Māori land

Te Kooti Whenua Māori Māori Land Court

The Māori Land Court is the court that hears matters relating to Maori land.  It plays an important role in the administration of Maori land, in accordance with the provisions of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 (the Act).

The Māori Land Court helps Māori landowners to promote the retention, use, development and control of Māori land as taonga tuku iho by Māori owners, their whānau, their hapū and their descendants.

Māori Land Court website

Māori Land Trusts

A land trust is a group of people nominated by landowners/shareholders to manage their land block or shares. In the Māori Land Court a trust is known as a management structure. Under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, there are 5 types of trusts.

Māori land trusts on the Māori Land Court website

Setting up a Māori Land Trust

Landowners/shareholders can set up a trust by nominating trustees to manage their property or interests. The process is the same for all types of trusts, with the exception of Kaitiaki trusts.

You can download a booklet on Māori land trusts from the Māori Land Court’s website. You can choose a Māori or English language version.

Booklets on Māori land trusts from the Māori Land Court website 

General land information

Helpful land information is available through Land Information New Zealand.  This includes property title or other land records, land registration, cadastral survey information and standards.

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) website