Māori Law Review

Bisson v Otaraua Hapū Management Committee - Estate of Alayna Waimana Clark

Māori Land Court (2021) 431 Aotea MB 108 (431 AOT 108)

30 April 2021

Unsuccessful application from the Otaraua Hapū Management Committee (“Otaraua”) for the Court to adjourn for two weeks the making of succession orders so Otaraua could consider its position. The succession orders sought by the applicants were to give effect to a settlement of High Court litigation about the deceased's estate.

Download Bisson v Otaraua Hapū Management Committee - Estate of Alayna Waimana Clark (241 KB PDF) read more

A Long Time Coming: The story of Ngāi Tahu's treaty settlement negotiations with the Crown

Martin Fisher

Canterbury University Press, 2020 (ISBN 978-1-98-850311-0)

Reviewed by Dr Carwyn Jones

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Ngā ture o ngā iwi taketake - Rights of Indigenous peoples

Wishes are not laws - McGirt v Oklahoma – one of the most important US Supreme Court cases of all time? - Stephen Young

Te Kōti Matua – High Court

Judicial review - interim orders refused - Deed of Settlement ceremony - Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board v Attorney-General [2021] NZHC 580 - Zoe Rose-Curnow

Te Kōti Pīra Māori – Māori Appellate Court

2021 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

2020 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

Te Kōti Whenua Māori – Māori Land Court

Chief Judge's powers - succession - whāngai - bloodline connection - King v Te Aretoa - Succession to Puti Green (2021) Chief Judge's MB 132 (2021 CJ 132) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Chief Judge's powers - succession order amended - Ellison v Jones - Estate of Daniel Ellison (2021) Chief Judge’s MB 150 (2021 CJ 150) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Status of land - refusal to change status - no whakapapa connection - Toia - Section 67 Town of Tokatoka (2021) 227 Taitokerau MB 226 (227 TTK 226) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Alienation - gift - assessment of fair value - Lett - Waipu 4A3E1 and others (2021) 431 Aotea MB 100 (431 AOT 100) - Craig Linkhorn

Trusts - enforcement of trustee obligations - Stowers v Short - Tumu Kaituna 14 (2021) 251 Waiāriki MB 144 (251 WAR 144) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Māori Reservation - trustee removal - non-attendance at meetings -Tait v Kruger - Tauarau Block (2021) 252 Waiariki MB 180 (252 WAR 180) - Craig Linkhorn

2021 Māori Land Court judgments - index

2020 Māori Land Court judgments - index

Te Rōpū Whakamana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Waitangi Tribunal

Waitangi Tribunal procedure – urgent inquiry declined – Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 - Wai 3007, #2.5.5 - Zoe Rose-Curnow

Ngā Whakaturetanga - Legislation

Easing the way for dedicated Māori local government representation - Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 - Andrew Geddis

Print version

Download the Māori Law Review April 2021 (491 KB PDF)

McGirt v Oklahoma 

Supreme Court of the United States 140 S.Ct 2452 (2020)

9 July 2020

Stephen Young discusses the United States Supreme Court case of McGirt v Oklahoma, where the State of Oklahoma was found not to have jurisdiction to convict Jimcy McGirt for crimes committed on a Creek Reservation.

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Māori Land Court (2021) 431 Aotea MB 100 (431 AOT 100)

30 April 2021

The Court adjourned an application for a vesting order to give effect to a proposed gift of interests in land, directing that further evidence be provided. The decision explains the Court's role in assessing the fair value of land proposed to be gifted.

Download Lett - Waipu 4A3E1 and others (264 KB PDF) read more

Māori Land Court (2021) 252 Waiariki MB 180 (252 WAR 180)

21 April 2021

The Court declined to remove trustees where removal was sought for failure to attend trustee meetings. There was a particular context to the present dispute the Court took account of concerning different viewpoints about using the mechanism of a Māori reservation operating under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.

Download Tait v Kruger - Tauarau Block (303 KB PDF) read more

The Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board v Attorney-General

High Court [2021] NZHC 580

19 March 2021

Unsuccessful application for interim orders by the Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board to prevent the imminent signing of the Deed of Settlement between the Crown and the Ngāti Pāoa Iwi Trust.

Download Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board v Attorney-General (230 KB PDF).

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Māori Land Court (2021) 251 Waiāriki MB 144 (251 WAR MB 144)

13 April 2021

Application seeking to enforce the obligations of the trustees of Tumu Kaituna 14. The Court found that the trustees had breached their duties by failing to hold trustee elections to fill a vacant trustee position. Court ordered trustees to hold an election to fill the position. 

