Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993

Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 is the governing legislation for Māori land.

Last updated: Rāpare, 20 Whiringa ā-nuku, 2022 | Thursday, 20 October 2022

The Act upholds Māori land as a taonga tuku iho, a treasure handed through the generations, with special cultural significance to Māori. It also facilitates the occupation, development and utilisation of that land by its owners and their whānau, hapū and descendants.

You can view the Act on the New Zealand legislation website.

Te Ture Whenua Māori (Succession, Dispute Resolution, and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2020

In August 2020, Te Ture Whenua Māori (Succession, Dispute Resolution, and Related Matters) Amendment Act introduced changes to the Act to better support Māori land owners to connect with and use their whenua. The changes come into force on Waitangi Day, 6 February 2021.

You can find out more about the changes below.

For information about how Te Puni Kōkiri supports whānau through whenua development, go to the Whenua Māori page.

 

Amendments to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993
For an overview of the key changes to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, read and download this booklet.

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Succession
Several changes to the Act will make it easier for whānau to succeed to their Māori land interest.

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Dispute resolution
A new tikanga-based mediation service and other changes will make it easier for parties to resolve disputes about whenua.

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Related matters
Law changes have been made to support access to landlocked land and development of housing on whenua, to improve Māori land trust and incorporation processes, and to help the Māori Land Court function efficiently.

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More about the Bill
Find Cabinet papers and other information supporting the introduction of the Bill in September 2019.

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History of whenua reform
Read about the history of Māori land reforms.

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