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Parliament’s Maori affairs select committee has extended the deadline for submissions on Ture Whenua Maori Bill until July 14.
Chair Tutehounuku Korako says the three week extension recognises the 379 page bill will be a significant piece of legislation affecting Maori land owners.
The bill considers what safeguards are in place for Maori to retain land as a taoka tuku iho.
The Government says it is about enabling Maori land owners to make more practical decisions about how they utilise their land use.
Critics say such a radical overhaul is unnecessary, and the changes will remove many existing protections and create uncertainty and risk.
It will also mean a major reduction in the powers of the Maori Land Court to intervene, or to consider any matters outside the narrow scope of what is in the bill.
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