Download Stowers v Short - Tumu Kaituna 14 (243 KB PDF) read more

Ahorangi Professor Andrew Geddis discusses the establishment of dedicated Māori local government representation, and the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 enacted under urgency in 2021.
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Māori Land Court (2021) Chief Judge's MB 132 (2021 CJ 132)

16 March 2021

Application to amend succession orders dismissed. The applicant did not establish any error of law.

Download: King v Te Aretoa - Succession to Puti Green (408 KB PDF)
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Toia - Section 67 Town of Tokatoka

Māori Land Court (2021) 227 Taitokerau MB 226 (227 TTK 226)

26 March 2021

Application to change status of land from General land to Māori Freehold land dismissed. No evidence a change in status would result in remit of rates and no whakapapa connection.

Download Toia - Section 67 Town of Tokatoka (213 KB PDF)  read more

Decision on application for an urgent hearing

Waitangi Tribunal (Wai 3007, #2.5.5)

12 March 2021

Application declined for an urgent inquiry into forfeiture orders granted by the High Court over four properties and into the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

Download Decision on application for an urgent hearing (531 KB, PDF). read more

Te Kōti Pīra – Court of Appeal

Chief Judge's powers - order varying trust annulled - upheld on further appeal - Inia v Julian [2020] NZCA 423 - Zoe Rose-Curnow

Te Kōti Matua – High Court

Arbitration - determining whakapapa not arbitrable and inconsistent with tikanga - Ngawaka v Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai Ki Aotea Trust Board [2021] NZHC 291 - Craig Linkhorn

Te Kōti Pīra Māori – Māori Appellate Court

Procedural error - substantive directions without jurisdiction - Te Maari v Hamon Lot 5 Deposited Plan South Auckland 15580 (Mangakino Pouākani Marae) [2021] Māori Appellate Court MB 10 (2021 APPEAL 10) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

2021 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

2020 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

Te Kōti Whenua Māori – Māori Land Court

Injunction - co-owner rights - MacDonald v MacDonald - Wairau Block XII Section 6C 2C (2021) 69 Te Waipounamu MB 251 (69 TWP 251) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Chief Judge's powers - succession - whāngai - ōhākī - Rata - Paretuaoroa Paretekorae and Haki Rata (2021) Chief Judge’s MB 106 (2021 CJ MB 106) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Procedure - transfer proceedings to the High Court - Huata v Gotty – Lot 2 Deposited Plan 1996 (formerly Mangaroa 26N2 Block) (2021) 87 Tākitimu MB 251 (87 TKT 251-257) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Procedure - leave to appeal - interim injunction not a provisional or preliminary determination - Stanley v Committee of Management for Maraeroa C Incorporation (2021) 217 Waikato Maniapoto MN 242-249 (217 WMN 242-249) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Partition - granted - house building purpose - Couch - Rāpaki Māori Reservation 875 Section 8B1 (2021) 69 Te Waipounamu MB 235 (69 TWP 235) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Succession - application for rehearing - whāngai entitled to succeed -Paenga v Te Maari - succession to Eileen Te Atakura Kingi (2020) 425 Aotea MB 248 (425 AOT 248) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Trusts - injunction - removal of trustees - barring further proceedings -Taueki v Proctor - Horowhenua 11 (Lake) Block (2020) 415 Aotea MB 1 (415 AOT 1) - Sam Taylor

Trusts - removal of trustees - breach of trust - interim trustee appointed - Hutcheson v Clarkson - Mangamaire B No 2 Block (2020) 86 Tākitimu MB 283 (86 TTK 283) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Māori Incorporations - conflict of interest - maintenance of records - Kani v MacDonald - Waimārama 3A6B6B (2021) 88 Tākitimu MB 148 (88 TKT 148) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

2021 Māori Land Court judgments - index

2020 Māori Land Court judgments - index

Te Rōpū Whakamana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Waitangi Tribunal

Ngā whakataunga tiriti - overlapping claims - Hauraki Settlement Overlapping Claims Inquiry (Wai 2840, 2020) - Zoe Rose-Curnow

Ngā whakahaere rauemi - natural resource management

Māori interests in natural resource management - latter half of 2020 in review - Dave Randal, Chelsea Easter, Avikesh Chandra, Manahi Moana, Honor Kelly, and Eilís Donnelly

Sir Edward Taihakurei Durie student essay competition 2020

Interrogating Ellis v The Queen: Tikanga Māori in the common law of Aotearoa New Zealand - Elliott Harris

Print version

Download the Māori Law Review March 2021 (491 KB PDF)

Ngawaka v Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai Ki Aotea Trust Board

High Court [2021] NZHC 291

26 February 2021

Successful application to set aside the referral of whakapapa issues to arbitration. The Court found that it would not be consistent with tikanga Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai ki Aotea for an external arbitrator to determine whakapapa. Rather it was for the kaumātua of Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai ki Aotea to decide.

