Sitting date: 30 January 2025

MĀORI PURPOSES BILL

First Reading

Hon TAMA POTAKA (Minister for Māori Development):

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I present a legislative statement on the Māori Purposes Bill.

SPEAKER: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.

Hon TAMA POTAKA: I move, That the Māori Purposes Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the Māori Purposes Bill. At the appropriate time, I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 30 July 2025.

This bill proposes a suite of minor, technical, and non-controversial amendments to Māori affairs legislation to provide entities with greater autonomy and decision-making power. Though the amendments on the bill are minor and technical in nature, they will have a significant impact on Māori entities by removing red tape, administrative burdens, and modernising the enabling legislation.

Modernising legislation aligns with the Government's aims of delivering better public services by meeting good Government responsibilities—Kāwanatanga responsibilities. This bill will ease administrative burdens by removing unnecessary legislative restrictions, lowering both compliance and administrative costs. It also supports Māori economic development, as lowering compliance costs and reducing the resources needed to meet legislative requirements will allow entities to focus on growth and innovation, which can contribute to a stronger economy.

The bill is being developed in consultation with Māori entities across the motu, their input instrumental in ensuring the legislation will better meet the needs of Māori communities both now and into the future. It reflects the evolving aspirations of Māori and ensures that the Crown continues to honour its commitments.

The bill contains provisions that update and streamline a range of existing statutes. It proposes amendments to eight Acts and five regulations, as well as the repeal of three Māori Purposes Acts.

First, the bill amends the Maori Community Development Act 1962—very well known—which established the New Zealand Māori Council, Māori Wardens, and community officers. The amendments to this Act and the associated Maori Community Development Regulations will allow Māori associations to hold meetings electronically and appoint co-chairpersons, which is what many of our entities like to do, as well as giving them greater choice and flexibility in how they manage their affairs.

Second, the bill amends the Maori Purposes Fund Act 1934–35 and the Maori Purposes Fund Regulations 1937—very old; nearly 100 years old. The Act established the Maori Purposes Fund, which provides grants and loans for a range of activities for the benefit of Māori. These include the promotion of health, education, arts and crafts, social and economic welfare, and, of course, the preservation of te reo Māori. Modernising the Act will provide better mechanisms for administering the funds. The amendments will allow electronic meetings, something of a new age; remove the requirement for resolutions to be signed by letter or telegram; and enable the chairperson to call special meetings—technical amendments that you'd expect to enable these hui to go a bit more efficiently. The bill also contains an amendment to modernise the requirements for presenting the annual report and associated documents to this House.

Third, the bill amends the Maori Soldiers Trust Act 1957, which was established for the benefit of Māori First World War veterans, and a scholarship fund to commemorate the services of the late Tā Apirana Ngata for Māori. Modernising the Act will allow the trust to operate in a modern day context and better serve the descendants of Māori soldiers. Amendments to the Act will modernise the appointment, removal, and resignation of this committee, an appointment procedure for committee members, modernise meeting provisions to allow for electronic meetings, and modernise the procedure for the preparation and disclosure of the annual financial statements.

Fourth, the bill proposes changes to the Maori Trust Boards Act 1955, something I studied a lot of many, many years ago. That Act made provision for trust boards to administer funds, land, and other resources for Māori communities. Modernising the Act through amendments will strengthen the purpose of the Māori trust boards by addressing outdated administrative processes and making it easier for trust boards to fulfil their purpose. Amendments will do this by allowing trust boards to advertise board nominations online—new age; by changing requirements so that any newspaper advertisements only need to be for one day; providing for electronic meetings and, again, co-chairpersons; allowing the board to set the remuneration for the secretary; clarifying the process for filling extraordinary vacancies; and updating obsolete references.

The fifth set of amendments are to the Māori Trustee Act 1953. The amendments to this Act, and the regulations associated with it of 2009, support the goals of the Māori Trustee by modernising legislation, removing administrative barriers, plus allowing the Māori Trustee to operate more efficiently, and I welcome the support of the Māori Trustee in this matter.

