Kohi-tātea 2026 January – Contents

Te Kōti Pīra Māori – Māori Appellate Court

Status of land - registration of change of status - Malcolm v Hahipene - Te Karaka 1B2B1 [2025] Māori Appellate Court MB 603 - Craig Linkhorn

Trustees - retirement of reservation trustees - Watson v Van der Broek [2025] Māori Appellate Court MB 470 - Craig Linkhorn

2025 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

Te Kōti Whenua Māori – Māori Land Court

Trusts - trustee duties - MacDonald v Gibson - Ngāti Tāwhirikura Hapū Charitable Trust (2025) 521 Aotea MB 240 - Elizabeth Derby

Alienation - invalid lease - injunction - Toatoa v Toatoa - Wharerangi 5B1 and 6B2 Lot A and Lot B (2025) 125 Tākitimu MB 38 (2025 125 TKT MB 38) - Arthur Linkhorn

2025 Māori Land Court judgments - index


Trusts – trustee duties – MacDonald

MacDonald v Gibson - Ngāti Tāwhirikura Hapū Charitable Trust

(2025) 521 Aotea MB 240 (521 AOT 240)

12 December 2025

The Ngāti Tāwhirikura Hapū Charitable Trust administers hapū business on behalf of Ngāti Tāwhirikura. The Trust has been in a period of internal dysfunction since 2023, with the trustees splitting into two factions. The two factions applied to the Court for determination on a number of issues. The Court has opted to take a two-stage approach to these proceedings, with this decision detailing the findings of the Court on the issues raised. A subsequent decision will address remedies.

Download MacDonald v Gibson - Ngāti Tāwhirikura Hapū Charitable Trust (280 KB PDF). read more

2026 Māori Land Court judgments – index

This table lists the 2026 judgments of the Māori Land Court and contains links to reports about the decisions.

For other years: 2010201120122013, 20142015, 201620172018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. Follow this link for the 2026 Māori Appellate Court judgments index.

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2026 Māori Appellate Court Judgments – index

This table lists the 2026 judgments of the Māori Appellate Court and contains links to reports about the decisions once decisions are released.

For other years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. Follow this link for the 2026 Māori Land Court judgments index.

read more