Download Ngawaka v Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai Ki Aotea Trust Board (537 KB PDF).

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Māori Land Court (2021) 217 Waikato Maniapoto MN 242-249 (217 WMN 242-249)

19 March 2021

Application for leave to appeal a decision under s 59 of the Act relating to an interim injunction dismissed. The decision was not a preliminary or provisional determination and therefore the Court did not have jurisdiction to grant leave for an appeal under s 59. 

Download: Stanley v Committee of Management for Maraeroa C Incorporation (241 KB PDF) read more

Māori Land Court (2020) 415 Aotea MB 1 (414 AOT 1)

11 May 2020

A judgment regarding applications for an interim injunction, the removal of trustees from the Horowhenua 11 Part Reservation Trust, and the prevention of further legal proceedings against the applicants under s 98C of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993. The Court dismissed the injunction application, declined to reappoint Mr Sword and Mr Warrington as responsible trustees, and dismissed the application under s 98C to prevent further proceedings.

Download Taueki v Proctor - Horowhenua 11 (Lake) Block (856 KB PDF) read more

Dave Randal, Chelsea Easter, Avikesh Chandra, Manahi Moana, Honor Kelly, and Eilís Donnelly review legal developments from the latter half of 2020 relating to Māori interests in natural resources. read more

Māori Land Court (2020) 425 Aotea MB 248 (425 AOT 248)

23 December 2020

Application for a rehearing regarding succession to the deceased's land interests. Court held that the deceased's whāngai are entitled to succeed absolutely to her interests.

Download Paenga v Te Maari (266 KB PDF) read more

Māori Land Court (2020) 86 Tākitimu MB 283 (86 TTK 283)

24 December 2020

Application for removal of trustees due to numerous breaches of trust. Trustees resigned. Court held that trustees would have been removed if they had not resigned. Court appointed an independent trustee to reconstruct the trust’s records and ensure that accounts are properly prepared.

Download Hutcheson v Clarkson - Mangamaire B No 2 Block (379 KB PDF) read more

Māori Land Court (2021) 69 Te Waipounamu MB 235 (69 TWP 235) 

12 March 2021 

Application granted to partition an area from Rāpaki Māori Reservation 875 Section 8B1 to build a house. 

Download: Couch - Rāpaki Māori Reservation 875 Section 8B1 (260 KB PDF)

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Māori Land Court (2021) Chief Judge’s MB 106-124 (2021 CJ MB 106-124) 

8 March 2021 

Application to amend succession orders to make provision for the deceased's whāngai dismissed and original orders confirmed. The law at the time of succession did not entitle the applicants to succeed as whāngai (1953 Act). 

Download: Rata - Paretuaoroa Paretekorae and Haki Rata (424 KB PDF)

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Māori Land Court (2021) 88 Tākitimu MB 148 (88 TKT 148)

5 March 2021 

Application about Waimārama 3A6B6B Incorporation and allegations of conflict of interest, mismanagement of Incorporation assets, a failure to keep, audit and file proper records. The Court appointed an independent auditor and examining officer to investigate the activity of the Incorporation. 

Download: Kani v MacDonald – Waimārama 3A6B6B (331 KB PDF)

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Māori Land Court (2021) 69 Te Waipounamu MB 251 (69 TWP 251) 

17 March 2021

Application seeking an injunction preventing a co-owner from occupying the northern third of Wairau Block XII Section 6C 2C (the block) and an order allowing the applicant to occupy that area. The core issue for the Court was whether an order under s 18(1)(a) of the Act for exclusive possession of part of the block in favour of one owner, can be made to the exclusion of the other co-owner. Application dismissed as the order sought was beyond the jurisdiction of s 18(1)(a). 

Download: MacDonald v MacDonald - Wairau Block XII Section 6C 2C (256 KB PDF)
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The Hauraki Settlement Overlapping Claims Inquiry Report

Waitangi Tribunal (Wai 2840, 2020)

16 December 2019

The Waitangi Tribunal reported on its inquiry into the Hauraki Settlement overlapping claims. The Tribunal found that the Crown breached the Treaty of Waitangi in a number of ways relating to its handling of overlapping claims with consequent damage to relationships.

Download The Hauraki Settlement Overlapping Claims Inquiry Report (2.8 MB PDF). read more