The amendments will reduce the administrative burden on the Trustee by adding a threshold for when the Trustee must report to account holders on interest on distributable income, and also change how distributable income from common fund investments is calculated. Finally, it will also modernise the language and terms in the Act.

The sixth set of amendments relate to Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016/the Māori Language Act 2016. The Act established Te Mātāwai as an independent statutory entity to provide leadership on behalf of iwi and Māori, to lead the mahi around the Maihi Māori, and in their role as kaitiaki of the Māori language. The Act's purpose is to support the partnership approach to the revitalisation of te reo Māori. Amendments to this Act include raising awareness of revitalisation activity, and encouraging, supporting, empowering iwi and Māori as learners and speakers of te reo as a purpose of Te Mātāwai, and creating regulatory powers so that the names and make-up of kāhui can be changed easily—can't wait to see some of my own iwi actually included on the schedule. The name of a court can be updated in the schedule of courts where te reo Māori may be spoken. Finally, an amendment provides for electronic meeting, and, again, co-chairperson arrangements. Consequential amendments have also been made to the Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act 2003.

Finally, Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993—a very important Act which reflects a long history to address challenges facing Māori landowners and the management and governance that goes with that. The Act as it currently stands aims to create practical solutions that enable Māori landowners to make decisions that best serve their aspirations while ensuring whenua Māori is protected. In addition to the amendments to the Act itself, the bill amends the Maori Incorporations Constitution Regulations 1994 and the Maori Reservations Regulations 1994. Collectively, the amendments in this bill will add to the history and the herstory of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act and benefit Māori landowners by allowing trust and corporations and reservation trusts to meet electronically and have co-chairperson arrangements, modernise outdated terminology, and address technical issues such as allowing the Māori Land Court to exercise powers under the Property Law Act relating to easement and covenant provisions, with respect to Māori freehold land and any other land that the application is related to in the court. Finally, it will also give the Māori Land Court the same powers, as set out under Part 2 of the Contract and Commercial Law Act, as other courts when considering contractual matters before it.

In addition to the amendments I've talked about today, the bill also repeals the Māori Purposes Acts of 1937, 1939, and 1945—it's a tidy-up of the statute books as those Acts no longer have any operative provisions.

To summarise, the bill proposes a number of minor, technical, and non-controversial amendments, which, if enacted, will enable Māori entities to improve and operate more effectively and efficiently without the unnecessary red tape and administrative burden. While the amendments in this bill are minor, and technical in nature, they will have a big impact on the ability of Māori organisations to get on to do the mahi and to exercise their responsibilities in the vein and in the realm of rangatiratanga. We have a duty to ensure legislation is current, fit for purpose, and addresses present and future needs—I'm confident that the amendments in this bill will do just this, and I look forward to the support of other members of this House. With those final words, I commend the bill to the House. Tēnā tātou katoa.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour): Kia ora tātou. Kia ora, Mr Speaker. This is not a particularly controversial bill at all. It's something that, obviously, we should all be supporting so that we are able to get our communities up to scratch. This has been lagging for too long, and it's something that we should have probably dealt with too, so I commend the Minister for getting on with the business. It is really important that we get up to speed in some areas.

I would ask the Minister to have a think—I'm happy to work with him on it—and to have a look at the Māori Community Development Act 1962 and updating that in terms of the electronic areas and the chairperson arrangements. But the Māori Community Development Act of 1962 is an area that the Minister will know has been a little bit controversial in the last few years as we've had different organisations—the Māori wardens, the New Zealand Māori Council—speaking about mandate and about who should be representing them. So I'd be happy to spend some time with the Minister to go over that and some of the kōrero that we went through with the New Zealand Māori Council and with the Māori wardens. That's the thing with the Act: we're talking about an Act from 1962 being pertinent and relevant in 2025.

