Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011
When the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 was repealed, it was replaced with the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (“the MACA Act”). The MACA Act allows Māori whānau, hapū and iwi to go to the High Court to have their customary rights recognised. However, there was a deadline in the MACA Act for filing applications. That deadline was the 3rd of April 2017. Prominent Māori leader and kaumatua, Mr Maanu Paul, also the Chairperson of the Mataatua District Māori Council and a member of the New Zealand Māori Council filed with the High Court on this day, a significant “All of Aotearoa” claim for customary rights to Aotearoa’s Takutai Moana. Partly his reason for doing this was that any Māori groups who have customary rights but were not able to apply to the High Court by the due date may still have an avenue to seek their customary rights, by joining this application.
In a recent 25 July decision, the High Court Judge who is responsible for hearing all MACA applications has given Mr Paul one month, until the 22nd of August, to identify which whānau, hapū and iwi are going to join this claim, and what geographic area of Aotearoa the application relates to. In light of this, Mr Paul is letting those whānau, hapū or iwi who may not have been able to get an application to the High Court, but now want to have a claim, to come forward and join his “All of Aotearoa” claim.
If you are interested, please contact Janet Mason of Phoenix Law in Wellington by texting 027-5269282 or emailing mason@phoenixlaw.expert or visit the website: https://phoenixlaw.expert
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