In 2005 the Government provided over $30 million over a five year period to fund the Māori Freehold Land Project in a joint venture between the Māori Land Court, LINZ, the Ministry of Justice and TPK to ensure the registration of all Māori freehold land titles and orders with LINZ.
This is the reason why the Māori Freehold Land Registration project was so important.
Changes also strengthen the protections for Māori land. For example, when whenua is changed from Māori customary land to Māori freehold land, the interests of the owners will not be individualised.
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
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
Documents/Maori-Land-Data/Maori-Land-Update-2014.pdf (572 kb)
1 Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Māori Agribusiness in New Zealand: A study of the Māori Freehold Land Resource, March 2011; and Te Puni Kokiri, Ko ngā Tūmanako o ngā Tāngata Whai Whenua Māori – Owner Aspirations Regarding the Utilisation of Māori Land, April 2011.
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.
For a full explanation, please refer to either the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 | Māori Land Act 1993 or the Māori Land Court Rules 2011 SECTION DESCRIPTION 4/55 Governor-General in council may declare land to be a Māori reserve 6/1983 Determine succession to Titi Islands lands (order) 12/75 Determination of ownership of taonga tūturu found 18(1)(a)/93 Exercise general jurisdiction of court 18(1)(b)/93 Determine the relat...
Documents/Panui/National-Panui-February-2026-Revised.pdf (2.5 mb)
For a full explanation, please refer to either the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 | Māori Land Act 1993 or the Māori Land Court Rules 2011 SECTION DESCRIPTION 4/55 Governor-General in council may declare land to be a Māori reserve 6/1983 Determine succession to Titi Islands lands (order) 12/75 Determination of ownership of taonga tūturu found 18(1)(a)/93 Exercise general jurisdiction of court 18(1)(b)/93 Determine the relat...
For a full explanation, please refer to either the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 | Māori Land Act 1993 or the Māori Land Court Rules 2011 SECTION DESCRIPTION 4/55 Governor-General in council may declare land to be a Māori reserve 6/1983 Determine succession to Titi Islands lands (order) 12/75 Determination of ownership of taonga tūturu found 18(1)(a)/93 Exercise general jurisdiction of court 18(1)(b)/93 Determine the relat...