So while we've got some of the technical side set up and people should be able to now, as we all know, carry out their meetings and their business online, there are other areas, I think, that the Minister might want to get into with regard to mandates and who's representing whom. I'm not an advocate for taking away the New Zealand Māori Council's right to represent Māori wardens, but that is something that needs to be traversed by the Minister—we've put a lot of time in there in terms of the Māori Community Development Act—and really have a look at it and at whether it's absolutely pertinent and relevant in 2025.

We're glad too to see our Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori/Māori Language Act updated, clarifying the purpose of Te Mātāwai. It's important that not just the co-chair arrangements and support for our te reo Māori revitalisation be addressed, but what must also be addressed is the Government's response to Te Mātāwai. When I was the Minister, we had regular meetings with our Māori organisations, and so it's good to clarify that. But we need to whakatinana this kaupapa. We need to strengthen it a bit more, so that on top of that, we would like to see the Minister's commitment in terms of the funding for our reo Māori. It's good that we got this kaupapa up, but we need to get kaupapa up where we're seeing meaningful funding going into some of our really, really important initiatives.

Māori Television is not on this. We've got the Māori Soldiers Trust Act, the Māori Trust Boards Act, the Māori Trustee Act, and Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori. Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori is applicable in a general sense, particularly in terms of how we cover the reo in terms of Māori Television and in terms of Māori radio. So we want to hear from the Minister what is his plan, what is his rautaki, and what is his strategy in terms of advancing funding and pūtea for our iwi radio network and for our Whakaata Māori. It's not just about ticking a box and getting things going in a technical sense.

But generally, obviously, this is a kaupapa that we, as the Opposition, would always support because this is something that we would have done too if we were the Government. So I commend the Minister for getting on with it and we support this bill going forward. Kia ora tātou.

HŪHANA LYNDON (Green): Tēnā koe e te Pīka.

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On behalf of the Green Party, I stand in tautoko alongside colleagues of the House for the Māori Purposes Bill, knowing that it's an omnibus piece of legislation that covers a range of legislation that has been, I guess, dated—had limited the ability of organisations to do their business in these modern times. I think they were still faxing and required to post out their mail, some of the groups. But now, with the amendments that have been made, it will support all of our groups impacted here to be able to be stronger and better, now and into the future.

So when I consider the Maori Community Development Act and the way that they can now have their hui electronically and also to have co-chair arrangements—yay, awesome. Also the Maori Purposes Fund and the regulations around the purpose, but also the way that they can have hui and the models—great, again.

We've heard in the past some of the challenges of legislation that is not appropriate and has not moved with the times. This type of legislation—just coming through quickly and making these amendments—really, ultimately, will help the organisations.

So whether it be tidying up the use of te reo Māori in legislation, whether it's about enabling co-chair arrangements and the ability for organisations to have more flexibility in hosting meetings, being able to make decisions, and moving beyond telegraph and post, it's great to see we've come to this point in time in 2025.

So on behalf of te Rōpū Kākāriki, I stand and we tautoko. Kia ora.

JENNY MARCROFT (Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Media and Communications): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise on behalf of New Zealand First in support of the Maōri Purposes Bill. As everyone so far who's contributed to this conversation we're having about the Maōri Purposes Bill, put up by Hon Tama Potaka, there was wide support for it, which is great to hear. It continues the theme of the day, really, which is great to be a part of.

As the Minister noted in his contribution, this Māori Purposes Bill will provide a suite of minor and technical amendments to remove some of the unnecessary administrative burden so that these organisations are able to focus on growth. And it's good to see that Labour and the Green Party will also be supporting the legislation.

An omnibus bill—and the Māori Purposes Bill, in particular—is all about tidying up amendments in legislation. And often they've been characterised as a wash-up bill. In fact, previously the Māori Purposes Bill in previous iterations, in previous Parliaments, have been called the "the boil-up bill". Everything gets chucked in the pot. And what a delight it is when it's time to sit down and have your kai, particularly if there's watercress.

