June 02, 2015
Bill to free up Maori land
Consultation started today on the biggest reform of Maori land law in a generation.
Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa says after two years of consultation on a general overview of what is needed, what he’s calling an exposure draft of the new legislation is being taken out for comment.
The bill will then be introduced to parliament and sent to a select committee, which will hold further consultation.
He says the general view is that Te Ture Whenua Maori Act creates obstacles to developing Maori land.
"So on one side we have got iwi desire to make the land they have more able to be used and on the other side a clear understanding by the government that because there are vast tracts of Maori land that haven’t been used and cannot be used, a desire to change the law," he says.
Te Ururoa Flavell says the proposed new law is guided by the principles of giving whanau and hapu more control of their land while also protecting it from sale.
There’s a hui this evening at the Quality Hotel Lincoln Green in west Auckland, followed by hui in Tauranga and Whakatane tomorrow, Whangarei on Thursday and Kaikohe on Friday.
Find out more about the hui here
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