The Māori Land Court is New Zealand’s oldest and longest established specialist court. We are a unique institution - the only indigenous land court in the world.
Ma tātou whenua e ora, ma te whenua tātou e ora We will care for the land, the land will care for us
Whenua is part of the identity of tangata whenua. It is tūrangawaewae – the place where we come from, the place we belong to, the place we stand.
Our key purpose is to promote the retention of Māori land in Māori hands, and to support landowners to use, occupy and develop their whenua for the benefit of all landowners, and their whānau and hapū.
As a court of record, we are responsible for the accurate documentation of the succession and management of Māori land.
The legislation that enables us to perform this role is Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, which recognises the importance of Māori land as taonga-tuku-iho – of special significance to Māori passed down through generations.
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Tō mātou hītori Our history
As the oldest court in Aotearoa New Zealand, the Māori Land Court has a complex history and has been affected by many shifts in legislation and policy.
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Ā mātou ture Our rules and legislation
The Māori Land Court and the Māori Appellate Court operate under the authority of the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993. Both courts also consider other legislation to ensure that Māori land is treated as taonga-tuku-iho.
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Ngā Kaiwhakawā Our judges
We have a Chief Judge, a Deputy Chief Judge, and 12 judges throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Ō mātou Paepae Our senior leaders
Te Paepae, our leadership team, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of our offices and courts, and administrative support to our judiciary.
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He ratonga kē atu Other services/agencies
We work with various other departments and agencies to support Māori landowners to connect with and realise their aspirations for their whenua.
Hei āwhina
Need help?
Nau mai, haere mai. You can contact us through our new online portal, Pātaka Whenua, or by phone, email, or post.