I'd like to mention a few of the things in this bill just very briefly. In terms of New Zealand First, we've consistently stood for policies that enhance equality, equity, fairness, and efficiency within New Zealand's legislative framework. We recognise the significance of Māori economic development and cultural revitalisation and the impact it has on the nation as a whole. We believe also in practical solutions to improve governance, reduce administrative burdens, and ensure resources are utilised effectively for the benefit of all.

We support the bill because it's going to reinforce fairness and transparency by modernising the legislation that does, in fact, impact on Māori governance and economic opportunities. These amendments will promote autonomy and efficiency for the Māori organisations. Reducing that administrative burden and requirement—bringing ourselves into the future, or at least 2025, by enabling electronic meetings and things. People do still have fax machines. It's actually unbelievable. Not many, but a few. But now having meetings electronically—I know when I was part of my hapū's governance team, meeting always in the north. A lot of travel to do that but to be able to do it by Zoom or other means made it so much easier to ensure people actually attend those meetings. And that's a good thing, really. So on that, pleased to be supporting this bill, the Māori Purposes Bill. I commend it to the House.

SIMON COURT (ACT): Thank you, Mr Speaker, The ACT Party commends this bill to the House. It's largely a technical bill, an omnibus bill for minor technical amendments to Māori affairs legislation. Modernising legislation, reducing administrative burdens, and increasing autonomy for Māori entities—that's all in line with ACT values and with what this coalition Government supports. Absolutely commend it to the House.

TĀKUTA FERRIS (Te Pāti Māori —Te Tai Tonga):

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Mr Speaker, tēnā koe. It's good to be back. I stand to take this call just to raise a couple of additional thoughts, not to reiterate things that have already been said. The bill is indeed a good step forward, but I would think that the House is a lot more advanced than just leaving bills to become so decrepit that we're making changes to allow things to be done online in this day and age. But, in essence, these things need to be done, and there are many significant Māori organisations that have obviously waited a long time for that to happen. So that's good, but we also feel that it's a missed opportunity. It's a missed opportunity to open a broader discussion around the Māori development needs of some of the significant Māori organisations of the country who have obviously been stymied for a long time. Māori development is a key thing in the development of the whole country, so it should be something that's on the top of Tama Potaka's list.

We also note that many of the issues that Māori are raising and have raised are from within the development field, and many others like Te Tiriti compliance and the ability of Māori to develop Māori land unhindered are things that need to be brought to the table for discussion. These are all things that enhance everyone's lives and, indeed, the production and economy of the country as a whole.

So although this discussion is open here in this omnibus-type fashion, we hope that this discussion is continued on and broadened out. Discussion on the needs, the supports, the inputs required, the resources, and the capability required to enhance the continued development of the Māori economy is something that bodes well for the future of all in Aotearoa. As we've recently seen at the close of last year, it's $119 billion. I'm sure a few tweaks to some legislation in this House would help unleash that to reach new heights.

So we invite that discussion. We invite that discussion and we hope that the Minister continues his good work, keeps these regulations and legislative conditions up to speed with where the modern world is operating at, and that the discussion around the development of the Māori society, economy—the lot of it—becomes a focus for the Government leading into this year.

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DAVID MacLEOD (National—New Plymouth): Mark this day. I actually agree with the member, Takuta Ferris. I think, indeed, what he talks about with regards to maximising the potential of Māori land, the Māori economy, all that sort of stuff—absolutely. I can't argue with that. Clearly, we've got some other pressing issues as well, but hopefully that is something that the Government can turn its mind to in in the short-term future.

But this Māori Purposes Bill has been well traversed. The Minister gave a very good opening of what this bill actually does and the many Acts that it affects, and basically, the modernising of how Māori entities can get on with their business makes absolute sense.

