The Māori Land Court
Jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court
Jurisdiction in relation to Māori land
Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, ss 18–20, 131, 237
The Māori Land Court has the power to deal with a range of issues relating to Māori land, including:
- the status of land
- successions (transfer of ownership when an owner dies)
- the selling or gifting (“alienation”) of Māori land
- the administration of Māori land trusts
- Māori land trusts, incorporations and reservations
- partitions (subdivisions) and other title improvements, and
- issuing injunctions to stop something happening or make it happen.
Jurisdiction under other Acts
The Māori Land Court also has jurisdiction to hear cases under:
- the Māori Fisheries Act 2004
- the Māori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004,
- the Family Protection Act 1955
- the Law Reform (Testamentary Promises) Act 1949
- the Government Roading Powers Act 1989
- the Local Government Act 1974
- the Property Law Act 2007, and
- a number of other Acts.
