing of the application. That written notice must be filed in the
Māori Land Court no later than 4.00pm 22 September 2025.
If the problems cannot be resolved, the landowners
can apply to the Māori Land Court to:
• review the terms, operation, or other aspect of the trust
• add, replace, or remove trustees
• investigate the trust
• enforce the terms of the trust
• vary the terms of the trust
• terminate the trust.
An application to the Māori Land Court needs to be filed
on the relevant application form and accompanied by the
application fee, which is shown on the form.
If the problems cannot be resolved, the landowners
can apply to the Māori Land Court to:
• review the terms, operation, or other aspect of the trust
• add, replace, or remove trustees
• investigate the trust
• enforce the terms of the trust
• vary the terms of the trust
• terminate the trust.
An application to the Māori Land Court needs to be filed
on the relevant application form and accompanied by the
application fee, which is shown on the form.