I do note the numerous former Māori Purposes Acts of 1939, 1945, and 1973 are also going to be repealed as a result of this because they no longer have any operative provisions in it.

But this makes sense. I'm very pleased for it to be coming to a committee that I've been newly elected to the chair of, the Māori Affairs Committee. We will look forward to opening up for submissions as soon as we can and allowing people to provide their thoughts and support, or even if they feel that there is some strengthening of what this bill actually has to do, as well. So with that, I commend this bill to the House.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): This debate is interrupted and set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 11 February. Have a good weekend, everyone.

Debate interrupted.

The House adjourned at 5.56 p.m.

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Sitting date: 12 February 2025

MĀORI PURPOSES BILL

First Reading

Debate resumed from 30 January.

Hon PEENI HENARE (Labour): Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on the Māori Purposes Bill, a technical bill, one that looks to make adjustments across a number of pieces of legislation. But that old adage that the devil is in the detail is true, and it's important not to arbitrarily push it to the side and think that it's only changing a few words here and there; we need to look more substantively at some of the changes. I know some of the more sort of straightforward technical changes are around simple things like putting the word "Māori" in instead of "Maoris" because there's no such thing as "Māoris" with an "s", and something like putting—what do you call it?—a macron on the "a" for Māori—simple things like that. Those are really straightforward, and we support all of those.

However, if you look a little bit deeper into some of the more substantive parts of this bill, they are around Te Ture Whenua Maori Act. Now, we know right across the country that Te Ture Whenua Maori Act has both been a protection mechanism for Māori land but also a significant hindrance in so far as it's put a fence around a lot of the aspiration, a lot of the development aspiration and the economic aspirations that Māori have with respect to the utilisation of their land. So Te Ture Whenua Māori Act is something that needs close inspection; I appreciate that some of the changes that are proposed in this bill are technical in nature, they talk about the kinds of representation and the percentage of people that must be in attendance at a meeting, etc., but we know that, like we said, the devil is in the detail.

The Government of the Key administration tried to change Te Ture Whenua Māori Act substantively. It came up against some resistance and some support. Regardless, what we don't want to happen with this particular bill is that substantive changes to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act are pushed through without the kind of consultation, without the kind of work alongside Māori communities and those who are impacted by legislation such as Te Ture Whenua Maori Act—aren't involved in the conversation around the table with respect to the law that governs Māori land here in this country.

So we support this bill. We want to be upfront about that, but we want to let the Minister know and the House know and indicate to the House that when this particular bill progresses to the next stage, we will look to interrogate some of those smaller parts in legislation that we believe will have a significant impact, and I've already spoken about Te Ture Whenua Maori Act and why it's important that we get that right. It is important to get it right because, of course, aspirations—economic aspirations—for the utilisation of Māori land, economic aspirations in order to allow Māori to build papa kāinga on their land, all these things are really important and I'm sure members right across the House will make sure that we get that right.

Other parts are technical in nature; they bring and modernise many of the bits of legislation, for example the ability to meet online. I know it sounds rather novel in this particular bill, but it's something that's been able to be done in this country for some time now. COVID taught us that we can move a heck of a lot of our operations into Zoom meetings, into online meetings, and it's important that legislation keeps up with the time. And so you'll see, Mr Speaker, there are a number of bills here that make simple adjustments like that, which are ones, of course, that we support and are reasonably straightforward.

The bill also proposes a minor change to the way that Te Mātāwai and the Māori Language Act of 2016, if I recall the date correctly, will make a minor adjustment with respect to the way that it works alongside Te Mātāwai with Māori Television, and I think that's going to be really important. The bill, it says here, is set out to encourage and grow te reo Māori, if you will. But what we've seen from this Government hasn't been exactly huge support for te reo Māori. In fact, in its first 100 days it did its very best to get rid of te reo Māori in public spaces and other places. So we want to make sure that while the bill proposes something technical and small like that, it actually delivers what it is intended to deliver, and the only way to do that is not only to look at the Māori Television legislation, but also to have a closer inspection of Te Mātāwai and the legislation there and Te Whare o te Reo Mauri Ora which was actually ushered in by the National-led Government of the Key administration.

