Changes to the Māori Land Court Rules 2011 will come into effect on 30 April 2026, through the Māori Land Court Amendment Rules 2026. These changes will help Māori landowners to progress their issues before the court.

The Māori Land Court Rules help the court to operate effectively and efficiently. Some rules set out the procedure the court or registrar must follow, while others set out the procedure applicants must follow (such as where and how documents must be filed). 

The Māori Land Court Rules Committee is responsible for reviewing and keeping the Rules up to date. In 2025, the Rules Committee met several times to discuss proposed changes to the Rules and agreed to changes in early 2026. These changes were agreed to by Cabinet in March 2026.

Amendments were required to modernise the Rules, to provide for matters related to new jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court and the Māori Appellate Court, and to facilitate the business of the court and the administration of justice in the court. This includes amendments to recognise technological changes in Court processes (including filing applications and documents online) and provisions covering the closure of courts in the case of a civil emergency or epidemic.

Other changes cover gaps in the Rules to set out the procedure where the court is dealing with applications that relate to the court’s newer jurisdiction, either under Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 (the Act) or other legislation. For instance, when the Act was amended by a 2020 Amendment Act, a new part was inserted relating to dispute resolution (Part 3A). This allows parties to a dispute involving matters within the Māori Land Court’s jurisdiction (with certain exceptions) to ask the Registrar to refer a matter to mediation. If there are court proceedings and an issue arises that could be resolved through mediation, the Judge may also (with the consent of parties) refer the matter to mediation.

The new dispute resolution provisions included provisions relating to the appointment of non-judicial mediators that were to commence by Order in Council. These provisions require the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice to compile a list of mediators and allow for the appointment of mediators. Parties to a dispute that can be mediated under Part 3A of the Act will be able to agree to a mediator from that list or, in certain circumstances set out in the Act and Rules, a mediator who is not on the list may be appointed. This is in addition to the option of mediation by a judge, which has been permitted under the Act since the coming into force of the relevant amendments in 2021.

The Order in Council commencing the provisions for the appointment of non-judicial mediators was made on 30 March 2026. The Ministry of Justice is calling for expressions of interest for non-judicial mediators from 2 April until 5pm, 30 April 2026.

More information

Māori Land Court Dispute Resolution Service | Māori Land Court  

Te Ture Whenua Māori Amendment Act 2020 Commencement Order 2026

Māori Land Court Amendment Rules 2026 and Māori Land Court Rules 2011