Māori Land Court Rules updates came into effect on 30 April 2026.
Changes to the Māori Land Court Rules 2011 took effect on 30 April 2026. These updates, made through the Māori Land Court Amendment Rules 2026, are designed to make it easier for Māori landowners and whānau to engage with the Court and have their matters dealt with efficiently and fairly.
The Māori Land Court Rules Committee reviewed the Rules throughout 2025 to ensure they support the Court’s current and future work. The Committee agreed to the final changes in early 2026, and Cabinet approved them in March 2026.
Why and how the Rules are changing
The Rules set out how the Court operates – including what the Court and Registrars must do, and what applicants and other parties need to do when filing applications and documents. As part of changes, it was recognised that amendments were needed to update and modernise them, specifically to provide for matters arising from new jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court and to facilitate the business of the court.
The amendments also address newer types of applications the Court may consider under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 and other legislation.
A key area of change is dispute resolution. Amendments made to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 in 2020, allowed certain disputes within the Court’s jurisdiction to be resolved through mediation. These provisions allow the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice to establish a list of approved mediators. Parties may choose a mediator from this list, or, in some circumstances, agree on another suitable mediator. These mediation pathways support early, constructive resolution of disputes in ways that reflect tikanga Māori and help whānau move forward together.
The Amendment Rules also introduce changes to the forms used by the court. New and amended forms are now available on the Ngā puka tono (Application forms) page of the Maōri Land Court website. These new and updated forms need to be used for all future applications. The updated forms are not currently available for use in Pātaka Whenua and required Pātaka Whenua updates are currently being worked through.
All Court users are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the changes to the Rules, and to reach out to one of our district offices for any support required.
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