Rating Bill hailed a big boost for Ma¯ ori rights
New legislation ‘corrects 100 years of disadvantage’, says minister
ABill giving councils the power to write off rates arrears, make unused Ma¯ori land unrateable and allow for multiple homes on Ma¯ ori land is just the start to a wider conversation about Ma¯ori land, a Ruapehu district councillor says.
The Whenua Ma¯ ori Rating Amendment Bill passed its third reading on Tuesday, modernising Ma¯ori land rating laws that have been largely untouched since 1924.
The Bill gives better recognition to communal ownership of whenua Ma¯ori, and situations where multiple houses are on one land block. It also makes unused Ma¯ ori land unrateable, including land under Nga¯ Whenua Ra¯hui covenants.
Ruapehu district councillor Elijah Pue told Local Democracy Reporting that the changes make it easier for wha¯nau to use, develop and live on their tu¯puna whenua.
“I think it goes a long way towards giving Ma¯ori landowners the tools they need to manage and own Ma¯ori land and multiple houses on different parcels of Ma¯ori land.
“I would also say it’s a start to a really important conversation that needs to happen around the management of Ma¯ ori land. The review of the Te Ture Whenua Ma¯ori Act is really necessary in addition to the review of the Resource Management Act, which is due to happen this year.”
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta said nearly 100 years of a system that was not fit for Ma¯ori had resulted in underdevelopment of Ma¯ori land and disadvantage for Ma¯ori living on Ma¯ori land.
It had also resulted in a level of rates arrears which unfairly represented the level of unpaid rates on Ma¯ori-owned land, she said.
“Provisions have also been introduced to better recognise the communal ownership of Ma¯ori land, and situations where multiple houses are situated on one block of Ma¯ori land.
“These circumstances were ignored when the rates rebate scheme was introduced in the 1970s and it is time to correct a wrong that has disadvantaged low-income homeowners on Ma¯ori land for generations,” Mahuta said.
The Bill is part of a wider set of initiatives the Government is working
through that aims to provide Ma¯ori landowners with tools to help them reach their aspirations and the potential of their land, the Minister said.
The Bill would also be beneficial for local authorities, allowing councils to work more easily with Ma¯ori landowners. The Minister said she was pleased that no local authorities spoke against the Bill.
“Removing the obstacles so Ma¯ori and local authorities can develop strong relationships will be an invaluable contribution to future generations. Central government is on a long journey to improve Ma¯oriCrown relations. There is a place for local authorities alongside us on this journey.”
The new provisions around land that becomes non-rateable, treating individual blocks as one and creating individual rates accounts for homes will come into force on July 1, 2022. This will allow local authorities the time to research and put in place the necessary systems so that the correct rating treatment can be applied.
The Bill also amends the Local Government Act 2002 to require certain local authority funding and financing policies to support the principles set out in the Preamble to Te Ture Whenua Ma¯ori Act 1993. Local authorities’ policy on the remission and postponement of rates on Ma¯ori freehold land must comply with the Bill by July 1, 2022, but the changes required for the other policies can be required as part of the normal planning and review cycles.
All other substantive provisions will come into force the day after Royal Assent.