Listen Now: 
Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta says a radical reform of Maori land law could lead to a loss of institutional experience built up over decades.
The Waitangi Tribunal yesterday finished hearings on the Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill Claim, and it will now try to write a report before the bill is introduced to parliament.
Ms Mahuta says submitters raised concerns about what was driving the reforms, and they were skeptical the bill would deliver the promised outcomes.
She says it represents a real threat to the retention of Maori land.
"The ability to change Maori freehold title to general title for economic purposes is kind of core to that legislation and also changing the role of the Maori Land Court which could mean about 100 jobs lost. That's a loss of capacity of people who understand succession to Maori land, who understand whakapapa, who understand the court processes in order to help whanau reconnect back to their papakainga," she says.
Copyright © 2015, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
RELATED NEWS