I thought I had 10 minutes but, sadly, I've only got five. So for the next 10 seconds we will say that we will support this bill; we will continue to interrogate to make sure that we dive into the detail.

RIMA NAKHLE (National—Takanini): Thank you, Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to rise in support of the Māori Purposes Bill. It's also a pleasure to know that it's coming to another select committee that I have the privilege of being part of—the Māori Affairs Committee. That's also alongside my commitments on the Justice Committee, the busiest committee at this stage in Parliament.

So just by way of a brief synopsis, the main objective of this bill—as has been perused so far throughout the speeches with respect to the Māori Purposes Bill—is that, essentially, we're proposing some minor technical—and if I may be so straightforward to say—non-controversial amendments to a suite of Māori affairs legislation. Indeed, we're amending eight Acts, five regulations, and we're repealing three Maori Purposes Acts because they are from back in the 1930s and early 1940s. They're no longer fit for purpose. They're out of date. So with the changes that we're proposing with this Māori Purposes Bill that will include, as I said, repealing those three Acts as well from 1937, 1939, and 1945.

What I would like to highlight, if I may, is that one of the Acts that will be amended is the Maori Community Development Act 1962. For those of our listeners beyond these walls, this is the Act that that essentially established the Māori Wardens community officers, and the New Zealand Māori Council. In this situation, I'd like to acknowledge the New Zealand Māori Council, and my beautiful dear friend, the co-chair Whaea Anne Kendall, who I love so much, and who has over the years that I've been here in New Zealand had the warmth and the generosity of taking me around with her to different kaupapa Māori events so my eyes could be opened up to the beauty of our Māori world. I'd also like to tautoko and send a shout-out to our Māori Wardens. Thank you for all the care that you give in making sure we're always safe in different events. With that, I would love to commend this bill to the House.

CUSHLA TANGAERE-MANUEL (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti):

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Oh, as soon as you put your earpiece in, Mr Speaker, I'm turning to English. What I was going to say: kia ora nō, everybody. There's not much more to say, other than what the Hon Peeni Henare has said, but I will make a further contribution.

The price of living in paradise is sometimes only 150 of you live there and that's across a vast expanse. And when you're on the committee of the rugby team, the committee of the marae, the committee of everything else, it doesn't always work. But you do have whānau who live in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, who live in Te Wai Pounamu who still feel the strong pull to contribute at home. So while it could be perceived as a minor bill, we here on this side are happy to tautoko this bill because of the practical applications it can have, such as mine currently, as a trustee of Putaanga Marae being developed in Tikitiki.

I'm especially intrigued too, as Peeni Henare did discuss, about the opportunities for our reo and enhancing its understanding and respect throughout Aotearoa. Obviously, Te Ture Whenua Maori Act that will be scrutinised, as will every other part of this bill, though Labour support it. But whenua is something that is still controversial in Aotearoa today. I don't need to explain that in this House. So any amendments to that in particular and not just—I mean, obviously in Aotearoa whānui, but specifically in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and Te Tairāwhiti. So that will be scrutinised.

So while this may be perceived, as I've said, as a minor bill, it is something we're pleased to say to the Government opposite that's something we support. And on behalf of te Pāti Reipa,

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GREG FLEMING (National—Maungakiekie):

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All I'm going to add is that I love bills that are focused on bringing greater efficiency to the way that we do things. I love legislation like this that increases the rangatiratanga and the mana motuhake of the organisations and the groups and the hapū that will access the systems of this House through this bill. And I particularly love legislation that has in mind the increased flourishing of

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Nā reira, I am delighted to commend this bill to the House.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): The question is, That the Māori Purposes Bill be considered by the Māori Affairs Committee.

Motion agreed to.

Bill referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.

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